How to run Deus Ex in your modern PC 2025 - ULTIMATE GUIDE

First of all you will need a render upgrade for can run game in better quality & performance

i'd recommend the OpenGL Render or Direct 9 for better performance

i dont recommend Direct10 or newer due to bad optimization problems

https://www.moddb.com/mods/deus-ex-enhanced/downloads/deus-ex-enhanced-v13-dx9opengl (only download if you are going to play the original vanilla verison Game of Year Edition)
if you are going to play Deus Ex Revision it dont need download this one, because it's both included

the mod Deus Ex Revision also has a great option for several renders to be used as Engine Render


if you go for original Deus Ex then extract folder deus-ex-enhanced-v13-dx9opengl or just copy DeusExUI.u + DeusEx.u and put it on Deus Ex's system folder

it should be like this: F:\Arquivos de Programa\steamapps\common\Deus Ex\System (exemple)

then run the game and should show the option to you go with OpenGL

The Display Configuration aka Render Changer should be this to you


Normally the original Deus Ex's Display Configuration won't show to you OpenGL as option but you can click in Show all devices


choosing OpenGL or Directx 9 then you are all done to play the game



























Other stuff i recommend download, it's a file at which i do believe improve the game's performance and stability


https://www.nexusmods.com/deusex/mods/65?

Just copy Engine.dll and put it on folder F:\Arquivos de Programa\steamapps\common\Deus Ex\System

the same goes to mod Revision, you just put the file there F:\Arquivos de Programa\steamapps\common\Deus Ex\Revision\System

that's all

if the Render Option does not open to you when you start Deus Ex Revision or Original Deus Ex Game of Year Edition

if you are on Revision Mod, then go to game's settings select display option and then click Rendering Device.

it will ask you to restart and then just click in yes, then the render option should be there too known as Video Configuration









































































































if you are on Original Deus Ex, it's literally same thing go to Game's settings then click Display and Click in Rendering Device

Also i'd recommend you select Texture Color Depth to 32 bits for complete colors light.

i realize not much people talk about the real problem of this outdated game

For me the major problem it's poor brightness, maybe more problematic than the mechanics and physics of game

i highly recommend this Reshade mod https://www.nexusmods.com/deusex/mods/63

You will need otherwise you won't be able to see nothing, since the game is very dark and has no lightning at all for any reason

Before install the reshade mod you will need download this one https://reshade.me/

then you done

run the ReShade_Setup_6.4.0_Addon.exe





Select Revision if you are going to play the mod Revision or select Deus Ex if you are going to play the original verison Game of The Year Edition


Then select the renders, in start of this guide i recommend OpenGL but you can try Direct 9 or 10, though Direct 10 is bad optimized for both original game and maybe any mod, i recommend only OpenGL or Direct 9 so it's up to you, the reshade mod can work with both OpenGL as well any verison of Directx



Then next page click in Browse and ignore the additional effects

The only thing you need do is select ReShadePreset.ini





But please make sure you have put the file ReShadePrsent.ini inside of Deus Ex's system folder


it should be something like this one: F:\Arquivos de Programa\steamapps\common\Deus Ex\Revision\System


Again saying if you are going to play Revision or original Deus Ex
the original Deus Ex's folder should be something like this one: F:\Arquivos de Programa\steamapps\common\Deus Ex\System



On next page You can ignore the ''Select add-ones to install''


Successfully installed, you can enjoy with better lightning quality in the game.



















in-game make sure that Reshade was really installed in your game, if appears the message like equal in my screenshot then its 100% installed

Also make sure to select the 3 options in-game for make lightning work, you can select more to test and see if brightness is fine to you for exemple



As well in-game again go to settings and select display option then found Brightness and put to maxium 1.00 or to some point that you think its fine enough to you, that's all for now.

Many Monitor Gamer (High Performance) or at last some nice regular quality have options such like GameVisual or similiar

at which can make a real difference in improve lightning quality of game

On my case i'd recommend you put Brightness in 100

Contrast in 100

Saturation in 100








if your monitor have other option like ''skin tone''

Put the option to reddish

it's something to make it more red

But only do this if you think the lightning quality is not enough for you though.


on GameVisual

You can try some options for make lightning better and testing to see which's the best to you

1.Scenery Mode
2.Racing Mode
3:RTS/RPG Mode








Those are 3 good options that i recommend for you put it in your monitor and see which suits you well with the improved lightning of your monitor.

i do believe enabling precache may give you some performance boost in the game, even having a bit difference, let's try out and just to help not have stuttering in the game.


Go to Revision's folder system F:\Arquivos de Programa\steamapps\common\Deus Ex\Revision\System

if you are usind Revision mod


or Deus Ex original game's folder F:\Arquivos de Programa\steamapps\common\Deus Ex\System

Search & Found DeusEx.ini then open in notepad

CTRL + F


Change UsePrecache to True

UsePrecache=True

as well do for UseVideoMemoryVB

UseVideoMemoryVB=True





in the original Deus Ex put DePrecache to 1 as well UsePrecache to true

DePrecache=1
UsePrecache=True

if you prefer play the original Deus Ex but with improved quality be they graphics or free bugs and without any problem

Following the part ''improve & Fix Brightness issue'' of this guide at which i already explain, will only explain that you should put ReShadePreset.ini on Deus Ex's system folder

Reshade mod: https://www.nexusmods.com/deusex/mods/63

One file for fix bugs and improve the stability in the game - Engine.dll (Deus Ex Goty and Revision Engine fixes)

https://www.nexusmods.com/deusex/mods/65 (already explicated on first part of guide)

>Just copy Engine.dll and put it on folder F:\Arquivos de Programa\steamapps\common\Deus Ex\System

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Now about the reshade mod, make sure for install/use Reshade before use the reshade mod otherwise it won't work
https://reshade.me/


Since the light of original game is very weak and sometimes bugged



Screenshots of Original Deus Ex running only with Reshade mod at 200 fps

The Deus Ex Revision for exemple already have mod pack skins at which you can install they, doing that they will replace the original vanilla models for better quality models at which its called HDTP that includes New Vision (High Quality Textures/HDTP)

if you want to play with new models in high quality then go to game's settings






Click in HDTP Options then click in Global and select All



This will enable the high quality textures to be used in the game, replacing the vanilla one

unless if you dont want that and want to play with original/vanilla then you dont need do that, and it's disable by default.

it depends which mods you will need and get interested in use for this great game

On my honest opinion i recommend Deus Ex Revision because it's more easy to use and fast choose Render to OpenGL or Direct 9, though the only minor problem is that mod is not much optimized.

Some other mods may be optimized, others may be for vanilla pure but with HD Textures
Those are 4 mods to compare at moment

1.Deus Ex Revision
https://store.steampowered.com/app/397550/Deus_Ex_Revision/

2.GMDX https://www.moddb.com/mods/gmdx

3.Kentie's launcher https://kentie.net/article/dxguide/

4.Deus Ex: Transcended https://www.moddb.com/mods/deus-ex-transcended

On end page of this guide, there will be comparisons of 4 mods so it's up to you see which will suit better for yourself in the game.

if you want to play original Deus Ex but want to play in 1080p as well without any mod, nor reshade mod or something

You can edit DeusEx.ini and change to 1080p
go to Deus Ex's folder F:\Arquivos de Programa\steamapps\common\Deus Ex\System

Search & Open DeusEx.ini as notepad and

press CTRL + F

it should be something like this one:
You just change they to 1920 and 1080
just copy and paste that

WindowedViewportX=1920
WindowedViewportY=1080
WindowedColorBits=32
FullscreenViewportX=1920
FullscreenViewportY=1080
FullscreenColorBits=32

i'd recommend enable colorbits to 32 for complete colors light in the game

then click in save it and done, the game runs great in 1080p now


Other option would be Kentie Launcher at which you can select part from that in my guide for proper explication.

Using GMDX as mod for test the game out

i think some interesting things about this mod, is that some places are different and the lightning quality is kinda better but not enough for me, for any reason it look worst for me but i just adjust my monitor to other option and then the lightning was going better, to you may be different, i'm not sure

On screenshot taken you can note it's in good quality of light but it was not totally perfect for me in monitor real life, at which it's just werid, i feel maybe this happened because i was trying run the GMDX launcher from Steam but most not work well than go just to old Deus Ex folder that i had configured a time ago

You normally run/play GMDX launcher separated from Steam, that means you dont need use Steam or have a Steam account to play it lol

i was trying use Steam for take some screenshots and post here, so here it goes for the comparison, since the Windows cannot capture screenshot or i dont have any option at moment

i had like 200+ fps in this mod, so i feel it's problaby more optimized than Revision

in-game menu and settings




in-game screenshot







Game's Directory





The GMDX mod uses kentie launcher at which just help run the game better and 1080p as well




Just dont forgot to go in configuration and make sure all its right and running great in OpenAL

This little mod launcher is nothing more nothing less than just a thing that will run the game in 1080p and with better quality possible but keeping the original/vanilla models & skins in the game

if you prefer not mess in Deusex.ini for just change the game resolution to 1080p, then you can try this launcher for run in 1080p and all good quality

Just extract/unzip the folder DeusExe-v5.3.zip and put all files there on Deus Ex's system folder

F:\Arquivos de Programa\steamapps\common\Deus Ex\System








i may say there is not much mystery, will do same thing like i have already explicated in other parts of this guide

ideal for play Original Deus Ex vanilla pure.

This mod is pretty great on my honest opinion even i tested it for little

it's other mod who keep the vanilla style if you dont want HD textures and just the original game with some better graphics and improved stuff

The brightness quality of this mod is fine, but for me not the best but to you may be pretty good, just depends on it, you can still use the reshade mod for improving brightness yet

Link: https://www.moddb.com/mods/deus-ex-transcended/downloads/deus-ex-transcended-v156-exe-format


in-game menu screenshot





in-game screenshots

Revision is other great mod taking the problems like poor brightness quality and bad optimization in some areas of game, still it's more easy to use and play with both Vanilla or ultra HD Textures in great quality.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/397550/Deus_Ex_Revision/