Announced at the latest State of Play, Deus Ex Remastered has sparked a storm of discussion. Jerry O'Flaherty, the art director of the original 2000 game, has joined the sharp criticism. In an interview, he admitted that he was shocked after watching the trailer.
"What the hell is this, anyway? No. This shouldn't have happened," he stated. According to the artist, the new textures and lighting "stripped the game of its character."
O'Flaherty recalled that in the early 2000s, when realism was unattainable, developers compensated with imagination and visual solutions, giving projects their own identity.
"Now everyone is chasing photorealism, but reality is not always what you want. Sometimes it's better when everything is slightly exaggerated."
In his opinion, Deus Ex does not need a visual revolution, only technical improvements that would allow the game to run smoothly on modern platforms.
Deus Ex Remastered will be released on February 5, 2026, on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
