Thank you for your incredible music!! This video is meant to be a celebration of the amazing work you and the other Straylight composers did on this game, so it's pretty mind-blowing that you’re here commenting on it 😅 Also, if you could ever find the time, I’d love to interview you for a future video on Unreal and Unreal Tournament
The soundtrack to the original Deus Ex deserves recognition as one of the greatest of any musical score ever. More than twenty years on, I still hear the tapping notes of Hell's Kitchen in my head as easily as the first few bars of Super Mario Bros.
i wanted to attach the music to the narrative more in this video than i have done previously, bc i feel like some of my other analyses were missing something by not focusing enough on the narrative meaning of the soundtrack, not that you asked for me to ramble lol, but thank you for the comment!!
Yeah, Mark Morgan's Fallout and Alexander Brandon's Deus Ex are basically my two favorite soundtracks ever as well. I'll chime in with Kulman and say, thank you for focusing on the greats.
"When I was a kid, only two things mattered to me. Video games and UA-cam videos". This two sentences shattered me a bit. With the first sentence, you took me back to my childhood. The first half of the second sentence confirmed my addiction, but the second half threw a stake in my chest. In my childhood there was no youtube, the internet was a freshly grounded digital space folding out of it's wings. I could have a son as old as you if I hadn't pursued my dreams, but married very young. This realization comes and goes, but somehow, the context made it now extremely real. Thank you for that, and also for the great video. 👍
Thank you for sharing that my friend, I'm very glad that my video could move you in some way. I only briefly remember the pre-UA-cam internet, but the digital world has always captured my imagination in a profound way. Thank you again for your kind words, and I wish you the very best 🤟
In regards to your question about the Helios ending, I'll tell you what it evokes for me personally. The Dark Age ending is certainly more upbeat. The callback to the title track (which I love) has an air of determination to it. It's as if JC & Tong know that, despite doing the right thing, the REAL work has only begun. Even though there is uncertainty in the Dark Age ending, it leaves us, the player, with a feeling of confidence & determination. Things are going to be different, but they'll be alright. The dark world we were introduced to back when we first heard the title track is gone, and a new age of hope on the horizon has begun. The Helios Ending's callback conversely doesn't necessarily inspire that same unfettered optimism. Yet, it's not pessimistic or cynical. The militaristic snare gives the track some backbone, as though JC knows this is what he needs to do. There's uncertainty hanging in the air because, unlike Tong's ending which signifies the end of a terrible period, the Helios ending represents the beginning of something new. The world was an awful place, but it was a devil we knew. What will this new age of man & machine bring? This is a bell we can't unring, but ring it we must. The synth-y marimba part in the track sounds a lot like the bleeps & bloops of the computers/servers in the game, as if the humanity of the song is giving way to a new, digital form - and as the track transitions into that ethos, so to does the uncertainty leave the song. We're left with a dramatic swell, but one with purpose - unlike the beginning of the song which still showed some hesitancy. Anyway, thanks for reading my blog. This was a great & hilarious video. I really like your style, and I hope to see more videos from you in the future!
That was fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, I found them very illuminating. Maybe you should start a blog! I agree with you very much, and I think the ending tracks in particular are great examples of the effort put into conveying narrative meaning through music. They reflect the philosophical conundrums that come with each ending, which is a seriously difficult feat to achieve through composition
@@SimonZinzovski Majuular does have an amazing UA-cam channel where he takes a slower, analytical approach to game reviews very similar to your own! Highly recommend you give him a watch sometime!
I would include Jesper Kyd as one of the more famous examples of demo scenes going full pro I'm very glad You didn't skip tracker topic in this, I was worried after watching 3/4th of the video
Astonished at the quality of output you have on your channel. Born too late to experience the 70s goth scene, born too early to experience gay space communism, born just in time to watch Simon Zinzovski's videos. Back when I played Deus Ex for the first time I found the club music in Paris to sound eerily similar to something out of Bowie's 90s albums. Funnily enough I found out Reeves Gabrels (who worked on one of Bowie's best albums 1.Outside) was behind all the club music in the game. I agree that the UNATCO tracks are absolutely some of the best in the entire game. I love darker and more eerie types of music myself and the cyberspy feel is so well crafted in those tracks. Something I always thought about when hearing the music of the Illuminati, was this feeling of something from the past creeping back in. Like you were visited by a ghost from the past. The Illuminati ending track felt extremely opressive and I think in a way it reminds us that the older established ideas of governing are coming back with an iron grip. One of my favorite tracks out of the entire game is probably the Conversation theme for the DuClare Chateau. It's such a beautiful and haunting track. I'm not that musically literate (I only play saxophone) but I'll try my best to express how I felt when hearing the track, in relation to the ending itself. There's something about the beginning of it that feels unsure and a bit sad at first, it's like JC is sacrificing himself to helios for mankind's sake. It then turns much more hopeful and uplifting, but still a bit held back. Like he fulfilled a christ-like role when he sacrifices himself and ascends to Godhood. (Another note: you're an absolute chad for using the original system shock footage in the back for a few seconds in the video. That game has some of my favorite video game tracks of all time! There's a nine inch nails industrial techno feel to it that I really dig) I hope to see more from you through out my lifetime! Your thoughts and ways of presenting them are just contagious, makes me want to learn all about any given topic you're discussing. Now I've waxed your balls enough for today... really hope you have the best of days. And to one day meet you in the land down under for that beer.
Heyyy don't count yourself out for the gay space communism just yet, we might get there! But seriously, thanks for the support and the thoughtful message. I really wanted to add the Reeves Gabrels thing somewhere in the video but just couldn't figure out a way to fit it, super interesting connection though. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the music, i enjoyed reading through it and I'm sure others will too. This video actually started it's life as a cyberpunk music retrospective, where i was going to go over a bunch of different games including System Shock, so I might have to revisit that idea in the future. Thanks for the support Adam and i too hope we'll meet some day!!
The synapse is such a banger of a tune, maybe my favourite or at least one of them, I remember spending ages running around Hong Kong trying to find that egg machine what a great game.
A thirty-ish minute video about the best soundtrack in gaming history?! This is what UA-cam is for! I was looking for this exact video when i was doing my yearly playthrough in February.
Extremely good video. Having recently replayed DX and The Nameless Mod I was looking forward to you covering this masterpiece of a soundtrack. And a massive kudos for talking about tracker music and the demoscene. Like you said, it's part of the game's identity and DNA, in fact Unreal's and DX's music led me to learning about the demoscene and other music by the composers. I feel like learning about the tech and craft behind the soundtrack makes you appreciate it even more. Once again, thanks for covering it! I would really love to see a dissection of Unreal's and UT music as well. These two games along with DX make up the holy trinity of tracker soundtrack in my opinion.
Thanks for the support Quaker! I totally agree in terms of learning about the narratives behind artistic works, it adds a richness to your enjoyment of it I think. Plus, its just kinda cool. Unreal and UT are both really good suggestions that i will absolutely have to consider
Im grateful this exists. Imagine an analysis of the Thief seires. Id be blown away. So many underrated video game composers out there other than popular ones like Soule even through he is great and sticks to his symphonic orchestral niche.
As a music and Deus Ex nerd, this egg machine of a video is goddamn beautiful. I wasnt expecting literally every damn Deus Ex meme under the sun as well! Thank ye :)
I still have xmplay installed to this day, only to be able to play back the Deus Ex umx files whenever I feel like it. This video and in fact you other videos create a very good mix of entertainment, nostalgia and education on the topics. Even the man himself, Alex Brandon, showed up in the comments. You sure are doing something right. Thanks for these videos and hopefully there is much more to come!
Great analysis (even if I'm not educated enough in music theory to fully understand it) and excellent delivery. I think the density of jokes (both in the script and visual editing) is just right, which is especially impressive since that's really easy to overdo
"Leaving pistol on «untrained»" - yeah baby! All skill points go into heavy weapons. GEP gun is the most silent way to make progress through the game! And being silent is important because we do not want to unnecessarily distort the background music with screams of UNATCO agents being slaughtered.
I effing love sound design. I effing love old school video games. I effing love essay style videos of intermediate length. And I'm the editor of Jerma's subtitles. Subscribed. You're not just a hen dropping knowledgeable morning breakfast, you're an honest-to-god egg machine.
You're a true scholar of videogame's music ! That's awesome ! Music is often overlooked in videogames by common users and critics alike. I would terribly like to do an exploration of the links between videogames and philosophy as you really well do with music and videogames. Keep it up !
Thank you!! Glad you enjoyed it!! You should absolutely do something linking philosophical concepts with video games, I for one would be very interested in that
There was something filthy, or gritty or however you'd describe it, about tracker music. It's slightly fuzzy due to the lower quality of the samples, and the music Alexander Brandon made for Deus Ex was the perfect timing of good writing and composing. You didn't even notice the low poly graphics back on CRT monitors, in fuzzy 1024x768@60hz resolution, 'cause you were so immersed.
absolutely true dude! my take is that it has a lot to do with the bit rate of the samples used, but i cover that in great detail in my Half-Life video, so i didn't touch on it here
The sign of a truly amazing piece of entertainment is: When I watch/hear anyone mention, talk, debate, or play/stream it... I immediately want to install it again and play through for the Nth time. My older brother of 5 years bought it when it first came out. I remember watching him play it and was in awe. The world, the gameplay, the story and dialogue... and the music. I still to this day at the age of 32 hum a LOT of deus ex songs. I am typing this comment as it is installing. Always pick up the GEP gun at the airbase early game!
Legend! So glad to have inspired another playthrough. It must have been amazing to explore when it first came out, because it still truly is a fantastically enjoyable game. Hope you enjoy your playthrough!
I discovered your channel because of your Fallout music review. And I am excited that you decided to make a video about Deus Ex. I borned same year with Total Biscuit, and I love Deus Ex. Musics of the game from that era (Fallout 1-2, Planescape: Torment, Deus Ex, Unreal Tournament, Half-Life 1, Diablo 1-2, Quake 2) had very weird and unique style. And these styles still feel very unique in this period of gaming. Most games follow expensive orchestral music, that's why I kind of miss such uniqueness. I am trying to make similar games with similar atmosphere, so your videos are very helpful to me. Thank you for that. I hope to see a Diablo 1 music explained from you.
I think your onto something, the music from the games you mentioned are interesting similar. I wonder what that property is, might be worth investigating. Also, i fucking love Diablo lmao, so i will make something about it at some point no doubt
Outstanding video. Always loved this soundtrack, and always felt it was the perfect accompaniment to the immersive roleplaying. Now, a mere 25 years later, I understand why. Thank you, Simon!
Great video, deserves far more exposure. Deus Ex is one of the rare instances of everything going right, a complete piece of art, where every component is perfect and serves a single unifying vision
Great video! Listening to Deus Ex music and hearing about sound trackers actually pushed me to challenge myself to decipher Unreal package file format and extract .it file from .umx file with UNATCO music by myself with documentation and Python only, which I'll admit, wasn't that easy. To quote Tim Sweeney: "Abandon all hope ye who try to parse this file format."
I can believe that quote if you're trying to understand the game-specific stuff, but from a cursory look in a hex editor, it seems like most of the file is just an IT module, plus a header and footer around it. For the purposes of extraction, the hard part would be determining where it starts and ends, which might be doable by just searching for the file signature and using knowledge of the IT file format to calculate its size from what's in there. Though UnrealEd can do the job for you quite easily.
"[They] use repetitive structures that undulate against a steady pulse, often refusing to give the listener a focal point to latch onto". - This is it! *Now I finally understand what is so strange about the Unatco headquarters theme!* I've been feeling it for 20+ years but never was able to put it into words! Thank you.
The quality of this video, just in terms of the confidence of the editing and delivery is incredible for someone who has basically just started, let alone the actual quality of the analysis.
In a short time you've made some of my favorite analysis of several video games. By inspecting the meaning of these games through the lens of music theory/composition and sound design, you've unlocked a unique perspective that has enhanced my enjoyment of these games to a whole new level.
thank you so much! I'm really glad you have enjoyed my work, it means a lot and makes the effort worth it. Thank you also for taking the time to comment something so nice and kind :) ❤️
Thank you for the long breakdown, I've been listening to this OST for over ten years and it never gets old, this is possibly the best soundtrack in history of gaming.
Thank you for making this! A really fun watch, and full of great insights. Especially concerning the UNATCO theme; the fact that sometimes soundtrack truly takes a leading role, and dictates the atmosphere and the player experience of that particular moment, instead of letting gameplay and everything else dictate them. Love your style, keep it up! 🙏
Yeah.... I miss TB too. I was there Gandalf. I was there 3000 years ago. In fact my uncle had Deus Ex pre-ordered (ironic, I know.... but back then pre-orders had their use - there was physical stock) and gave the disk to me after finishing it. I was 10 at the time. I have no clue why my uncle who was 25 thought "Yeah, great game for a kid" but still am glad he gave me the disk. He also gave me Half Life, Resident Evil and Silent Hill 4 so I guess he was really keen on me growing up well adjusted :D As a result most of the game's complexity went right past my 10 year old brain (also probably why I did not mind Invisible war that much - I saw DE as more of a RP shooter than anything). That intro and menu tracks absolutely nailed the mood. And I believe that Deus Ex was the first game with reactive music to many. Never really paid much attention to UNATCO theme tho and you show me the track in a very new light. Especially the remake once you escape UNATCO. The Hong Kong theme always reminded me of Age of Empires 2 for some reason lol. On a sidenote, I just only really notice that the three endings in DE are really similar to Mass Effect 3's endings. So three different endings are fine, they just have to be handled well I guess. The Helios/JCD ending is really somber musically and thematically, it seems to me because JC basically sacrifices himself for the greater good they wanted to match the mood with matching track. Glad seeing you make longer videos. Very good one again :) I am curios if you'll look into Bethesda games like TES and how the music in them evolved (or in Bethesda's Fallouts) as they hold similar theme but change it making a melodically unified leitmotif. Also completely missed out on the Patreon, so consider yourself patronised.
Sounds like a legendary uncle fr, he supplied you with some seriously iconic games. Making this video has made be interested in exploring more of the Deus Ex franchise because I'm only really familiar with the original and Human Rev, so maybe Invisible War should be on my list. I actually really like how Deus Ex handles player choice, it makes you feel very involved and invested in the story outcomes but still pushes you through a curated experience to ensure a high quality outcome. Having the autonomy to make your choice of ending at the last moment, when you have the most information, is also good i think. I am a known Bethesda game enjoyer so they are absolutely in my sightlines in the future. Thanks for the great comment once again and thank you so much for the support on Patreon !
@@SimonZinzovski Yeah, he sure supplied me with stuff that 10 year old can't and shouldn't get. I mean entertainment wise. Probably partially because it pissed my mom - his sister off. I remember that Matrix was her limit (the stomach probe scene is what made her go "that's it"). Honestly, unless you really want to explore a dead end of a franchise, do not bother with IW. Upon replaying DE as a more matured person and then trying IW, I realised why it is so overlooked, forgotten and hated even. I did not mind it because at the time I did not really pay much attention to stories or mechanics outside of shooting amd it is an ok shooter. CoD and Medal of Honor were like my "best of all time" games back then. Half life was "ok" to me because it took ages for me to get a gun. That's the kind of kid I was. I still do not understand how did original fallout grasp me so hard at like 12 but it changed my complete outlook on games. DE has incredibly nailed mechanics and balance with narration, and that is why TB regarded it so highly. You kill one potential adversary and they are out of the picture. You can approach so many missions invery unique ways. You still go through the motions of the story but it feels like you are doing the grunt work and just kinda going with the flow. I was hoping for Cyberpunk to be this... I do not mind the three endings of DE. It was very well prepared for that. It only really shows that narration has to work with mechanics to make that work. Mass Effect failed at this because the narration was fighting the mechanics. Can't wait for a Bethesda vid, Inon is very interesting and recognisable composer. And no worries, you deserve it.
That's an interesting point you make about Mass Effect, it's not a series I have any experience with beyond a bit of cultural osmosis. I also hoped for something more immersie out of Cyberpunk, but that game does some aweesome stuff with its music that i would really like to discuss in some way
@@SimonZinzovski Cyberpunk's music is just top notch. Genuine good songs and melodies in the game, but then again it's from the people that made Witcher that also had really good music. ME is great if you want to enjoy the journey and not the destination. At least that is my way to cope with the ending. The music of ME is still phenomenal to me.
Friday is gonna be awesome when Simon Zinzovski uploaded! Thanks for a video, very based video, very interesting point of view! Can't wait for the next video!
The Chateau Conversation track has to be my favoruite, but for me the most impactful is the Airfield Conversation, on your way through the 3rd Mission you barely enagage in conversations at Brooklyn Bridge Station or the old subway tunnels inhabited by the Mole People and they're fairly brief, never granting enough time for the theme to make itself properly heard until the conversation with Paul and afterwards with Navarre and Lebedev, for which the theme comes at you fresh and strong, for me it really helps set in the eerieness and significance of the events for the story and it's characters that occur inside that Hangar.
First, Deus Ex is an incredible game and formative for me. Second, great analysis! Third, Chateau was third best song? Finally, excellent delivery - very listenable, and thank you!
I love this music. Had two music cassettes with OST in my car running nonstop whenever I drove around. Both tapes did break and tear due to the use. Frank Klepacki´s "Act on Instinct" for C&C got me into games, but THIS OST here.... it´s the equivalent of Vangelis´s music for Blade Runner.
I learned about music, and the memes are on point. Fantastic video! I remember your post on r/deusex asking us about our favorite tracks, and this was worth the wait.
What better way to learn music concepts than through one of my favourite soundtracks! Great video. I hope it blows up like Gunther did when he heard his killphrase "egg machine" (might have misremembered that)
This is my favourite game of all time, and the helios ending is my favourite one as well. Your analysis is really incredible, and your take on it sounds great! Looking forward to more videos!
If you wanna try cooking up some tracker music of your own, i linked some free tracker software in the video description. Be the change you wanna see and all that
4:07 Quick tip for new players: there's a bug in the game where the pistol skill will always be trained regardless of what the menu says. So if you leave it untrained, you get the skill without spending the skill points, meaning you can spend those points elsewhere.
much love. great video that's broken down very intelligently. this game is dear to me and the storyline is a chilling reflection of the direction of society today. almost like we're already dealing with UNATCO!
This channel is gold! Great analysis. You put words on things I didn't know, and a few things I kind of knew but couldn't explain (because lacking any kind of music theory).
Damn, this is such a professionally edited video. Felt like I was watching a channel with a million subs, you got the editing, script, timing etc. down perfectly. Quality stuff my guy. I also love the TotalBiscuit reference, that's exactly how I found the original Deus Ex, too.
Holy heck, the second half of deus_ex_type_beat.wav might be some of the most transcended music I've heard in a while. Thank you for this wonderful, wonderful opus.
Thoroughly enjoyable and informative. I'm glad to know that Deus Ex is being appreciated by people who weren't there to see it released. I don't expect a similar examination of Planescape: Torment, but a man can dream.
@@SimonZinzovski These two titles have, in my opinion, the best writing to ever grace a game. I anticipate good things for your channel; your videos are clearly the result of a great deal of effort, and you are very knowledgeable about your chosen subjects.
EGG MACHINE EGG MACHINE EGG MACHINE. God, I love how you've presented the material so far, gonna finish this vid. 19:20 Masterful editing work, thank you God, thank you! This is AMAZING work wow!
bro hit me with the 3 piece egg combo 😫 although, i have been told that it is a sign of respect, so i will i take it as such and thank you for your very kind comment 🙏
I've finished Deus Ex for the first time a few days ago and was wondering if there's a video that delves deep into the music of it. I'm so glad I found this, great stuff
It's funny to think that, for all the trappings of its cyber futuristic, conspiracy filled setting, the story is ultimately the classic tale of a gallant(to a degree) hero being disillusioned by his government and leading a just and heroic(to a degree) rebellion against it. Which is likely why it's still great.
What you mentioned about the Helios ending soundtrack, I have noticed that in the first 45sec you hear those beats (I don't know the technical term for it) which sound like slow marching. This makes me imagine a king walking slowly towards his throne while being surrounded by his soldiers, ready to take over the world. At least that's my interpretation, and it's also my favorite ending.
I like that interpretation! There is certainly a militaristic character to the rhythms in that ending, and JC is going to take his seat atop the AI generated throne. Thanks for sharing that :))))
My guy! Thanks for another great video. I was a bit delayed in sitting down and watching it since I've gone back to college (I refuse to listen to your videos in the background, your editing is too good). I honestly didn't know much about this game, so I'm happy that you not only went through the music, but the story as well. Love that you never died so you didn't initially know about/didn't get to hear the different death tracks. I love how the songs change as you progress, like the UNATCO one. And that Hong Kong song - The Synapse - it SLAPS. The last ending song sounds kinda sad, but I feel like I might be missing out on some nuance, so hard to interpret. Also I'd love to be a patron, but until I get a job, I can't afford the $18CAD/month, but I'll continue to like and comment on each video to boost engagement!
Star! My friend! It’s very meaningful to me that you are willing to pay so much attention to my videos, so thank you very much for that. Also hope you’re enjoying college, my partner lived on campus for her degree so i know it can be really good annnd really bad sometimes. Btw, absolutely don’t feel bad at all for not joining the Patreon, but does it show up as $18 Canadian per month for you? It should be $3CAD soo i might need to fix something 😵💫😵💫
@@SimonZinzovski of course! Your videos are 100% worth it. College is going well, it's my first time commuting to campus instead of living on campus, so it's a bit different, but not too bad! Oh and yes, the patreon was showing as $18CAD or $13USD last night. As of just now it's showing as 21CAD / 15USD
That's so odd, bc that's roughly what I'm earning per month on patreon lol, the individual cost is set to $2usd on my end. Oh well, maybe it'll fix itself at some point 😅
@@SimonZinzovski y'know what? I just never used patreon before and assumed that the 20/month was the monthly charge, not what you earn 😅 all sorted out now!
thank you for doing justice to this incredible soundtrack and game, wouldve loved a deeper analysis of the duClaire theme, easily my 3rd fav track after the UNATCO and Hong-Kong themes, but thats a nitpick. Again, thank you
Thank you my brother, and I always appreciate constructive nitpicks. The duClaire theme is very very dope indeed, and i know a lot of people really love it
Truly, one of the videos (and OStTs)! Thank you very much for sharing and spreading the love for games and music which will forever deserve it. As for this video, not gonna lie, it felt a bit less impactful, but that might be because of the nature of the game. It is more serene and sinister, with almost no wow-moments in the tracks. Lastly, I wish we would learn more about the connection between Deus Ex, Unreal, and the egg machine ❤
I really like the endings in this game and the discussions around them! I got Deus Ex about 2 years ago, recently played it with the Revision mod, but even though it has higher quality soundtrack, I still switch off to the regular. It just feels amazing, and like you said, the memories attached to them are as strong as whatever nano-augmented material would exist in Deus Ex! So onto the discussion of the endings: One thing people have noted with the TT and Illuminati endings are that they would not fix the issues the game represents in the long run! The Illuminati can still be corrupt, like it happened in the story, and nothing is stopping humanity from rebuilding the technology that was destroyed after the black out. So the Helios ending has become fan favorite, especially since the promise to take each individual into account, such that society can function like it did before, and those who want to distance themselves from it can. But then comes Invisible War, and the cancelled sequels: IW gives us the same 3 endings (and a 4th unimportant one), but this time the Helios ending has changed a little, in many peoples opinion to the worse: JCD/Helios now want to assimilate everyone into itself with nano-augmentation, reducing our individuality to solve the world's problems. This didn't seem right to many players, so then comes the cancelled sequels: What we know is that in one of them, Paul Denton would have been a leader of a disconnected resistance group against JCD/Helios's utopia. This shows how bad the IW Helios ending became, as Paul was JC's biggest supporters. So something must have gone very very wrong, and I really wish we would've gotten to see it! Anyway that was a lot of text! Most of this comes from the comment section over at "Deus Ex: Invisible War JC Denton's Plan", where I first got the information about the ending and the canceled sequels. I just shortened everything here. Other than that, I really think this is an interesting topic, especially with how close the first game represents our current world! I can only hope we get the benevolent Helios ending of the first game, instead of any of the rest, or whatever worse things humanity can cook up.
I think the Helios ending theme symbolizes JC giving up his own identity. Quoting of the title theme is an acknowledgement of him sacrificing his individuality to produce the outcome he thinks best for the human race. The latter part represents the new JC-Helios entity and it's drive to shape the world, so the melody takes on a repetitive, mechanical affect as it reaches it's climax.
Ahhh interesting that you feel like the the title theme represents JC and a quotation of that being subsumed into the music is reflective of his transformation. its a good point, and i hadnt thought of it like that before
Wow, a Northernlion & Jerma viewer who is into Deus Ex, Half-Life and music production??? I'm looking into a mirror :D love your content so far, subscribed!
I remember getting this game as a little whippersnapper and it has stuck with me since, definitely one of the most memorable games I have ever played. Excellent video as usual and hope to see you cover New Vegas, though I don't think it has much in the way of music as it does everything else.
Thanks for watching Ivan! You're right about New Vegas but i thought it could be an interesting way to explore licensed music in video games, we shall see tho
fellow composer here that loves Deus Ex, and not just the music, but the whole game in general. Controversial: I also enjoy HR and MD (although their music isn't as cool). Also the memes on your video are gold.
I can't believe I missed this, thank you YT for messing up with the bell. Like Starcraft a couple of years earlier and Mask of the Betrayer or the first two STALKER some years later, I've experimented this game during a very dark part of my life and those journeys have been such a relief and in many aspects a genuine lifesaver. I'm so glad I DID receive the notification for your Yu-Gi-Oh video this time. Anyway wonderful journey once again and that red phrygian cap appearance was the cherry on top of the cake if you ask me. cheers
Never played it as a kid either although as a 90's kid and millennial I was part of the generation where had I, it wouldn't of been considered a retro game at the time. Kind of wish I did. I enjoyed the hell out of this the first time I played it a couple of years back but had I played it as a kid it would have been my favourite childhood game and I probably would have wasted hundreds of hours on it. The music sure stands out too. Alexander Brandon did a bang up job.
Yeah i getchu on that feeling. When I was having my New Vegas obsession era as a teen I probably would have adored this game just as much. But still, plenty of time to enjoy it now 😅
Amazing video and channel. I was watching this while on a treadmill and stayed on longer just so i could finish the video. Thats how good it was. Keep it up!
This has me stunned. I'm so grateful for this kind of analysis 23 years after the release of the original game!
Thank you for your incredible music!! This video is meant to be a celebration of the amazing work you and the other Straylight composers did on this game, so it's pretty mind-blowing that you’re here commenting on it 😅
Also, if you could ever find the time, I’d love to interview you for a future video on Unreal and Unreal Tournament
We're Not Worthy!
We're Not Worthy!
Alex, you are ALWAYS in the comments when a Deus Ex music video is released. Great to see you in the community and making waves still!
The soundtrack to the original Deus Ex deserves recognition as one of the greatest of any musical score ever. More than twenty years on, I still hear the tapping notes of Hell's Kitchen in my head as easily as the first few bars of Super Mario Bros.
Alexander fucking Brandon in the comment section, hell yeah!
I expected a deep dive into Deus Ex's music but somehow this video finally explained the crazy plot of this game in an understandable and clear way.
i wanted to attach the music to the narrative more in this video than i have done previously, bc i feel like some of my other analyses were missing something by not focusing enough on the narrative meaning of the soundtrack, not that you asked for me to ramble lol, but thank you for the comment!!
I think doing both worked well to explain your point and keep things entertaining@@SimonZinzovski
@@SimonZinzovski The largest reason why I LOVE the OT & Prequels soundtrack by John Williams for Star Wars. It focuses on enhancing the narrative!
It's pretty easy to understand.
Deus Ex and Fallout 1/2 are on the very top of my favorite video games ever. Thanks for analyzing my favorite games
Soul read, i gotchu bro
Same here, this was a pleasant surprise after the FO1/2 music videos.
good taste
Yeah, Mark Morgan's Fallout and Alexander Brandon's Deus Ex are basically my two favorite soundtracks ever as well. I'll chime in with Kulman and say, thank you for focusing on the greats.
They happen to be the very best games ever
"When I was a kid, only two things mattered to me. Video games and UA-cam videos". This two sentences shattered me a bit. With the first sentence, you took me back to my childhood. The first half of the second sentence confirmed my addiction, but the second half threw a stake in my chest. In my childhood there was no youtube, the internet was a freshly grounded digital space folding out of it's wings. I could have a son as old as you if I hadn't pursued my dreams, but married very young. This realization comes and goes, but somehow, the context made it now extremely real. Thank you for that, and also for the great video. 👍
Thank you for sharing that my friend, I'm very glad that my video could move you in some way. I only briefly remember the pre-UA-cam internet, but the digital world has always captured my imagination in a profound way. Thank you again for your kind words, and I wish you the very best 🤟
In regards to your question about the Helios ending, I'll tell you what it evokes for me personally.
The Dark Age ending is certainly more upbeat. The callback to the title track (which I love) has an air of determination to it. It's as if JC & Tong know that, despite doing the right thing, the REAL work has only begun. Even though there is uncertainty in the Dark Age ending, it leaves us, the player, with a feeling of confidence & determination. Things are going to be different, but they'll be alright. The dark world we were introduced to back when we first heard the title track is gone, and a new age of hope on the horizon has begun.
The Helios Ending's callback conversely doesn't necessarily inspire that same unfettered optimism. Yet, it's not pessimistic or cynical. The militaristic snare gives the track some backbone, as though JC knows this is what he needs to do. There's uncertainty hanging in the air because, unlike Tong's ending which signifies the end of a terrible period, the Helios ending represents the beginning of something new. The world was an awful place, but it was a devil we knew. What will this new age of man & machine bring? This is a bell we can't unring, but ring it we must.
The synth-y marimba part in the track sounds a lot like the bleeps & bloops of the computers/servers in the game, as if the humanity of the song is giving way to a new, digital form - and as the track transitions into that ethos, so to does the uncertainty leave the song. We're left with a dramatic swell, but one with purpose - unlike the beginning of the song which still showed some hesitancy.
Anyway, thanks for reading my blog. This was a great & hilarious video. I really like your style, and I hope to see more videos from you in the future!
That was fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, I found them very illuminating. Maybe you should start a blog! I agree with you very much, and I think the ending tracks in particular are great examples of the effort put into conveying narrative meaning through music. They reflect the philosophical conundrums that come with each ending, which is a seriously difficult feat to achieve through composition
@@SimonZinzovski Majuular does have an amazing UA-cam channel where he takes a slower, analytical approach to game reviews very similar to your own! Highly recommend you give him a watch sometime!
Thank you for this incredible deep dive in the music of a legendary game.
thank you for enjoying it!!
I would include Jesper Kyd as one of the more famous examples of demo scenes going full pro
I'm very glad You didn't skip tracker topic in this, I was worried after watching 3/4th of the video
Absolutely Jesper Kyd is a fantastic musician! I felt that Deus Ex’s tracker origins were relevant so im glad you appreciated my discussion of them 😊
Astonished at the quality of output you have on your channel. Born too late to experience the 70s goth scene, born too early to experience gay space communism, born just in time to watch Simon Zinzovski's videos.
Back when I played Deus Ex for the first time I found the club music in Paris to sound eerily similar to something out of Bowie's 90s albums. Funnily enough I found out Reeves Gabrels (who worked on one of Bowie's best albums 1.Outside) was behind all the club music in the game.
I agree that the UNATCO tracks are absolutely some of the best in the entire game. I love darker and more eerie types of music myself and the cyberspy feel is so well crafted in those tracks.
Something I always thought about when hearing the music of the Illuminati, was this feeling of something from the past creeping back in. Like you were visited by a ghost from the past.
The Illuminati ending track felt extremely opressive and I think in a way it reminds us that the older established ideas of governing are coming back with an iron grip. One of my favorite tracks out of the entire game is probably the Conversation theme for the DuClare Chateau. It's such a beautiful and haunting track.
I'm not that musically literate (I only play saxophone) but I'll try my best to express how I felt when hearing the track, in relation to the ending itself. There's something about the beginning of it that feels unsure and a bit sad at first, it's like JC is sacrificing himself to helios for mankind's sake. It then turns much more hopeful and uplifting, but still a bit held back. Like he fulfilled a christ-like role when he sacrifices himself and ascends to Godhood.
(Another note: you're an absolute chad for using the original system shock footage in the back for a few seconds in the video. That game has some of my favorite video game tracks of all time! There's a nine inch nails industrial techno feel to it that I really dig)
I hope to see more from you through out my lifetime! Your thoughts and ways of presenting them are just contagious, makes me want to learn all about any given topic you're discussing. Now I've waxed your balls enough for today... really hope you have the best of days. And to one day meet you in the land down under for that beer.
Heyyy don't count yourself out for the gay space communism just yet, we might get there!
But seriously, thanks for the support and the thoughtful message. I really wanted to add the Reeves Gabrels thing somewhere in the video but just couldn't figure out a way to fit it, super interesting connection though. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the music, i enjoyed reading through it and I'm sure others will too. This video actually started it's life as a cyberpunk music retrospective, where i was going to go over a bunch of different games including System Shock, so I might have to revisit that idea in the future.
Thanks for the support Adam and i too hope we'll meet some day!!
The synapse is such a banger of a tune, maybe my favourite or at least one of them, I remember spending ages running around Hong Kong trying to find that egg machine what a great game.
what? there is an egg machine in hong kong? is this what people are talking about?
This ain't a gold mine. This is a 3D printer making pristine diamonds. And the diamonds are Pure Gold.
i don't know what to make of that, but thank you 🙏
A thirty-ish minute video about the best soundtrack in gaming history?! This is what UA-cam is for!
I was looking for this exact video when i was doing my yearly playthrough in February.
Hell yeah! Glad i could provide the goods. The video will still be here for your yearly playthrough next February 😅
Extremely good video. Having recently replayed DX and The Nameless Mod I was looking forward to you covering this masterpiece of a soundtrack. And a massive kudos for talking about tracker music and the demoscene. Like you said, it's part of the game's identity and DNA, in fact Unreal's and DX's music led me to learning about the demoscene and other music by the composers. I feel like learning about the tech and craft behind the soundtrack makes you appreciate it even more.
Once again, thanks for covering it! I would really love to see a dissection of Unreal's and UT music as well. These two games along with DX make up the holy trinity of tracker soundtrack in my opinion.
Thanks for the support Quaker! I totally agree in terms of learning about the narratives behind artistic works, it adds a richness to your enjoyment of it I think. Plus, its just kinda cool. Unreal and UT are both really good suggestions that i will absolutely have to consider
Im grateful this exists. Imagine an analysis of the Thief seires. Id be blown away. So many underrated video game composers out there other than popular ones like Soule even through he is great and sticks to his symphonic orchestral niche.
Yess Thief would be a good series to cover! Thanks for the support annd the suggestion 💕
As a music and Deus Ex nerd, this egg machine of a video is goddamn beautiful. I wasnt expecting literally every damn Deus Ex meme under the sun as well! Thank ye :)
I am a known meme purveyor, this is true
I still have xmplay installed to this day, only to be able to play back the Deus Ex umx files whenever I feel like it. This video and in fact you other videos create a very good mix of entertainment, nostalgia and education on the topics. Even the man himself, Alex Brandon, showed up in the comments. You sure are doing something right. Thanks for these videos and hopefully there is much more to come!
Thank you dude! Glad to hear you resonate with the music so much, and that you got something out of my analysis 💕
UMX? I used UnreadEd to extract out the original IT files. Still listen to them using XMPlay under WINE.
The love for Deus Ex really shone through this video. Great work.
such a deeply cool game
amazing job, thank you for making and sharing it
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great analysis (even if I'm not educated enough in music theory to fully understand it) and excellent delivery. I think the density of jokes (both in the script and visual editing) is just right, which is especially impressive since that's really easy to overdo
thank you for the feedback! Glad you felt the jokes were spaced well, I have probably overcooked it in some of my other videos 😅
"Leaving pistol on «untrained»" - yeah baby! All skill points go into heavy weapons. GEP gun is the most silent way to make progress through the game! And being silent is important because we do not want to unnecessarily distort the background music with screams of UNATCO agents being slaughtered.
It looks like you edited this video with an egg machine. Great work champ
my brother in christ what is an egg machine?
@@SimonZinzovskiExactly...
I effing love sound design. I effing love old school video games. I effing love essay style videos of intermediate length. And I'm the editor of Jerma's subtitles. Subscribed. You're not just a hen dropping knowledgeable morning breakfast, you're an honest-to-god egg machine.
Holy smokes, big respect! I love a good subtitle edit, I watch basically ever video with subtitles on so I appreciate the work you do
You're a true scholar of videogame's music ! That's awesome ! Music is often overlooked in videogames by common users and critics alike. I would terribly like to do an exploration of the links between videogames and philosophy as you really well do with music and videogames. Keep it up !
Thank you!! Glad you enjoyed it!! You should absolutely do something linking philosophical concepts with video games, I for one would be very interested in that
There was something filthy, or gritty or however you'd describe it, about tracker music. It's slightly fuzzy due to the lower quality of the samples, and the music Alexander Brandon made for Deus Ex was the perfect timing of good writing and composing. You didn't even notice the low poly graphics back on CRT monitors, in fuzzy 1024x768@60hz resolution, 'cause you were so immersed.
absolutely true dude! my take is that it has a lot to do with the bit rate of the samples used, but i cover that in great detail in my Half-Life video, so i didn't touch on it here
The sign of a truly amazing piece of entertainment is: When I watch/hear anyone mention, talk, debate, or play/stream it... I immediately want to install it again and play through for the Nth time. My older brother of 5 years bought it when it first came out. I remember watching him play it and was in awe. The world, the gameplay, the story and dialogue... and the music. I still to this day at the age of 32 hum a LOT of deus ex songs. I am typing this comment as it is installing. Always pick up the GEP gun at the airbase early game!
Legend! So glad to have inspired another playthrough. It must have been amazing to explore when it first came out, because it still truly is a fantastically enjoyable game. Hope you enjoy your playthrough!
I enjoyed every second of this - thank you! I've wanted someone to carry out a proper analysis of the soundtrack to one of the best games ever.
Ahhh thank you ! So kind! Glad you got something out of my analysis :)))
I discovered your channel because of your Fallout music review. And I am excited that you decided to make a video about Deus Ex. I borned same year with Total Biscuit, and I love Deus Ex.
Musics of the game from that era (Fallout 1-2, Planescape: Torment, Deus Ex, Unreal Tournament, Half-Life 1, Diablo 1-2, Quake 2) had very weird and unique style. And these styles still feel very unique in this period of gaming. Most games follow expensive orchestral music, that's why I kind of miss such uniqueness.
I am trying to make similar games with similar atmosphere, so your videos are very helpful to me. Thank you for that.
I hope to see a Diablo 1 music explained from you.
I think your onto something, the music from the games you mentioned are interesting similar. I wonder what that property is, might be worth investigating. Also, i fucking love Diablo lmao, so i will make something about it at some point no doubt
i love your videos man, keep up.
thank you irl harold, glad ur still alive
Yet again a great video, I hope one day you do one on like Spyro or Crash games. But no mater what I cannot wait for the next one.
Mmmm that could be a cheeky bit of fun, made me think of the original Harry Potter games too which are a fun vibe
also simpsons hit and run is giving the same energy
Outstanding video. Always loved this soundtrack, and always felt it was the perfect accompaniment to the immersive roleplaying. Now, a mere 25 years later, I understand why. Thank you, Simon!
thank you! really glad you enjoyed it
Great video, deserves far more exposure.
Deus Ex is one of the rare instances of everything going right, a complete piece of art, where every component is perfect and serves a single unifying vision
^^i totally agree
So much love and care put into this, 11/10
thank you, it was indeed made with love 🥰
I wish you could experience it back in 2000. it was beautiful.
I imagine it must have been! Sadly i wasn’t born yet 😨😨
Great video! Listening to Deus Ex music and hearing about sound trackers actually pushed me to challenge myself to decipher Unreal package file format and extract .it file from .umx file with UNATCO music by myself with documentation and Python only, which I'll admit, wasn't that easy. To quote Tim Sweeney: "Abandon all hope ye who try to parse this file format."
god damn bro, that lowkey sounds hard asf, you're a wild one for that 🤝
I can believe that quote if you're trying to understand the game-specific stuff, but from a cursory look in a hex editor, it seems like most of the file is just an IT module, plus a header and footer around it. For the purposes of extraction, the hard part would be determining where it starts and ends, which might be doable by just searching for the file signature and using knowledge of the IT file format to calculate its size from what's in there. Though UnrealEd can do the job for you quite easily.
"[They] use repetitive structures that undulate against a steady pulse, often refusing to give the listener a focal point to latch onto". - This is it! *Now I finally understand what is so strange about the Unatco headquarters theme!* I've been feeling it for 20+ years but never was able to put it into words! Thank you.
This goes right up my playlist along with Bobin Threadbare's walk-through.🎉
woahh i had to look that up, what a deep cut. an og deus ex enjoyer to be sure
Honestly there aren't enough analysis on video game music, thanks for contributing to that
thank you blankult 🤝
I find this wonderful egg machine analysis of the music to really answer some questions I've had with the game's soundtrack being so easy to recall.
glad you liked it, you freakin egg 🥚
The OST of old games like Deus Ex are just so beautiful in a unique way
It's so otherworldly and has such a strong vibe. Just hearing it takes me back in time to that crusty, golden age. Powerful stuff.
Love your videos so much man, been wondering where you have been! This video has given me the push to finally play this classic. Keep it up my boy!
Lewis! Glad to see you again!! Please come back and let me know how you like Deus Ex once you've played a decent chunk 😁
The quality of this video, just in terms of the confidence of the editing and delivery is incredible for someone who has basically just started, let alone the actual quality of the analysis.
thank you so much! your kind words are very encouraging :))
In a short time you've made some of my favorite analysis of several video games. By inspecting the meaning of these games through the lens of music theory/composition and sound design, you've unlocked a unique perspective that has enhanced my enjoyment of these games to a whole new level.
thank you so much! I'm really glad you have enjoyed my work, it means a lot and makes the effort worth it. Thank you also for taking the time to comment something so nice and kind :) ❤️
Thank you for the long breakdown, I've been listening to this OST for over ten years and it never gets old, this is possibly the best soundtrack in history of gaming.
glad you enjoyed it!! it's such a special soundtrack
Thank you for making this! A really fun watch, and full of great insights. Especially concerning the UNATCO theme; the fact that sometimes soundtrack truly takes a leading role, and dictates the atmosphere and the player experience of that particular moment, instead of letting gameplay and everything else dictate them. Love your style, keep it up! 🙏
Thank you dude!! Gordan also thought the unatco analysis was the best part of the vid so you’re in good company 😅
Yeah.... I miss TB too.
I was there Gandalf. I was there 3000 years ago. In fact my uncle had Deus Ex pre-ordered (ironic, I know.... but back then pre-orders had their use - there was physical stock) and gave the disk to me after finishing it. I was 10 at the time. I have no clue why my uncle who was 25 thought "Yeah, great game for a kid" but still am glad he gave me the disk. He also gave me Half Life, Resident Evil and Silent Hill 4 so I guess he was really keen on me growing up well adjusted :D As a result most of the game's complexity went right past my 10 year old brain (also probably why I did not mind Invisible war that much - I saw DE as more of a RP shooter than anything).
That intro and menu tracks absolutely nailed the mood. And I believe that Deus Ex was the first game with reactive music to many. Never really paid much attention to UNATCO theme tho and you show me the track in a very new light. Especially the remake once you escape UNATCO. The Hong Kong theme always reminded me of Age of Empires 2 for some reason lol.
On a sidenote, I just only really notice that the three endings in DE are really similar to Mass Effect 3's endings. So three different endings are fine, they just have to be handled well I guess. The Helios/JCD ending is really somber musically and thematically, it seems to me because JC basically sacrifices himself for the greater good they wanted to match the mood with matching track.
Glad seeing you make longer videos. Very good one again :) I am curios if you'll look into Bethesda games like TES and how the music in them evolved (or in Bethesda's Fallouts) as they hold similar theme but change it making a melodically unified leitmotif.
Also completely missed out on the Patreon, so consider yourself patronised.
Sounds like a legendary uncle fr, he supplied you with some seriously iconic games. Making this video has made be interested in exploring more of the Deus Ex franchise because I'm only really familiar with the original and Human Rev, so maybe Invisible War should be on my list.
I actually really like how Deus Ex handles player choice, it makes you feel very involved and invested in the story outcomes but still pushes you through a curated experience to ensure a high quality outcome. Having the autonomy to make your choice of ending at the last moment, when you have the most information, is also good i think.
I am a known Bethesda game enjoyer so they are absolutely in my sightlines in the future.
Thanks for the great comment once again and thank you so much for the support on Patreon !
@@SimonZinzovski Yeah, he sure supplied me with stuff that 10 year old can't and shouldn't get. I mean entertainment wise. Probably partially because it pissed my mom - his sister off. I remember that Matrix was her limit (the stomach probe scene is what made her go "that's it").
Honestly, unless you really want to explore a dead end of a franchise, do not bother with IW. Upon replaying DE as a more matured person and then trying IW, I realised why it is so overlooked, forgotten and hated even. I did not mind it because at the time I did not really pay much attention to stories or mechanics outside of shooting amd it is an ok shooter. CoD and Medal of Honor were like my "best of all time" games back then. Half life was "ok" to me because it took ages for me to get a gun. That's the kind of kid I was. I still do not understand how did original fallout grasp me so hard at like 12 but it changed my complete outlook on games.
DE has incredibly nailed mechanics and balance with narration, and that is why TB regarded it so highly. You kill one potential adversary and they are out of the picture. You can approach so many missions invery unique ways. You still go through the motions of the story but it feels like you are doing the grunt work and just kinda going with the flow. I was hoping for Cyberpunk to be this...
I do not mind the three endings of DE. It was very well prepared for that. It only really shows that narration has to work with mechanics to make that work. Mass Effect failed at this because the narration was fighting the mechanics.
Can't wait for a Bethesda vid, Inon is very interesting and recognisable composer.
And no worries, you deserve it.
That's an interesting point you make about Mass Effect, it's not a series I have any experience with beyond a bit of cultural osmosis. I also hoped for something more immersie out of Cyberpunk, but that game does some aweesome stuff with its music that i would really like to discuss in some way
@@SimonZinzovski Cyberpunk's music is just top notch. Genuine good songs and melodies in the game, but then again it's from the people that made Witcher that also had really good music.
ME is great if you want to enjoy the journey and not the destination. At least that is my way to cope with the ending. The music of ME is still phenomenal to me.
Thumbs up for not only a great video, but also the Faye Wong reference. You are truly a man of culture.
I found her through Chungking Express (obviously), but she also has fantastic music (as im sure you know)
Time to keep my 100% watch rating up, plus this is my favourite egg machine.
bro never misses a frame 👁️
You’ve produced a unique and thoughtful long form analysis of deus ex. I gotta give you some engagement for that.
hell yeah thank you boss 🤝
Love long analysis Dude 👍🏻
Another absolute banger of a video my guy.
thank u boss man 🫡
Friday is gonna be awesome when Simon Zinzovski uploaded! Thanks for a video, very based video, very interesting point of view! Can't wait for the next video!
Hell yeah dude! Glad I could brighten your Friday
Literally just playing this and hoping that you’d make a video on this, so thank you.
hell yeah brother, get soul read
my (newly purchased ffs..) egg machine just broke down but seeing you upload really helped me cheer up! you go, simon!
Jesus christ, hope find some other way to get in your daily boiled egg
The Chateau Conversation track has to be my favoruite, but for me the most impactful is the Airfield Conversation, on your way through the 3rd Mission you barely enagage in conversations at Brooklyn Bridge Station or the old subway tunnels inhabited by the Mole People and they're fairly brief, never granting enough time for the theme to make itself properly heard until the conversation with Paul and afterwards with Navarre and Lebedev, for which the theme comes at you fresh and strong, for me it really helps set in the eerieness and significance of the events for the story and it's characters that occur inside that Hangar.
very true very true, I feel like the events that occur at LaGuardia are the narrative linchpin for the entire story
First, Deus Ex is an incredible game and formative for me. Second, great analysis! Third, Chateau was third best song? Finally, excellent delivery - very listenable, and thank you!
I think it's a formative game for a lot of people! Glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for your support 😅
Amazing video, never expected anybody to take DE's music this seriously.
Glad you enjoyed it my friend !
Some games really have masterpieces soundtracks, some.
I love this music. Had two music cassettes with OST in my car running nonstop whenever I drove around. Both tapes did break and tear due to the use. Frank Klepacki´s "Act on Instinct" for C&C got me into games, but THIS OST here.... it´s the equivalent of Vangelis´s music for Blade Runner.
i love to see another Vangelis-pilled individual
I learned about music, and the memes are on point. Fantastic video! I remember your post on r/deusex asking us about our favorite tracks, and this was worth the wait.
yo! glad to see you come over from the reddit, thanks for supporting the video 😅
What better way to learn music concepts than through one of my favourite soundtracks! Great video. I hope it blows up like Gunther did when he heard his killphrase "egg machine" (might have misremembered that)
mmmm i think you perhaps misremembered that one... (thanks for the support tho)
Ocean Lab OST kinda makes that area rather spooky to me. It's a pretty nice place ngl.
It would be really lovely to work underwater and be able to watch the fishes and stuff, IF you didn’t get murdered by robots 🤖
This is my favourite game of all time, and the helios ending is my favourite one as well. Your analysis is really incredible, and your take on it sounds great! Looking forward to more videos!
hell yes! Glad you enjoyed my video and keen to give you more :)))
Great video for a great game. Thanks, absolutely fantastic.
Thank you for watching it bro !!
Honestly I think the industry should to return back to mod tracker music, cuz it sounds so much better, then what you hear in standard industry.
If you wanna try cooking up some tracker music of your own, i linked some free tracker software in the video description. Be the change you wanna see and all that
4:07 Quick tip for new players: there's a bug in the game where the pistol skill will always be trained regardless of what the menu says. So if you leave it untrained, you get the skill without spending the skill points, meaning you can spend those points elsewhere.
much love. great video that's broken down very intelligently. this game is dear to me and the storyline is a chilling reflection of the direction of society today. almost like we're already dealing with UNATCO!
glad you liked the video! this is the one i'm the most proud of actually, so im really happy that you enjoyed it :)
The Helios Ending has the feeling of power and finality, with the menacing undertone that another Pandora's Box has just been opened.
one of my favorite aspects of games is the music..it's soo good to have a channel dedicated to that
thank you! I love music and i looove games, so it just made sense
You go man do your thing! I love your style. We need more UA-camrs like this. Much love!
I thought I have seen the most based video about Deus Ex. I was wrong. You have shown me a whole new level of basedness.
thank you my friend, they call me brandon christopher mccartney fr
This channel is gold! Great analysis. You put words on things I didn't know, and a few things I kind of knew but couldn't explain (because lacking any kind of music theory).
heck yeah! glad i could affirm some of your internal thoughts !
Good stuff. Deus ex and it's music are important to me as well, and it's been especially relevant to me in the past few years.
It's funny how Deus Ex's influence has seemed to grow over the last 20 years, rather than shrink
Damn, this is such a professionally edited video. Felt like I was watching a channel with a million subs, you got the editing, script, timing etc. down perfectly. Quality stuff my guy.
I also love the TotalBiscuit reference, that's exactly how I found the original Deus Ex, too.
thank you so much! those are some very kind words! Also yeah, i felt like i needed to give some love to the OG, a man who is frankly hard to forget
"professionally edited video" means covered in poorly cut-out and mis-scaled overlays of mostly unrelated images?
Holy heck, the second half of deus_ex_type_beat.wav might be some of the most transcended music I've heard in a while. Thank you for this wonderful, wonderful opus.
yo thank you! really glad you enjoyed it! (i agree, the second half is the better half of that track)
It's all fabulous though@@SimonZinzovski
Alexander Brandon did a lot of stellar work on Unreal Tournament(99) as well.
Also, top-tier editing, you deserve a lot more subscribers.
Thank you! Glad you liked it :)
The unreal music is great too and i might cover it in detail in the future
@@SimonZinzovski Please do. Unreal is a brilliant game.
@@SimonZinzovski unreal's (1998) music is good, the unreal tournament (1999) music is legendary
Thoroughly enjoyable and informative. I'm glad to know that Deus Ex is being appreciated by people who weren't there to see it released. I don't expect a similar examination of Planescape: Torment, but a man can dream.
welll, i am a known Black Isle Studios enjoyer (as evidenced by my fallout video) so I wouldn't rule it out my friend
@@SimonZinzovski These two titles have, in my opinion, the best writing to ever grace a game. I anticipate good things for your channel; your videos are clearly the result of a great deal of effort, and you are very knowledgeable about your chosen subjects.
thank you my friend, i'm glad that you feel my videos provide vale to you 😁
Great video! You're the man. I don't think there's a point where we can stop discussing Deus Ex.
EGG MACHINE EGG MACHINE EGG MACHINE. God, I love how you've presented the material so far, gonna finish this vid.
19:20 Masterful editing work, thank you
God, thank you! This is AMAZING work wow!
bro hit me with the 3 piece egg combo 😫
although, i have been told that it is a sign of respect, so i will i take it as such and thank you for your very kind comment 🙏
I've finished Deus Ex for the first time a few days ago and was wondering if there's a video that delves deep into the music of it. I'm so glad I found this, great stuff
Yo look at that, great timing huh
It's funny to think that, for all the trappings of its cyber futuristic, conspiracy filled setting, the story is ultimately the classic tale of a gallant(to a degree) hero being disillusioned by his government and leading a just and heroic(to a degree) rebellion against it. Which is likely why it's still great.
this is very true, at its core it is a human story
You have earned a lifetime viewer. I learned things I never knew about my favorite game, thank you!
Great content, as usual. Thank you.
thank you! super glad you stuck around
What you mentioned about the Helios ending soundtrack, I have noticed that in the first 45sec you hear those beats (I don't know the technical term for it) which sound like slow marching. This makes me imagine a king walking slowly towards his throne while being surrounded by his soldiers, ready to take over the world. At least that's my interpretation, and it's also my favorite ending.
I like that interpretation! There is certainly a militaristic character to the rhythms in that ending, and JC is going to take his seat atop the AI generated throne. Thanks for sharing that :))))
My guy! Thanks for another great video. I was a bit delayed in sitting down and watching it since I've gone back to college (I refuse to listen to your videos in the background, your editing is too good). I honestly didn't know much about this game, so I'm happy that you not only went through the music, but the story as well. Love that you never died so you didn't initially know about/didn't get to hear the different death tracks. I love how the songs change as you progress, like the UNATCO one. And that Hong Kong song - The Synapse - it SLAPS. The last ending song sounds kinda sad, but I feel like I might be missing out on some nuance, so hard to interpret. Also I'd love to be a patron, but until I get a job, I can't afford the $18CAD/month, but I'll continue to like and comment on each video to boost engagement!
Star! My friend! It’s very meaningful to me that you are willing to pay so much attention to my videos, so thank you very much for that. Also hope you’re enjoying college, my partner lived on campus for her degree so i know it can be really good annnd really bad sometimes. Btw, absolutely don’t feel bad at all for not joining the Patreon, but does it show up as $18 Canadian per month for you? It should be $3CAD soo i might need to fix something 😵💫😵💫
@@SimonZinzovski of course! Your videos are 100% worth it. College is going well, it's my first time commuting to campus instead of living on campus, so it's a bit different, but not too bad! Oh and yes, the patreon was showing as $18CAD or $13USD last night. As of just now it's showing as 21CAD / 15USD
That's so odd, bc that's roughly what I'm earning per month on patreon lol, the individual cost is set to $2usd on my end. Oh well, maybe it'll fix itself at some point 😅
@@SimonZinzovski y'know what? I just never used patreon before and assumed that the 20/month was the monthly charge, not what you earn 😅 all sorted out now!
thank you for doing justice to this incredible soundtrack and game, wouldve loved a deeper analysis of the duClaire theme, easily my 3rd fav track after the UNATCO and Hong-Kong themes, but thats a nitpick. Again, thank you
Thank you my brother, and I always appreciate constructive nitpicks. The duClaire theme is very very dope indeed, and i know a lot of people really love it
the more i learn about the depth of this game, the more i fall in love with it
Give Me the Gep Gun.
omg he's learning pilled, somebody stop him before his brain gets too big
Thank you for helping my love for Deus Ex grow even more. I think I’ll have to reinstall this masterpiece
heyy, im not gonna stop you. i think ill come back to it in a few months and play through some of the iconic mods
Beautiful video! I hope we get more of this goodness! Could be awesome if u did other games too or even movies!
Thank you!!! I am absolutely planning on covering some TV and Film content in the future
Man, this was an experience! The music, editing, narration, everything come together to deliver. Earned a sub. ❤
thank you!!! happy to know that you enjoyed it :)))
Truly, one of the videos (and OStTs)! Thank you very much for sharing and spreading the love for games and music which will forever deserve it.
As for this video, not gonna lie, it felt a bit less impactful, but that might be because of the nature of the game. It is more serene and sinister, with almost no wow-moments in the tracks.
Lastly, I wish we would learn more about the connection between Deus Ex, Unreal, and the egg machine ❤
bruh there is no egg machine connection...
fr tho thank you for your kind words and continued support 💕
I really like the endings in this game and the discussions around them!
I got Deus Ex about 2 years ago, recently played it with the Revision mod, but even though it has higher quality soundtrack, I still switch off to the regular. It just feels amazing, and like you said, the memories attached to them are as strong as whatever nano-augmented material would exist in Deus Ex!
So onto the discussion of the endings: One thing people have noted with the TT and Illuminati endings are that they would not fix the issues the game represents in the long run!
The Illuminati can still be corrupt, like it happened in the story, and nothing is stopping humanity from rebuilding the technology that was destroyed after the black out.
So the Helios ending has become fan favorite, especially since the promise to take each individual into account, such that society can function like it did before, and those who want to distance themselves from it can.
But then comes Invisible War, and the cancelled sequels: IW gives us the same 3 endings (and a 4th unimportant one), but this time the Helios ending has changed a little, in many peoples opinion to the worse: JCD/Helios now want to assimilate everyone into itself with nano-augmentation, reducing our individuality to solve the world's problems.
This didn't seem right to many players, so then comes the cancelled sequels: What we know is that in one of them, Paul Denton would have been a leader of a disconnected resistance group against JCD/Helios's utopia. This shows how bad the IW Helios ending became, as Paul was JC's biggest supporters. So something must have gone very very wrong, and I really wish we would've gotten to see it!
Anyway that was a lot of text!
Most of this comes from the comment section over at "Deus Ex: Invisible War JC Denton's Plan", where I first got the information about the ending and the canceled sequels. I just shortened everything here.
Other than that, I really think this is an interesting topic, especially with how close the first game represents our current world!
I can only hope we get the benevolent Helios ending of the first game, instead of any of the rest, or whatever worse things humanity can cook up.
I think the Helios ending theme symbolizes JC giving up his own identity. Quoting of the title theme is an acknowledgement of him sacrificing his individuality to produce the outcome he thinks best for the human race. The latter part represents the new JC-Helios entity and it's drive to shape the world, so the melody takes on a repetitive, mechanical affect as it reaches it's climax.
Ahhh interesting that you feel like the the title theme represents JC and a quotation of that being subsumed into the music is reflective of his transformation. its a good point, and i hadnt thought of it like that before
Wow, a Northernlion & Jerma viewer who is into Deus Ex, Half-Life and music production??? I'm looking into a mirror :D love your content so far, subscribed!
I also love the sopranos AND twin peaks…
I remember getting this game as a little whippersnapper and it has stuck with me since, definitely one of the most memorable games I have ever played. Excellent video as usual and hope to see you cover New Vegas, though I don't think it has much in the way of music as it does everything else.
Thanks for watching Ivan! You're right about New Vegas but i thought it could be an interesting way to explore licensed music in video games, we shall see tho
fellow composer here that loves Deus Ex, and not just the music, but the whole game in general. Controversial: I also enjoy HR and MD (although their music isn't as cool). Also the memes on your video are gold.
thank you Lui, appreciate the love. I really might do a deus ex part 2 in the future and cover the modern games, they are v v cooll
I can't believe I missed this, thank you YT for messing up with the bell. Like Starcraft a couple of years earlier and Mask of the Betrayer or the first two STALKER some years later, I've experimented this game during a very dark part of my life and those journeys have been such a relief and in many aspects a genuine lifesaver. I'm so glad I DID receive the notification for your Yu-Gi-Oh video this time.
Anyway wonderful journey once again and that red phrygian cap appearance was the cherry on top of the cake if you ask me. cheers
fellow phrygian cap enjoyer!! Really glad you found this one and enjoyed it, and thanks for sharing some of your own story with the game 😊
Love hearing the love for TB. Still miss him to this day
Yeah brother, he is, was, and will always be a legend
Fantastic video by the way. Would definitely be interested in hearing your thoughts on either Vegas or dark souls
I never tought I would find Deus Ex so interesting and even more the video essey about its audio. nice vid
thank you lord jelly fish 🙇♂️🪼
Never played it as a kid either although as a 90's kid and millennial I was part of the generation where had I, it wouldn't of been considered a retro game at the time. Kind of wish I did. I enjoyed the hell out of this the first time I played it a couple of years back but had I played it as a kid it would have been my favourite childhood game and I probably would have wasted hundreds of hours on it. The music sure stands out too. Alexander Brandon did a bang up job.
Yeah i getchu on that feeling. When I was having my New Vegas obsession era as a teen I probably would have adored this game just as much. But still, plenty of time to enjoy it now 😅
Woah, very few views, yet a very quality video! Great job!
yo thank you! We're slowly growing 😅
Amazing video and channel. I was watching this while on a treadmill and stayed on longer just so i could finish the video. Thats how good it was. Keep it up!
Wow really! That's awesome! The mental image of that actually makes me so pumped, I too love consuming content while on cardio machines