Very rarely do great games spark into life, perfectly realised at conception. Most struggle for existence, mutating ceaselessly as they gestate. But Deus Ex may well be one of videogaming's most complicated pregnancies.
"I started thinking about a game like Deus Ex when I was with Origin in 1994," begins Warren Spector. "I was tired of fantasy and science fiction and wanted to do something more down-to-earth, more grounded in reality. A few years later, John Romero offered me the opportunity to join Ion Storm and make 'the game of my dreams'. In addition to wanting to relieve a little personal boredom, I thought a more believable setting and freeform approach to gameplay would appeal to people who might never consider playing something designed by and for hardcore gamers."