Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Director's Cut: Complete Guide

A player's guide to Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Director's Cut: how XP and Praxis really work, which augmentations to buy first, hacking, stealth vs combat, bosses, missable side quests, endings and the tough achievements.

Researched September 2026 — current as of the final Director's Cut PC patch (November 18, 2013). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

Quick Start

• Praxis Kits are everything. They unlock and upgrade augmentations. You get them by levelling up (XP), buying them at LIMB clinics, and finding them hidden in the world. Explore every vent and apartment.
• Stealth and non-lethal play earns the most XP. Non-lethal takedowns give more XP than kills, finishing an area undetected earns the Ghost bonus, and completing objectives without triggering alarms earns Smooth Operator. Hacking and exploration pay XP too.
• Hack everything. Terminals, keypads and safes give XP, credits, codes and hidden routes. Early Hacking: Capture upgrades pay for themselves.
• Only your lowest energy cell regenerates by default. Takedowns cost a full cell, so carry energy-restoring food and drink and don't waste cells.
• Side quests are missable. Each hub (Detroit, Hengsha) has quests that close when the story moves on. Do them before leaving a hub.
• Read everything. Emails and pocket secretaries contain door codes and passwords. There are also 29 XP books (Doctorate achievement for reading all in one playthrough).
• Inventory space is tight. Upgrade carry capacity early if you like carrying multiple weapons.
• There's almost always another route: vents, a hackable door, a stack of boxes, a jump upgrade, a wall you can punch through.
• The Director's Cut integrates The Missing Link DLC into the campaign and reworks boss fights so stealth and non-lethal builds can handle them.

What the Director's Cut Adds

• The Missing Link is part of the main story, placed where it happens chronologically, along with Tong's Rescue Mission.
• Reworked boss fights with alternative approaches: environmental tools, hacking and non-lethal options, not just a straight gunfight.
• New Game+ with your augmentations carried over.
• Developer commentary (English only) and a making-of video.
• Graphical and AI improvements. The final PC patch (November 18, 2013) fixed AI bugs, texture issues in Sarif HQ, Detroit, Hengsha and Tai Yong Medical, stuck sounds, alt-tab music stalls and language switching, and added a setup dialogue for changing settings outside the game.

XP, Praxis and Levelling

XP source | Notes

Non-lethal takedowns | Worth more than lethal takedowns

Headshots and kills | Lethal combat still pays, just less

Ghost bonus | Completing an area/objective without being seen

Smooth Operator | Completing an objective without triggering alarms

Hacking | XP for each successful hack, plus bonus datastores

Exploration | Finding hidden paths and vents pays small XP bonuses

XP books | 29 in total; each gives a lump of XP

Side quests | Big XP rewards and often extra Praxis-level loot

Each level up gives one Praxis Kit. Buying Praxis at LIMB clinics is expensive but worth it: prioritise cash for Praxis over ammo when you can.

Augmentations: What to Buy First

Your first Praxis should always go toward whatever gets you more XP and more routes.

Augmentation | Why it's great

Hacking: Capture | Higher security level means more doors, safes, terminals and XP

Hacking: Stealth / Fortify / Analyze | Make hacking reliable, faster and safer

Social Enhancer (CASIE) | Win key conversation "boss fights" and extra information

Cybernetic Leg: Jump Enhancement | Reach rooftops and ledges; opens many alternate paths

Cybernetic Arm: Move/Throw Heavy Objects | Move vending machines and crates blocking vents

Cybernetic Arm: Punch Through Walls | New routes through weakened walls (and surprise takedowns)

Cybernetic Arm: Carry Capacity | More inventory for weapons and ammo

Cloaking System | Invisibility; the core stealth tool

Icarus Landing System | Fall from any height safely

Reflex Booster | Takedown two enemies at once

Smart Vision | See enemies through walls

Rebreather | Walk through toxic gas

Dermal Armor | Damage reduction for combat builds

Typhoon Explosive System | Burst damage for bosses and groups

Sentinel RX Health System | Faster health regeneration

Rule of thumb: Hacking: Capture first, then either Social Enhancer or Jump/heavy objects. Combat players should grab Dermal Armor and Typhoon. Cloak comes online mid-game when you have Praxis to spare and energy upgrades to fuel it.

Hacking Minigame

• You start at the I/O Port and capture nodes to reach the Registry (the objective).
• Each capture has a chance to trigger detection. Once detected, a trace starts toward your I/O Port. Finish before it arrives.
• Datastores give XP, credits and software.
• Fortify nodes to slow the trace.
• Software: Stop! Worm halts the trace; Nuke Virus Software captures a node without detection risk. Save these for high-level hacks.
• Hacking: Stealth lowers detection chances; Hacking: Analyze shows them.

Stealth, Takedowns and Combat

• Takedowns cost one energy cell. Non-lethal (knockout) takedowns give more XP and keep Pacifist intact; lethal ones permanently remove the threat.
• Hide bodies. Unconscious enemies can be revived by their allies if found.
• Cover is essential. Enemies are dangerous at range, especially on the hardest difficulty.
• Non-lethal tools: the stun gun, tranquilizer rifle, PEPS and gas grenades.
• Lethal combat works if you invest in Dermal Armor, Typhoon and weapon upgrades. Weapon mods upgrade damage, reload and capacity.

Bosses

The Director's Cut added real alternatives to the boss fights, so you can take them without a pure combat build.

Boss | Achievement | Tips

Lawrence Barrett | The Bull | Use explosives, hackable turrets and environmental options. Typhoon and heavy weapons end it fast.

Yelena Fedorova | The Mantis | She cloaks and moves fast; watch the room's environmental hazards and use them.

Jaron Namir | The Snake | Fast and aggressive. Stun him, then punish; bring plenty of healing.

Zhao Yun Ru (final confrontation, Panchaea) | Hidden achievement | Handle the aggressive augmented guards and protect yourself; the fight varies by approach.

General boss tips:

• Bosses don't count against Pacifist.
• Carry healing and energy, plus explosives if you have them.
• Scan the arena first. The Director's Cut placed tools in each arena for non-combat builds.

Hubs and Missable Side Quests

The story moves through Detroit, Hengsha, Montreal, a return to Detroit and Hengsha, Singapore and the Panchaea facility.

• Detroit and Hengsha are the side-quest hubs. Side quests are spread across both cities and both visits. Many have their own achievement, which makes them easy to track:
• Motherly Ties (put a grieving mother's doubts to rest)
• Lesser Evil (deal with Mr. Carella's indiscretion)
• Smash the State (help Officer Nicholas take out the trash)
• Cloak & Daggers (deal with the man in the shadows)
• Acquaintances Forgotten (follow Pritchard's lead)
• Bar Tab (help the Hive bartender settle a tab)
• Rotten Business (help a lady in the oldest profession clean house)
• Shanghai Justice (sleuthing required)
• Corporate Warfare (a "less-than-hostile takeover")
• Second visits: New side quests appear when you return to Detroit and Hengsha. Check before leaving each hub.
• The Missing Link section strips Jensen of his augmentations temporarily, so you rebuild during that stretch. Plan for a harder, more stealth-driven chapter.

Golden rule: Before any objective that sends you out of a hub (to another city), check your quest log and finish every side quest you want.

Endings

There are four endings, chosen at the climax. Deus Ex Machina requires seeing all of them. Make a manual save before the final choice; you can reload and pick each one.

Achievements Worth Planning For

Achievement | Requirement | Tips

Pacifist | Finish without anyone dying by your hand (bosses excluded) | Avoid indirect kills too (hacked turrets, explosions, falls).

Foxiest of the Hounds | Finish without setting off any alarms | Quicksave often and reload if an alarm triggers.

Legend | Finish on the hardest setting without changing difficulty | Combine with Pacifist and Foxiest for a single stealth run.

Doctorate | Read all 29 XP books in one playthrough | Some are in side areas and apartments.

Hax0r1! | Hack 50 devices in one playthrough | You'll get it naturally with a hacking build.

Opportunist | 50 takedowns in one playthrough | Natural for stealth builds.

Consciousness is Over-rated | Knock out 100 enemies in one playthrough | Non-lethal builds get this easily.

Transhumanist | Fully upgrade your first augmentation | Pick something cheap.

Gun Nut | Fully upgrade a weapon | Weapon upgrade kits; pick a favourite early.

Deus Ex Machina | Experience all endings | Save before the final choice.

Efficient plan: one careful run on the hardest difficulty with Pacifist, Foxiest of the Hounds, Doctorate and Legend together, quicksaving often. Then a New Game+ run for anything missed.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Spending Praxis on combat augs first and missing hacking/social routes that give far more XP.
• Leaving a hub with unfinished side quests. They can be lost.
• Not reading emails. Many codes and routes are sitting in plain text.
• Takedown-spamming with one energy cell. Upgrade energy, and carry energy items.
• Leaving bodies in open patrol routes.
• Buying ammo instead of Praxis early on.

Advanced Tips

• Throw objects to distract enemies and move boxes to open vents or build a staircase.
• Punch Through Walls can open surprise routes and takedowns through weakened walls.
• Use Reflex Booster double takedowns on patrol pairs.
• Stack Jump Enhancement with Icarus Landing to freely route through rooftops.
• Quicksave aggressively on the hardest difficulty; enemies can kill you in seconds.
• Social battles reward attention. Listen to the character's reaction and pick responses that fit their personality. The Social Enhancer tips the balance.
• New Game+ lets you keep augmentations. Use it to chase remaining achievements with a maxed build.

FAQ

How long is Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Director's Cut? Around 25 to 30 hours with side quests; less if you rush.

Is the Missing Link included? Yes. The Director's Cut integrates it into the campaign.

Stealth or combat? Both work, but stealth and non-lethal play earn more XP and fit the achievements. Mixing styles is fine.

What's the best first augmentation? Hacking: Capture, followed by Social Enhancer or the jump and heavy-object upgrades.

Do boss kills count against Pacifist? No. Bosses are excluded.

Is there New Game+? Yes, in the Director's Cut.

How many endings are there? Four, all chosen at the climax. Save before the final choice to see them all.

Sources

• Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Director's Cut on Steam
• Steam news (patch of November 18, 2013)
• Steam achievements list
• Deus Ex: Human Revolution on Wikipedia