DEUS EX MACHINA 2

To be honest, it is not a good game.
But, after knew the story and idea of the creator.
I will present my highest respection to him and his supports.
You had failed on the market, but your dream has come true even it is so late.
Thank you for had faith during the most dark time.

This is not so much a game as it is an arty concept album with optional buttons to press.
Do not buy it if you want a game where you can do things that have meaning, achieve progress, feel a sense of challenge and reward for your actions, that sort of thing.
There is less meaningful interaction in this game than there is in a walking simulator. As much control over the game as in a kinetic novel.
Having said that, it's quite an interesting album, certainly it'll be quite memorable. The music is really quite good, and there are lots of different styles of music used. Well, it's all good except for the terror song, which was terrible. And the fake jpop song about dancing, that was cringeworthy.
It would have been nice if there was some way to revisit chosen scenes at your will, after you have finished the whole thing for the first time. The only option you have is to play the entire thing from scratch.
Note: I got this game, and the 30th anniversary version of its predecessor in a bundle for $2. I would recommend it at that price simply for the experience of having had gone through something like this. I do not know if I would recommend this at its full price.
Both games are essentially the same theme of life, the decline of age, and finally rebirth, but the songs and the voices are different. I feel like this one was able to express itself with more clarity than the first.
I also played through the first "DEUS EX MACHINA" earlier today - the 30th anniversary edition - its overall tone seemed a bit more sci-fi and yet contained more cues to point to the period contemporary to when it was made (1984), I thought the artwork in that game using animated sketchwork was actually more evocative than the 3D models in this game, and I also feel the first game was more optimistic as you could raise your "degree of ideal entity" meter right back up to nearly 100% when you were at your oldest, just before you die. In this one, it just decreases to nothing, and there is nothing you can do about it.
I guess the attitudes of the maker - Mel Croucher - must have changed over time.
Mind you, in this one it's optimistic in that it thinks we'll live to be 100.

Hello. I am writing this review, because people don't seem to understand what DEUS EX MACHINA 2 is. You see, it's not suppost to be top-level graphics, and it certainly isn't meant to be the greatest gameplay of our time. Although this game was added to Steam in 2015, it is based off of Deus Ex Machina, which was released in 1984. This game had no gameplay, or achievement, as it was literally a video paired up with a couple cassettes. You would have to run the cassette whilst you played the game, and half-way through, it would tell you to flip the cassette, and the game would continue. The soundtrack had no connection to the game, so if you "lost", nothing would happen, as it couldn't re-wind the soundtrack. This is pretty much a re-release of that game, but on Steam. This may not be the type of game you would want if you are looking for good gameplay. It is all just moving your character left and right, attempting to dodge the obstacles of life. Now let's get into what the game is about. The game is about a person, at literally the very start of life, as a sperm cell, to when he eventually dies as an old man, and goes to what is assumed to be heaven, but could very well be hell. You go through birth, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and death. That is about it. And that is why I give this game 4/5, meaning I really like it.
Rating: ****, or Yes
DO NOT BUY THIS GAME IF YOU WANT A LOT OF GAMEPLAY. THERE IS LITTLE.

With the change of technology, this game is no longer novel and fun. This game missed the era. It's not that you're late, but that we arrived here 30 years late

This is one of the most toughest recommendations I've made on Steam. Deus Ex Machina 2 is the sequel to the anicent retro game people barely seen or heard Deus Ex Machina for the XZ Spectrum and C64 only to come out as one of the first games to use it's audio to be fused with the gameplay which was extremely rare and unheard of at the time.
The games' lead character is an human looking character who is considered a defect which the player loosey controls. The game is very very VERY linear! So linear that it feels almost pointless playing the game. What saves the game are the varities of levels which all are different in terms of how they look with the lead character quickly 'growing up' as the game presents the character aging process (Not in real time of course, pre-made for show). The game forces itself as soon as you boot the same. Very linear game, once your in, no way out. No save states, save points, reloads, whatever. Just a game which acts like a presentive jukebox.
Overpriced? I don't know! Alot of work did go into the games graphics, models, lighting and gameplay but that's really about it.

I am a fan of the original Deus Ex Machina (1985) so it helps on this review some. If I never played the original on a ZX Spectrum emulator I am sure that I would of not understood this game. I enjoyed the retelling of the story but this game feels a bit rushed with everything. I kind missed the one-on-one interactions the Defect had with the Machine, the androids, and robots. Like how the Defect asked "Can I be extremely wealthy after I choose to escape? Do we all agree, amigos?" and the others replied. To me all this felt like a musical revision and not as much of a play like the first game was. I wouldn't mind a future patch for this game. Like if the music volume could fade out while The Programmer (Narrator) is talking. Maybe some fine adjustments to the controls. An a edit to a couple of levels. Most of the levels were well done but ones like Adolescence felt rushed and sloppy. Again the only reason I am recommending this game for now is because of the original and how this game is another view of it.

Truly a hidden gem that goes the extra mile with great narration from Christopher Lee himself. I feel honored to have played this game. Anyone who says this game isn't worth the $7 price tag is fooling themselves.