The reaction to the Deus Ex remaster announcement has been far less enthusiastic than the developers expected. Users are holding back no criticism under the YouTube trailer and on Reddit.
The remaster trailer features artifacts characteristic of AI upscaling, leading to accusations of attempting to cut corners on development. Users noted that the textures look flat, without reflections or high-quality lighting, which contradicts the claimed visual improvements. The game allegedly does not match the original atmosphere, and the character models look worse than in fan-made mods.
Some commentators suggested that Aspyr is using AI to improve textures, which led to further accusations of insufficient work. On Reddit, they write:
* "Looks awful. I hope it will be possible to switch to the original graphics while maintaining improvements in gameplay and interface."
* "This is just cheap AI processing without any taste"
* "Looks like just an AI texture upscale"
* "Models are worse than in the HDTP mod"
Many note that the visual improvements look superficial and do not meet the expectations of an official remaster. Others compare the remaster to previous Aspyr projects, such as Tomb Raider, where AI technologies were also used to improve graphics, which drew criticism for low quality.
The Deus Ex remaster is scheduled for release on February 5, 2026, on PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch. It is currently unknown how the developers will react to the criticism and whether they will be able to improve the quality of the game before release.
