6 Deus Ex Games in Order – Timeline & Release Guide in 2025

The Deus Ex games in order are a ride like not many others. After all, it’s not without reason that so many people still consider the original Deus Ex to be the best video game ever made.

So, whether you’re a newcomer finding yourself in a situation like this or an old-time fan ripe for yet another playthrough, all is taken care of. Stick with me, and in just a moment, I’ll guide you through this amazing Deus Ex adventure in a way that it was always meant to be experienced.

Why Deus Ex Still Matters

Few franchises define cyberpunk gaming like Deus Ex. Since its debut in 2000, it’s set the gold standard for storytelling and philosophical depth. Its DNA runs through iconic titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Mass Effect, and Fallout – games that wouldn’t be the same without its influence.

There’s even a saying among fans: “Every time someone mentions Deus Ex, someone reinstalls it.” That’s how legendary this series still is.

But with so many releases, prequels, and spin-offs, knowing where to start can be tricky. This guide breaks down every Deus Ex game in both release and story order to help you experience one of the greatest sci-fi sagas the right way.

6 Deus Ex Games in Release Order (2000–2016)

If you love cyberpunk, conspiracy, and action RPGs where choices actually matter, Deus Ex is the franchise to play.

The chronological order of this iconic franchise is a little backwards compared to when these titles came out. But in such cases, you can never go wrong by playing games in the way that the creators themselves intended. Thus, behold, here are all the Deus Ex games in order according to their release date:

1. Deus Ex [The Original Cyberpunk Classic]

Nowadays, people might be searching for great games like Cyberpunk 2077. However, back in 2000, Deus Ex was where it all began, and it could’ve hardly been any better than that.

The year is 2052, and the world is a grim and broken place filled with terrorism, shadow governments, and a deadly plague called the Gray Death. Stepping into the shoes of a nano-augmented agent, J.C. Denton, you get caught in the middle of a global conspiracy that takes you on one of the wildest journeys in gaming history.

You’re not just fighting bad guys with your awesome nanotech augmentations. You’re uncovering secrets that question everything: power, control, and freedom. Governments, corporations, and the Illuminati all play games that manipulate global events in favor of their personal goals.

As the layers peel back, you start to wonder who’s really pulling the strings. Along the way, you make decisions and choices that affect not only you but the whole world.

My Verdict: Deus Ex still defines cyberpunk storytelling. Its freedom of choice and layered conspiracies make it a must–play for anyone who loves deep, choice–driven sci-fi.

2. Deus Ex: Invisible War [The Divisive Sequel]

Taking place roughly 20 years after the events of the original game, Deus Ex: Invisible War transports us to 2072. Following the events of the first Deus Ex, the world has suffered a collapse of global systems, which sent humanity into a period of war and economic recession, which soon got the name “The Collapse.”

Now, our civilization is already being rebuilt, but stability is nowhere to be found. Factions like the WTO, the Order Church, Omar, and the Knights Templar are all fighting for control of the future, each offering their own twisted vision for mankind.

Amidst all this chaos, you take on the role of Alex D, a young, augmented trainee who soon becomes the key piece in deciding how all this will play out. The story quickly pulls you into choices that feel murky and personal. There’s no clear good or evil – it’s all grey with different flavors of manipulation, and that’s what makes it so real.

My Verdict: Deus Ex: Invisible War takes bold risks with its world and morality system. It’s flawed but fascinating, perfect for players who enjoy messy, morally gray storytelling.

3. Deus Ex: Human Revolution [The Modern Return]

The next game in the franchise, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, took a few decades’ worth of steps back and teleported us to 2027, truly one of the best action RPGs ever made. Yet, even though “The Collapse” is still half a century away, it feels like the future is already falling apart.

You play as Adam Jensen, a former cop turned security chief for Sarif Industries, a biotech company at the heart of the human augmentation boom. After a brutal attack leaves him near death, Adam is forced to become what he was hired to protect: a heavily augmented human weapon.

The story is all about control, ethics, and power. While we do get to enjoy sweet cybernetic augmentations that are not yet as seamless as the nanotech we see in the original Deus Ex, the game also poses some philosophical questions, like who gets to decide what makes us human, and how can one survive in a world rigged against them?

Additionally, the DLC, The Missing Link, fills a key narrative gap and adds more weight to Adam’s choices. Matched with the base game, this is as perfect a place to start your journey as is the original Deus Ex.

My Verdict: Deus Ex: Human Revolution balances action and philosophy, which makes it the best entry point for modern players who crave smart, narrative-driven design.

4. Deus Ex: The Fall [Mobile Spin-Off]

Deus Ex: The Fall takes place in 2027, around the same time as Adam Jensen’s story in Human Revolution. It follows Ben Saxon, an ex-mercenary trying to uncover a global conspiracy, who is also the protagonist of the Icarus Effect novel, which takes place right before the game. 

This title started as a mobile game, which honestly made a lot of people underestimate it. It’s sad because this game was quite different from the rest, and that’s what made it so interesting. It zoomed in on the darker corners of the Deus Ex universe. Not the big labs and CEOs, but the black market, the pharma wars, and the street-level chaos.

What’s even worse is that because of the poor initial reception, the game never got its well-deserved sequel and will most likely be forever left with that cliffhanger ending it has now. However, even with all that, it’s still very much worth a shot.

My Verdict: Deus Ex: The Fall shines as an underrated experiment. It’s smaller but gritty, ideal for fans who want to see the darker corners of the Deus Ex universe.

5. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided [The Latest Mainline Entry]

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided picks up in 2029, two years after Human Revolution. The world is unraveling as augmented people become feared and segregated after the Aug Incident. Things are getting increasingly more tense.

You’re back as Adam Jensen, more powerful but more isolated, working undercover to expose corruption inside this broken world. The story once again dives into themes of power, fear, and identity. The game is smaller in scale but also a lot deeper and more personal, while the atmosphere in Prague is absolutely unmatched. 

There are also two DLCs: System Rift, which reunites you with Pritchard, and A Criminal Past, a prequel-style prison infiltration mission. Both are very solid additions that fill in some gaps and add weight to the Deus Ex universe.

If you played Human Revolution, Mankind Divided is a must. It’s the direct sequel, part of the same soul. It may not be perfect, but it’s still a really great game and definitely deserves more love.

My Verdict: Deus Ex: Mankind Divided pushes emotional storytelling and refined gameplay further than ever. A polished, atmospheric sequel for fans of immersive stealth and world-building.

6. Deus Ex GO [The Turn-Based Mobile Puzzle]

The latest installment in the series, Deus Ex GO, is a stylish mobile game that reimagines the Deus Ex universe as a sleek, turn-based puzzle experience. Released in 2016, it stars Adam Jensen and loosely ties into the events of Mankind Divided.

GO doesn’t push the story forward like the mainline Deus Ex games, but it still captures that slick cyberpunk vibe everyone fell in love with as you perform covert moves, hack nodes, and sneak past turrets. It’s just all distilled into bite-sized strategy.

It’s not the first part of the series, but as a mobile game, it’s a polished side piece for fans that’s honestly fun. Sadly, for those who haven’t had a chance to try it, the Deus Ex GO servers shut down in 2023, so this one most likely is now only a part of history.

My Verdict: Deus Ex GO reimagines the franchise in a clever puzzle format. It’s a sleek side entry that proves even stripped-down Deus Ex still oozes cyberpunk style and brains.

Chronological Order of Deus Ex Games – Timeline Explained

While I personally prefer playing these games according to how they were released, if you don’t mind stepping back into the first two games after playing through the more modern and polished prequels, then the chronological order is the way to go. However, for that, you need to know the complete timeline, and this is how it goes:

My Overall Verdict on the Best Deus Ex Games

When diving into the Deus Ex universe, the best starting point depends entirely on what kind of gamer you are. Every entry brings something special, so there’s no wrong way to start, just different flavors of greatness:

• For modern players → Deus Ex: Human Revolution. It’s the most accessible and polished entry, with satisfying stealth, hacking, and gunplay that still feel smooth today. Adam Jensen’s story lays the perfect foundation for the series’ deeper lore, blending moral choices with cyberpunk grit and cinematic style.
• For story purists → the original Deus Ex (2000). It may look dated, but its player freedom, branching paths, and deep conspiracies remain legendary. It’s still the gold standard for immersive sims, built on choice and consequence that most modern games only dream of replicating.
• For side-story explorers → Deus Ex: The Fall. It’s smaller in scale but expands the world in clever ways, focusing on black-market augmentations and street-level chaos. It gives fans a glimpse into the rougher, more personal side of this universe.

No matter where you begin, every Deus Ex game pushes you to question power, morality, and what it means to be human; that’s what makes this series timeless.

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