The first details on Deus Ex 3 have wandered out of Eidos Montreal, unearthing juicy nuggets of info on the sort of combat style, character skills, and storyline that we can expect from the latest incarnation of the dystopian, sci-fi thriller series.

In what may not be music to the ears of diehard Deus Ex fans, Eidos Montreal has decided that the combat won't be influenced by your character's skills (as in the previous games). Instead, the limits of your sharpshooting are determined by upgrades and customisation of weapons, as well as a fair dose of gun accessorising with magazines and scopes etc.

This is according to the upcoming issue of PC Zone (according to CVG), which also notes that the game's traditional shadow based stealth gameplay has been replaced with a cover system, while the health mechanic has been changed to the bleed-out style of today's shooters rather than the med packs of yesteryear.

However, it's not all change that will make devoted fanboys cringe as Augmentations remain with at least 20 confirmed for the final game. These will include the ability to surprise enemies in adjacent rooms by punching through walls, or bungee jumping via tendrils that sprout from your back.

As far as the story is concerned, Deus Ex 3's protagonist has similar links to augmentation and security work as the first game, although perhaps a Private Security Officer working at a biomechanical augmentations lab isn't quite as cool JC Denton, the 'nano-aug' UNATCO agent.

Anyway, Deus Ex 3 takes place in the year 2027 (making it a prequel to the other games) when our Private Security Officer, Adam Jensen, witnesses black op commandos breaking into the labs and instigating genocide.