Denver International Airport has been the subject of all sorts of bizarre conspiracy theories since its opening in 1995, making it the ideal setting for Warren Spector's intrigue-filled 2000 immersive Simdeus X. Spector actually mapped the entire level to be set at the airport, but cut it off "because nobody was incredibly crazy" on the recent PC Gamer roundtable podcast.

The cut Denver-level presence was previously written thanks to Deus Ex's design documentation, but Spector provided some details that I had never seen online

"I came up with a mission series that the team was trying to implement and make it better, and that's what the team did." This is because it is what you should do. One was the mission of the Denver Airport conspiracy. I cut it because it was so crazy, no one would believe it. Hold a pen in an underground tunnel, barbed wire to keep all the missing baby children out so they can be eaten by shape-changing aliens, including the royal family and bushes. They are lizard people, shape-changing lizard people.

"I didn't achieve it because I thought it might underestimate the authenticity of the game."

Spector's other cut levels were set in Texas and had an interesting — and not—so-ridiculous - premise.

"I knew a lot more about the world of Deus Ex than I ended up with the game. That's what you want in the Bible of the world: There was a Japan-Russia-Mexico Alliance that poured the Rio Grande River into Texas to attack Austin, for you entice to let you know what's going on in your game, even if it doesn't end in the game itself. And my team said "There is no way to do an invading army in this game — that is, an invading army."So it was cut. It was very sad. I probably cut a lot of stuff, but I put it out of my mind not to cry at night."

You can check out the rest of the 90s PC gaming veterans roundtable on YouTube and Spotify embedded here, or subscribe wherever you get your podcast.