Hotline Miami is one of the least stealthy games I’ve ever played. Wearing a rubber animal mask, you kick down doors and blast your way through buildings in a bloody whirlwind of destruction. But it makes me wonder what a more sneaky approach to that format might look like – perhaps somewhat of a modern take on the original Metal Gear games (the pre-Solid, MSX ones). If you’ve had similar thoughts, Intravenous 2 is worth a look – and with its prologue out now as a free Steam game, you can give it a try without having to pay a thing.
Intravenous 2 is the upcoming sequel to the 2021 stealth game from developer Explosive Squat Games and publisher HypeTrain Digital. Taking that top-down, room-by-room perspective of Hotline Miami but with a much more tactical, stealth-driven approach to its violence, you’re put in the shoes of “cold-hearted mercenary” Gideon. While its setup might be just as glibly brutal as that of Hotline Miami, however, Intravenous 2 requires a vastly different approach.
Before setting out on a mission, you’ll have to kit yourself out with weapons, gadgets, and gear – each of which has a rather deep set of stats associated with them. That’s because this is a stealth game where every element matters – visibility, sound, and more. You can adjust Gideon’s movement speed with the scroll wheel, but the faster you move, and the heavier the equipment you’re carrying, the more noise you’ll make.
You’ll likely want to pick your moment and take out patrolling guards carefully then, depositing their bodies into dumpsters Hitman-style to ensure they aren’t spotted. Bring the right equipment to lockpick a door, and you’ll save yourself the risk of being heard breaking it open. Or, perhaps, meddle with the fuse box around the side instead and draw a guard out to fix the problem, allowing you to either deal with them directly or sneak through in the darkness.
From my initial time spent playing free prologue Intravenous 2: Mercenarism, my conclusion is that I’m absolutely awful at it. I was constantly slipping loose of the shadows, or dropping my guns on the floor as I wrapped my head around its granular, in-depth controls. But I found myself compelled to improve, and watching footage of more practiced players shows the game’s tactical potential, almost feeling at times like watching a 2D Escape From Tarkov.
Intravenous 2 is set to release in 2024. Or, if you’re curious for more after playing the prologue, the first game is 60% off until Friday, February 2 – expect to pay $7.99 / £6.70 for your copy.
Alternatively, have a look through more of the best indie games in 2024, or put the thoughts of conflict out of your head altogether with some of the best relaxing games.
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