- This article is about the augmentation in Deus Ex: Human Revolution. For the augmentation in Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, see Icarus Landing (DXMD).
The Icarus Landing System is a mechanical augmentation in Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Deus Ex: The Fall, and the novel Deus Ex: Icarus Effect.
"The Icarus Landing System is a discreet augmentation surgically implanted in the user's lower back, slightly above the coccyx at the base of the vertebral column. The device has an accelerative descent sensor built in; in freefall, the unit will automatically activate the patented High-Fall Safeguard System, an EMF decelerator generating a fixed-focus electromagnetic lensing field, projected downward along the plane of the drop. This field pushes against the Earth's magnetosphere and slows the user's descent to a manageable velocity, allowing him to fall from almost any height (within reason)."
- In-game description from Human Revolution
Description
The Icarus Landing System allows a user to land safely from any height by slowing their movement via an electromagnetic field.
Activation Cost: 2 Praxis Points
Info: Essentially a safety device to prevent death or serious injury when falling from extreme heights, the Icarus Landing System is an automatically-triggered augmentation that allows users to drop from heights above 10 meters (32 feet) without incurring physical damage. As a side-effect, falling directly on to an enemy combatant will result in a knock-down, knock-out attack, while striking a light object will displace it.
Upgrades
Descent Velocity Modulator
- Upgrade Requirement: Icarus Landing System
- Upgrade Cost: N/A
- Use: Fall from any height without fear of injury.
- Activation: Automatic. To stun nearby targets upon landing, press the "fire" button while falling.
- Energy Consumption: None
In-Game
The Icarus Landing System is not context-sensitive, but will only activate when falling from a height of at least ten meters or above. It does not require energy and thus allows for quick escapes from enemies (as well as enabling shortcuts not otherwise possible).
Adam Jensen using the Icarus Landing System.
There are a number of locations that can only be accessed with this augmentation, usually in out-of-the-way areas. The Cybernetic Arm Prosthesis' Punch Through Wall upgrade often works in tandem with the landing system in opening alternate routes for travel/exploration. More often than not, many enemies and/or security measures can be bypassed in this way.
Although primarily used for negating fall damage, the landing system also offers an extra degree in the handling of enemies.
Stealthy players can make use of the augmentation to make quick descents behind unsuspecting enemies. However, unless combined with the Cybernetic Leg Prosthesis' Jump/Land Silently augmentation, enemies within a close proximity will typically catch notice of the noise.
The landing system is also useful in a more direct way. Should the player get the drop on an enemy from above, they can brace themselves before hitting the ground to create an EM stun effect. The detonation of field upon impact carries enough power to knock-down (stun) most enemies within point-blank range. Even the toughest of enemies, such as Ogres, can be briefly staggered by the blast.
Notes
- The stun effect will pass through walls (and doors), meaning you can accidentally knockdown a hostile not within your view or on your radar, and potentially raise alarm; this is likely a bug.
- In the unlikely event that the stun effect hits directly on top of an enemy, the enemy in question may be killed on impact instead of merely being knocked down. Pacifist players should be O.K. if they stay within grazing-distance when dropping.
- The eBook entitled "Electrogravitic Technology Applications" details what is likely the prototype predecessor to the Icarus Landing System.
- It is notable that several Belltower operatives working for Tai Yong Medical were also observed using a landing system that was very close in appearance to the Icarus system. This can be seen when Belltower attacks Adam Jensen at the Alice Garden Pods.
- Ben Saxon, using augmentations from Tai Yong Medical, sustained severe damage using his landing system to escape the Tyrants jet at high altitude. In contrast, Adam Jensen, using augmentations from Sarif Industries, easily made a high altitude insertion into Montreal to infiltrate Katrina Sutherland's apartment. This suggests that Sarif Industries' products are of superior quality.
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