Deus Ex: Sonic Augmentation Review

• Name: Deus Ex: Sonic Augmentation
• Label: OCRemix
• Composer(s): Various
• Number of Tracks: 8

It’s pretty rare to see a games developer promote an album containing VGM remixes but that’s exactly what happened recently with Eidos Montreal, developer of the most recent Deus Ex game, Human Revolution, promoting a free album in collaboration with OCRemix, one of the major VGM remix community websites. The album is a short one, containing only 8 tracks yet it has a remix based on every Deus Ex game in the series, with the original one taking the lion’s share.

Most of these tracks are quite good, all of them carry their own weight, but the real standouts are the ones performed by Jimmy Hinson and none other than the original composer himself, Alexander Brandon. I’ve already mentioned how awesome Siren Synapse is quite awhile ago now. It’s definitely my favourite Deus Ex remix – especially considering it’s remixing my favourite track from the game too (Hong Kong Streets aka The Synapse). Another entry that I've come to love is the new take on DuClare Chateau, Ma Cherie Nicolette. There are only subtle yet tasteful changes to this track but it's still pretty choice. It even has a rockin' guitar riff based on the Main Theme towards the end.

The surprise favourite for me though is Vig’s the God Machine. It starts off a bit weird, sounding like a skipping CD but it eventually goes into a nostalgia trip of awesomeness, with NYC Streets, UNATCO, DuClare Chateau and UNATCO Return: Enemy Within all making funky appearances.

The only criticisms I’d make is that there is so much more source material to base remixes on - not only from Invisible War and Human Revolution (that only get one entry each) but from the original Deus Ex. Also, while there are two remixes on the UNATCO theme, both are simply "good" to me, but not fantastic. I probably would’ve preferred a more subtle take on the theme instead of the re-inventions that occur in both.

Score - 8/10

A short but sweet nostalgia trip for the Deus Ex fans. Alexander Brandon even gets in on some of the remix action and best of all it’s free.

If you wish to download this remix album you can do so via OCRemix.