a simple texture overhaul for the game that includes all the characters decorations and items.
I'm sure many people may disagree with my rating, and that's fine, as my rating is purely an opinion, and I could see other opinions not reaching the same conclusion.
UPDATE: Having installed the DDS versions and cross-comparing, I have to completely scrap my old review and start again. I know, it's been 1 day exactly.
Anyways, this mod uses AI upscaling, along with what seems to be some layering and source images to use as references. Effectively, there are 3 versions, but I'll only be reviewing the standard 2. The DDS version comes with all 3, and you can copy/paste folders to mix and match what styles you want for what things, which is good since I personally enjoy "default" characters and "vanilla" everything else.
If you want to get technical, you can even look up textures in UED, and see which character textures you may like more (thanks, ModDB image gallery). From there, you can swap out individual character textures, giving you fine control over details. I ended up doing riot cop shirts, terrorist pants, HK military and soldier clothes, and JC/Paul vests from the augmented pack, for instance. This is in spite of the fact that I wanted to dodge almost everything in the augmented, for stylistic reasons. Having that at your disposal is an extremely nice feeling.
1. Vanilla:
It's vanilla, to the letter, but with more precision to its textures. These are really to the point, and you could almost forget the differences, except for when you start focusing on parts previously doused in pixels. In this regard, it's a subtle, but direct upgrade, and doesn't touch the original feel of the game at all. Previously, when using only "default", I found the weapons a little too stylized, and was sitting them out. With the vanilla version I can drop in, I now feel extremely comfortable using this mod for decos, items, and characters fully. Not much to say, except that some textures don't have as much detail vs the "Default" versions, given their adherence to the standard structures. This is, however, a purely comparative note, and either is still a straight upgrade from vanilla.
2. Default:
I prefer this for characters, more than anything else. There are absolutely some liberties and stylizations, and some textures look too realistic for many people's tastes, but the bottom line is I like them on the whole. The use of 2d variations even includes some careful texture mapping to create a feeling of different 3d shapes, as a subtle illusion of sorts. This is where the textures really shine, as they enhance the feeling of variety, in addition to definition. This feeling updates both the feeling of character models (in particular, for these notes on shaping) and the textures themselves. In this regard, even the "default" characters deviate from vanilla less than comparable HDTP characters, and without spotty coverage (as HDTP does not cover most NPC's).
Overall, there are exactly 3 things I would note:
1. The DDS version requires D3D10 to be used, which some people report compatibility issues with. I suffer from exactly zero of them. If you're running NV2.0a for world textures (and solely), this melds right in, though, and they compliment each other quite well.
2. The non-DDS version may cause frame stutters, and the DDS version can without precaching turned on. After using precaching, you can expect much smoother performance, but much longer load times (especially if your PC is fairly wimpy, like mine), and precaching often updates during opening the "escape" key menu, as a quirk for D3D10. However, this already happens with NV2.0a to an extent, so for me I just acknowledge it and move on.
3. File size is sorta chunky, but this is totally expected, coming it at about 2 GB for all 3 packs. DDS may also save you hassle since it's used on the fly, instead of in static packages, making it more compatible with various mods, and without a need to get specific packages per each vanilla conversion mod.
There are absolutely points I could see detracting from many people's experience with this mod, but for me I'm quite content, and most of the issues are traced back technical limitations. With the addition of DDS and "vanilla" options, I feel confident giving this a 10/10 for its intended role, in my personal opinion. I see myself using this mod for a long, long time.
Installation is easy and it looks great. Mod creator is helpful. Highly recommended for your next playthrough of the best game of all time!
Exactly what i needed for Deus Ex.
Great mod and very kind creator
Contains everything you ever want.
Excellent stuff! At first, all I wanted were original textures in HD, which the mod offers in high quality. Some sharpness artifacts (mainly around the nose) kept distracting me, so I tried the "re-imagined" version and, I gotta say, I was very impressed: they're far cleaner and don't deviate much from the vanilla designs. IMHO, the comparison screenshots don't do them justice at all, as without lighting they look too dark and the women's faces look quite unappealing, but once you see them in-game you'll immediately see the difference! For me this is a must-have alongside New Vision.
This is absolutely amazing, it does so much for the game. I've been playing my favorite game like it was new and just released!
I played the demo of this game back when I didn't understand it. Now, 21-22 years later, I bought my first copy of it, but the graphics were off-putting after being spoiled by modern games. I appreciate the mods found here to update the looks of the game, and also see the present playing out in a "fantasy" game. Don't get the covid mRNA bullsh*t shot.
Please make a JC female character replacement??? <3