Invisible, Inc.

Last updated

Invisible, Inc.
Invisible, Inc.jpg
Developer(s) Klei Entertainment
Publisher(s) Klei Entertainment
Composer(s)
  • Vince de Vera
  • Jason Garner
Engine Moai
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux, PlayStation 4, iOS, Nintendo Switch
Release
  • Windows, OS X, Linux
  • May 12, 2015
  • PlayStation 4
  • April 19, 2016
  • iOS
  • October 6, 2016
  • Nintendo Switch
  • June 15, 2020
Genre(s) Turn-based tactics, stealth
Mode(s) Single-player

Invisible, Inc. (stylized as INVI?IBLE, INC.) is a turn-based tactics stealth game incorporating elements of roguelike gameplay, by Klei Entertainment. The player acts as the remote operator for an espionage agency that has come under attack from multinational corporations, and directs agents in covert missions, acquiring resources and support in order to enable relocation of the agency's computer system to a safe haven within a limited amount of time.

Contents

The game was available for early access for Microsoft Windows and OS X from January 2014, a Linux build was later released. The full version was released for Windows, OS X, and Linux on May 12, 2015. A PlayStation 4 and iOS versions were released in April and October 2016, respectively. A Nintendo Switch version was released on June 15, 2020.

Gameplay

Tactical view in Invisible, Inc. In this image, the player is controlling two agents (one pictured in the far-left), who have recently knocked out an enemy guard (as seen with the red indicator). Tactical View Invisible Inc.png
Tactical view in Invisible, Inc. In this image, the player is controlling two agents (one pictured in the far-left), who have recently knocked out an enemy guard (as seen with the red indicator).

The game is a turn-based tactics based-game inspired by X-COM , [1] with emphasis on stealth and espionage. [2] In each playthrough, the player takes on the role of an agent handler for covert operations and has three days to prepare for their final mission. This is done by performing various missions across the globe to retrieve information, valuables, equipment and personnel, keeping cognizant of the amount of time taken for travel and missions within that three day period. [1] The player selects two agents to perform these missions to start, and may be able to free other agents during missions; should one agent die during a mission, they remain dead for the remainder of the runthrough unless revived using a medkit consumable or dragged to the exit by another agent, while if all agents die, the game is over. [1] The mission details and location layouts are procedurally generated for each run through, featuring a variety of objectives, obstacles, and difficulty. [3]

Missions are played out in a turn-based manner. Each agent under the player's control has a limited number of action points each turn that allow them to move, open/close doors, take out guards silently, or perform other covert tasks. Additionally, the player may need to collect power to be able to use "Incognita", the hacking interface that allows them to disable alarms and security cameras or remove locks on safes. Once the player has completed their turn, any enemy forces move, and in most locations an alarm level is raised; with higher alarm levels, new security forces and threats will arrive, making the mission more difficult. [4] Certain stations can let the player purchase upgrades or equipment for the agents to help in the mission, using collected in-game money. The objective of the mission depends on the facility type being infiltrated, usually requiring the player to retrieve a specific item from a secure location and escape, stealing as much money and equipment as possible along the way.

The game has a larger meta-game aspect, in that as they play and complete certain goals, they can unlock different agents with different skill sets or new default equipment to begin missions with in future playthroughs.

Plot

The game is set in year 2074, after megacorporations have overthrown the world's national governments and taken control. Invisible Inc. is a private intelligence agency providing services to corporations, performing infiltrations using field agents and a sophisticated AI system known as Incognita.

At the start of the game, Invisible Inc. is compromised by corporate soldiers. The compromise leads to the loss of the headquarters and most assets and agents; only the agency's leader, two agents, Monst3r, Incognita, and the player-character escape. Only extremely powerful computer systems can host Incognita, and Incognita cannot survive outside of such systems for more than 72 hours. The agency’s task, thus, is to use that time to prepare for a final mission, in which they will try to infiltrate the enemy's headquarters to access a computer system and insert Incognita. Once uploaded, Incognita reveals she has been planning to exterminate the megacorporations. The storyline ends with Incognita's using satellites equipped with orbital lasers to destroy the megacorporations' headquarters, killing thousands. Incognita defies to be removed from the new host computer and allows the agency's leader to leave unharmed.

Development

Invisible, Inc. was announced in July 2013, in an interview with Rock, Paper, Shotgun's Nathan Grayson. [5] [6] A preview of the alpha version of the game was shown at the September PAX Prime 2013 expo. After playing the preview, Grayson commented that the game was very early in development, but that he "really enjoyed" his session with the game. [7]

The game was originally titled Incognita but was renamed to Invisible, Inc. after developer Klei Entertainment found the new title was better received during focus testing. [3] [8] [9] The name remains as part of the game as "Incognita" mode used to interact with the various electronic systems.

An alpha version of the game entered Early Access in January 2014. [10] The game was added to the Steam Early Access program on August 20 the same year, [4] and fully released on May 12, 2015. [11] The game was released on the PlayStation 4, including the Contingency Plan content, on April 19, 2016. [11] [12] [13] An iOS version of the base game was released on October 6 the same year. [14] The Switch version was released on June 15, 2020. [15]

Downloadable content (DLC) for the game, titled Invisible, Inc. Contingency Plan was released in November 2015. The DLC adds agents, mission difficulty levels, missions, enemy types, weapons and items to the main game, in addition to an extended campaign. [16]

Reception

Invisible, Inc. was named as a finalist for the Excellence in Design and the Seumas McNally Grand Prize for the 2015 Independent Games Festival. [23]

Invisible, Inc. received positive reviews upon release. Aggregating review website Metacritic gave the PC version of the game 82/100 based on 45 reviews. [17]

Related Research Articles

Syndicate is a series of science fiction video games created by Bullfrog Productions and published by Electronic Arts. There are two main titles: Syndicate (1993) and Syndicate Wars (1996), both of which are isometric real-time tactics games. An additional first-person shooter Syndicate title was released in 2012, and a spiritual successor to the series, entitled Satellite Reign, was released in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Klei Entertainment</span> Canadian video game developer

Klei Entertainment Inc. is a Canadian video game development company located in Vancouver, British Columbia. Klei was formed in July 2005 by Jamie Ching Cheng. Their best-known titles include Don't Starve and Oxygen Not Included.

<i>Bulletstorm</i> 2011 first-person shooter game

Bulletstorm is a 2011 first-person shooter game developed by People Can Fly and Epic Games and published by Electronic Arts (EA). The video game is distinguished by its system of rewarding players with "skillpoints" for performing increasingly creative kills. Bulletstorm does not have any competitive multiplayer modes, preferring instead to include cooperative online play and score attack modes. Set in the 26th century, the game's story follows Grayson Hunt, a space pirate and former black ops soldier who gets shot down on a war-torn planet while trying to exact revenge on General Sarrano, his former commander who tricked him and his men into committing war crimes and assassinating innocents.

<i>DmC: Devil May Cry</i> 2013 video game

DmC: Devil May Cry is a 2013 action-adventure game developed by Ninja Theory and published by Capcom. Released in January for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Windows, it is a reboot of the Devil May Cry series.

<i>Borderlands 2</i> 2012 video game

Borderlands 2 is a 2012 action role-playing first-person shooter video game developed by Gearbox Software and published by 2K. Taking place five years following the events of Borderlands (2009), the game is again set on the planet of Pandora. The story follows a new group of Vault Hunters who must ally with the Crimson Raiders, a resistance group made up of civilian survivors and guerrilla fighters, to defeat the tyrannical Handsome Jack before he can unlock the power of a new Vault. The game features the ability to explore the in-game world and complete main missions and optional side quests, either in offline splitscreen, single-player or online cooperative gameplay. Like its predecessor, the game features a procedurally generated loot system which is capable of generating numerous combinations of weapons and other gear.

<i>Sniper Elite V2</i> 2012 video game

Sniper Elite V2 is a 2012 third-person tactical shooter stealth video game developed and published by Rebellion Developments. It is the sequel to 2005's Sniper Elite, which takes place in the same timeframe and location—the Battle of Berlin in April and May 1945—but with an altered narrative. The game's story follows an American OSS officer who must eliminate a group of scientists involved in the German V-2 rocket program before the Red Army captures them. A sequel named Sniper Elite III was released in 2014. A remastered version for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One was released on May 14, 2019.

<i>Mark of the Ninja</i> 2012 video game

Mark of the Ninja is a side-scrolling stealth platform game developed by Klei Entertainment and published by Microsoft Studios. It was announced on February 28, 2012, and later released for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade on September 7, 2012. The game was released for Microsoft Windows on October 16, 2012, and for Linux and OS X on September 11, 2013. A remastered version was released on October 9, 2018, for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Linux by Klei Entertainment.

<i>Dont Starve</i> 2013 video game developed by Klei Entertainment

Don't Starve is a survival game developed by Klei Entertainment. The game was initially released for Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux on April 23, 2013. A PlayStation 4 port, renamed Don't Starve: Giant Edition, became available the following year. Don't Starve for iOS, renamed Don't Starve: Pocket Edition was released on July 9, 2015. An Android version was released on October 20, 2016. Downloadable content titled Reign of Giants was released on April 30, 2014, and a multiplayer standalone expansion called Don't Starve Together became free for existing users on June 3, 2015. On Steam, this game is able to be purchased with a free copy for a friend. A Nintendo Switch port came out on April 12, 2018.

<i>Guacamelee!</i> 2013 Metroidvania platforming video game

Guacamelee! is a Metroidvania action platforming video game developed and published by DrinkBox Studios, initially launched in April 2013 for platforms PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita and was later ported to Windows in August and to OS X and Linux in February 2014. The enhanced Super Turbo Championship Edition was released for Wii U, Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Xbox 360 in July 2014 and later on the Nintendo Switch in October 2018. The game is inspired by traditional Mexican culture and folklore, like alebrijes and Day of the Dead.

Stealth Bastard: Tactical Espionage Arsehole is a 2D platform video game developed by Curve Studios and published by Curve Digital. Its mechanics revolve around stealth, and the gameplay has been likened to that of Metal Gear Solid and Super Meat Boy.

<i>Dying Light</i> 2015 video game

Dying Light is a 2015 survival horror video game developed by Techland and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. The game's story follows an undercover agent named Kyle Crane who is sent to infiltrate a quarantine zone in a fictional Middle Eastern city called Harran. It features an enemy-infested, open-world city with a dynamic day–night cycle, in which zombies are slow and clumsy during daytime but become extremely aggressive at night. The gameplay is focused on weapons-based combat and parkour, allowing players to choose fight or flight when presented with dangers. The game also features an asymmetrical multiplayer mode, and a four-player co-operative multiplayer mode.

<i>Gunpoint</i> (video game) 2013 video game

Gunpoint is a stealth-based puzzle-platform video game created by indie developer Tom Francis. The game was released for Microsoft Windows on 3 June 2013, and soon followed with versions for OS X and Linux.

<i>Tom Clancys The Division</i> 2016 video game

Tom Clancy's The Division is an online-only action role-playing video game developed by Massive Entertainment and published in 2016 by Ubisoft, for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. It is set in a near future New York City in the aftermath of a viral pandemic; the player, a Special Agent of the Strategic Homeland Division, is tasked with helping the group rebuild its operations in Manhattan, investigate the nature of the outbreak, and combat criminal activity in its wake. The Division is structured with elements of role-playing games, as well as cooperative and player versus player online multiplayer. This game also marks the debut of Massive and Ubisoft's Snowdrop game engine. Some of the game's characters are featured in XDefiant.

<i>A Hat in Time</i> 2017 video game

A Hat in Time is a 2017 platform game developed by Danish game studio Gears for Breakfast and published by Humble Bundle. The game was developed using Unreal Engine 3 and funded through a Kickstarter campaign, which nearly doubled its fundraising goals within its first two days. The game was self-published for macOS and Windows in October 2017, and by Humble Bundle for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles two months later. A version for the Nintendo Switch was released in October 2019.

<i>Tales from the Borderlands</i> Episodic video game

Tales from the Borderlands is an episodic interactive comedy graphic adventure sci-fi video game based on the Borderlands series. It was developed by Telltale Games under license from Gearbox Software, the developer of the Borderlands series, and 2K, its publisher. The game was released in November 2014 for Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and in 2021 for Nintendo Switch.

<i>Jazzpunk</i> 2014 video game

Jazzpunk is an adventure video game developed by Necrophone Games and published by Adult Swim Games. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, OS X and Linux in February 2014. A director's cut of the game, self-published by Necrophone Games, was released for the PlayStation 4 in September 2016, and for personal computer platforms in June 2017.

<i>Crawl</i> (video game) 2017 brawler indie video game

Crawl is a brawler indie game by Australian developer Powerhoof. Up to four players and bots in local multiplayer advance through randomly generated dungeons with one player as the hero and the others as spirits who possess traps and monsters in the environment to kill and thus replace the hero. The game received a Steam Early Access release for Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux platforms in August 2014, and a full release for those three as well as PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in April 2017 and a release for Nintendo Switch on December 19, 2017.

<i>The Escapists</i> Strategy video game

The Escapists is a strategy game played from a top-down perspective. The game was developed by Mouldy Toof Studios and following a Steam Early Access release in 2014, was released in 2015 for Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, Xbox 360, Xbox One and PlayStation 4. It was released on iOS and Android in 2017. A Nintendo Switch version of the game containing all downloadable content was released in 2018. The game was launched on the Epic Games Store on 23 September 2021, with the weekly free game campaign of Epic Games. Players assume the role of an inmate and must escape from prisons of increasing difficulty.

<i>Oxygen Not Included</i> 2017 video game

Oxygen Not Included is a survival simulation video game developed and published by Klei Entertainment. After being released on Steam's early access since February 2017, the game was officially released on July 30, 2019.

<i>Ironcast</i> 2015 puzzle strategy video game

Ironcast is a turn-based strategy video game with individual missions played through a match-three system. The game features procedurally generated missions and permadeath, staples of the roguelike genre. The game was developed by Dreadbit and released for PC platforms in March 2015, PS4 and Xbox One in March 2016, and Nintendo Switch version in August 2017.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Pereira, Chris (January 16, 2014). "Don't Starve Dev's Espionage Game Incognita Becomes Invisible, Inc". IGN . Retrieved January 30, 2014.
  2. Savage, Phil (January 17, 2014). "Invisible, Inc trailer reveals that Klei's turn-based tactical espionage game is no longer Incognita". PC Gamer . Retrieved January 30, 2014.
  3. 1 2 Maiberg, Emanuel (January 18, 2014). "Klei's turn-based tactical espionage game becomes Invisible, Inc". GameSpot . Retrieved January 30, 2014.
  4. 1 2 Donlan, Christian (August 20, 2014). "Invisible, Inc does espionage justice". Eurogamer . Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  5. Devore, Jordan (July 2, 2013). "Klei's Incognita offers 'turn-based tactical espionage'". Destructoid . Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 31, 2014.
  6. Grayson, Nathan (July 2, 2013). "Don't Starve Dev On Its 'Espionage XCOM' Incognita". Rock, Paper, Shotgun . Retrieved January 31, 2014.
  7. Grayson, Nathan (September 11, 2013). "Klei Xcommunicates Word Of Incognita's Paid Alpha". Rock, Paper, Shotgun . Retrieved January 31, 2014.
  8. Good, Owen (January 19, 2014). "XCOM-like Espionage Game Renamed to Invisible, Inc". Kotaku . Retrieved January 30, 2014.
  9. Vore, Bryan (January 16, 2014). "Klei's Incognita Changes To Invisible, Inc". Game Informer . Archived from the original on March 12, 2014. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
  10. Hillier, Brenna (January 16, 2014). "Invisible, Inc alpha trailer shows off latest build of game formerly called Incognita". VG247 . Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  11. 1 2 Rad, Chloi (April 15, 2015). "Invisible Inc. Announced For PlayStation 4 With New Trailer; PC Release Date Announced". IGN . Ziff Davis . Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  12. Matulef, Jeffrey (March 8, 2016). "Invisible, Inc. is coming to PS4 next month". Eurogamer . Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  13. Lavore, Jordan (April 19, 2016). "Klei's superb stealth-strategy game Invisible, Inc. comes to PS4". Destructoid . Archived from the original on April 20, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  14. Matulef, Jeffrey (October 6, 2016). "Invisible, Inc. is now available on iPad". Eurogamer . Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  15. Devore, Jordan (June 15, 2020). "Invisible, Inc. popped up on the Nintendo Switch eShop today". Destructoid . Archived from the original on January 27, 2021. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  16. Matulef, Jeffery (November 6, 2015). "Invisible, Inc. Contingency Plan DLC dated for next week". Eurogamer . Retrieved November 6, 2015.
  17. 1 2 "Invisible, Inc. for PC Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved May 17, 2015.
  18. "Invisible, Inc. Console Edition for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  19. Reeves, Ben (May 13, 2015). "Invisible, Inc. Review". Game Informer . Archived from the original on May 15, 2015. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
  20. Clark, Justin (May 14, 2015). "Invisible, Inc. Review". GameSpot . Retrieved May 17, 2015.
  21. Stapleton, Dan (May 12, 2015). "Invisible, Inc. Review". IGN . Retrieved May 17, 2015.
  22. Capozzoli, Nick (May 13, 2015). "Invisible, Inc. Review". PC Gamer . Retrieved May 17, 2015.
  23. "2015 Independent Games Festival announces Main Competition finalists". Gamasutra. January 7, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2015.