Teeth-clenching stealth, followed by tactical hardcore gunplay for those not looking for a quiet way in. Intravenous redefines challenging stealth-action and will keep you on the edge of your seat!
The game places a strong emphasis on light levels, sound, and movement as key factors in remaining undetected. Players must carefully navigate through dimly lit environments, avoiding excessive noise, in order to silently eliminate or incapacitate enemies. For example, shooting out lights to create shadows for concealment, or using lockpicking and circuit breakers to enter rooms quietly. The reactive AI system ensures that careless actions, like making loud noises or being spotted, will prompt guards to investigate, call for backup, or engage the player directly. Players praise the stealth mechanics as both realistic and satisfying. Suppressed firearms still make significant noise, forcing players to carefully choose when and where to engage enemies. Tools like thrown bottles and the ability to imitate guards' voices provide a variety of options for distracting and eliminating threats quietly. Overall, the stealth gameplay requires patience and creativity to navigate each level undetected.
While stealth is the primary focus, the game also offers a robust and challenging tactical combat system. Enemies use cover effectively and coordinate their attacks, resulting in intense and short-lived firefights that require players to utilize their full arsenal. The variety of weapons, each with their own unique characteristics, allows players to tailor their loadout to their preferred playstyle. Heavier, louder firearms may be more effective in direct combat, while quieter options are better suited for stealth. Players note that the combat is not simply a fallback option, but a viable and rewarding alternative to stealth. The game seamlessly transitions between the two playstyles, with each complementing the other in a meaningful way. The emphasis on factors like noise, recoil, and penetration adds depth to the combat, rewarding players who take the time to understand the nuances of their loadout.
The game's AI system is praised for its sophistication, with enemies adjusting their behavior based on the player's actions and the state of the level. Guards will investigate suspicious sounds, radio for backup, and even pursue the player if they are spotted, forcing players to constantly adapt their approach. The environmental interactions, such as lockpicking, circuit breakers, and thrown objects, further enhance this reactive nature, allowing players to manipulate the level to their advantage. Players highlight the AI's ability to respond appropriately to the player's choices, creating a sense of tension and urgency. The game's emphasis on sound and light levels, combined with the reactive AI, means that even a single misstep can have significant consequences, heightening the challenge and rewarding players who master the game's mechanics.
The game's robust loadout customization system, which allows players to choose their weapons, gear, and gadgets, is a key factor in its replayability. The levels are designed to be tackled in multiple ways, with stealth, combat, and a blend of both being viable options. This, combined with the responsive AI and environmental interactions, encourages players to experiment with different approaches and loadouts to find the optimal strategy for each situation. Furthermore, the game's difficulty options, which impact factors like the number of save slots and the enemies' reactions, add an extra layer of replayability. Players are often motivated to revisit levels on higher difficulties, using their newfound skills and experience to overcome the increased challenge.