Deus Ex: Invisible War (or Deus Ex 2) is a first-person shooter/RPG released simultaneously for Windows and the Xbox video game console on December 2, 2003, the game is a sequel to the critically acclaimed Deus Ex. Invisible War takes place twenty years after Deus Ex, in a world being rebuilt after a catastrophic event called "The Collapse". Following a terrorist attack that destroys the city of Chicago, the player assumes the role of Alex D, a trainee at the fictional Tarsus Academy, whose support is sought by several organizations. As the game progresses, the player learns of conspiratorial factions which seek to drastically change the world. Invisible War was designed to allow player choice in both plot and gameplay, with branching plot lines and emergent gameplay elements.