Intravenous 2

97%
Game Brain Score Based on 615 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Intravenous 2 Game Cover
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Intravenous 2 is the ultimate blend of tactical gameplay and immersive storytelling. Will you embrace the shadows or confront your foes head-on? The choice is yours. Experience a new era of tactical stealth action. Save lives. Uncover secrets. Take vengeance.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

97%
Audience ScoreBased on 615 reviews
story60 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • Intravenous 2 significantly improves upon its predecessor with enhanced AI, weapon customization, and level design, providing a more engaging stealth experience.
  • The game offers a satisfying blend of stealth and action gameplay, allowing players to choose between going loud or remaining undetected, with both approaches being equally rewarding.
  • The soundtrack is exceptional, adding to the overall atmosphere and intensity of the gameplay, making each encounter feel dynamic and immersive.
  • The story and dialogue can feel dull and uninspired, detracting from the overall experience for some players.
  • Certain mechanics, such as enemy detection and interaction with the environment, can be inconsistent, leading to frustrating moments during gameplay.
  • The game can be punishingly difficult, especially on higher difficulty settings, which may deter casual players from fully enjoying the experience.
  • story260 mentions

    The story in "Intravenous 2" has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it engaging and well-integrated into the gameplay, while others criticize it as dull or simplistic. Many appreciate the branching paths and choices that affect the narrative, adding depth to the experience, though some feel the dialogue and overall plot could be improved. Overall, while the story may not be groundbreaking, it serves its purpose in enhancing the gameplay and providing motivation for the missions.

    • “I've never lost track of time when playing a singleplayer game; yet, the first time I played this game, I stayed up till 5 in the morning getting completely lost and engrossed in the mechanics, as well as the story; admittedly, I set my expectations low for it (assuming this would be a game that almost entirely disregards story for gameplay), but it ended up being really captivating and just another one of many things that I would praise about this game.”
    • “The story is immensely compelling and you will find yourself intensely conflicted when making decisions.”
    • “The depth of the story is enhanced by the evolving relationship between the protagonists, making each playthrough a unique experience based on your choices.”
    • “The story and dialogue are the most boring drivel imaginable.”
    • “The story is childish, tame, uninspired, and there is nothing thought-provoking or interesting to be found.”
    • “Just don't think about the plot too hard.”
  • gameplay182 mentions

    The gameplay of this game has been widely praised for its engaging mechanics, offering a refreshing take on stealth and combat that encourages various playstyles and strategies. Players appreciate the depth of customization, challenging AI, and the balance between stealth and action, which keeps the experience dynamic and rewarding. While some critiques mention a lack of advanced mechanics and occasional design flaws, the overall consensus is that the gameplay is captivating and significantly improved from its predecessor, making it a standout title for fans of tactical stealth games.

    • “Overall, though, the gameplay is what matters here and it does not disappoint.”
    • “The gameplay is very fun with the stealth being quite challenging but very rewarding, and the overall combat is very risky but engaging.”
    • “Every great idea and mechanic from the first game elevated to its perfect state with equally fantastic level design this time around that truly puts the power of choice and approach to different scenarios in the hands of the player, while making any decision worthwhile and compelling to pursue.”
    • “The gameplay design is quite poor.”
    • “Imagine making a sequel to a fun, aggressive top-down shooter and adding escort missions with brainless AI/awful pathfinding (exacerbated by the bad quick menus) and an inconsistent tripping mechanic where enemies fall when shot, causing them to only be targetable by the fickle laser aiming for a couple seconds.”
    • “The actual gameplay, gunplay, stealth, etc. is really well made, but the changes from customization don't seem to have any noticeable effect on the gameplay.”
  • music93 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its intensity and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience. Composed by xtrullor, the soundtrack is described as "banging," "epic," and "one of the best" in recent years, effectively complementing both stealth and action sequences. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's appeal, making it a must-have for fans of the genre.

    • “The music adds intensity to the story and environments that otherwise wouldn't quite be there with a text-only game using top-down cutscenes.”
    • “Finally, the soundtrack and story are just the cherry on top; the soundtrack is very cool and fits very well with the game's whole atmosphere and theme.”
    • “The soundtrack is so incredible; if you're going to buy this game, buy the supporter edition so that the composer gets his due for his hardcore track list.”
    • “Why would you make a stealth-based game and then make the loud music so fire?”
    • “The soundtrack also puts some real soul into this game, bringing a sort of gritty and nostalgic presence to the entire game.”
    • “The musical cues, the level design, enemy placement, all feels very refined and tuned to keep you interested.”
  • graphics31 mentions

    The graphics of the game are characterized by a stylized pixel art style that evokes nostalgia while incorporating modern shaders and dynamic lighting, enhancing the overall aesthetic and gameplay experience. While many players appreciate the engaging visuals and atmospheric environments, some have noted issues with object discernibility and a washed-out appearance on max settings. Overall, the graphics are generally well-received, with a blend of gritty realism and charming simplicity that complements the game's themes and mechanics.

    • “The visuals of this game are so cool, I really dig the pixelated art style they went with, kind of reminiscent of games like Hotline Miami.”
    • “Classic pixel graphics, reminiscent of the timeless side-scrolling titles many of us grew up on, provide a very fitting image for the game's darker themes when mixed with modern shaders and dynamic lighting that have very real gameplay functions.”
    • “The art style is beautiful, and the level design is a joy to explore and concise without bloat.”
    • “I'll start with the graphics which look completely washed out even on max settings.”
    • “Visuals are fine, but sometimes it can be hard to discern which object is interactable and which is not.”
    • “Actually a pretty good game, I just can't stand retro style pixel graphics.”
  • replayability23 mentions

    The game boasts high replayability due to its excellent stealth and combat mechanics, allowing players to explore various playstyles and approaches. With multiple endings, customizable loadouts, and branching paths, players can experience the game in numerous ways, enhancing its overall value. The combination of diverse gameplay options and engaging environments makes it a strong candidate for repeated playthroughs.

    • “Both the stealth and combat mechanics feel excellent, giving the game lots of replayability by rewarding different playstyles.”
    • “The fact that you can finish each level a million different ways makes the game infinitely replayable, and the top-down 2D visual style makes the game a great candidate for future workshop content that I simply can't wait to see.”
    • “A lot of the time you just end up sticking to a specific playstyle that works best for you while ignoring a lot of the options the game gives you, though I guess that does give it more replay value in the end.”
    • “It's a very typical yet serviceable action plot, and the choices you can make along with the multiple endings add replay value.”
    • “With multiple endings, various difficulty settings, and a rich array of gameplay options, it offers significant replay value.”
  • atmosphere9 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its gritty, realistic art style and dynamic lighting, which effectively enhance the noir aesthetic and create a tense, immersive experience. The soundtrack complements the overall theme, adding to the game's coolness and relatability, while the dark environments and engaging story further elevate the atmosphere, making it a standout feature. Overall, players find the atmosphere to be incredibly compelling and replayable, contributing significantly to their enjoyment.

    • “Intravenous 2 is a tense and atmospheric stealth game when you are unspotted.”
    • “The game feels like a blend of 'police story' and 'Hotline Miami 1 & 2' in its graphical style, with fairly large maps and a dark atmosphere.”
    • “Incredible atmosphere, super replayable.”
    • “The game feels like a blend of 'Police Story' and 'Hotline Miami 1 & 2' in its graphical style, with fairly large maps and a dark atmosphere.”
    • “The game’s visual style and atmosphere are reminiscent of these influences, with a top-down perspective that immerses players in its dark, gritty world.”
  • emotional6 mentions

    Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, highlighting feelings of nostalgia for past gaming experiences and a sense of empowerment through skillful gameplay. While the story may not be groundbreaking, it is described as heartwarming, particularly in its best ending, leaving players with a wholesome impression of the characters.

    • “Made me feel nostalgic for the flash games I grew up with.”
    • “After maybe like 3 years since I played the first Intravenous game, I was hooked on the series that made me feel powerful knowing I have to use my skills and tactics against my enemy, and Intravenous 2 hypes that up to 100.”
    • “Update after finishing the game: the game was amazing, the story writing was not special but is really heartwarming in the best ending.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    Overall, the game is well-optimized, delivering smooth performance even on older hardware, aided by a detailed options menu. While users report minor bugs and occasional pathfinding issues, these do not significantly detract from the overall experience.

    • “Absolutely crazy music, clean graphics, optimized; I've replayed it like 7 times.”
    • “Similar to the first game, the performance is really, really good, even on pretty dated hardware, helped in part by the fairly detailed and labeled options menu.”
    • “Runs smoothly overall, though minor bugs and pathfinding issues can occur in specific scenarios.”
    • “The game is poorly optimized, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
    • “I experienced numerous crashes and long loading times, which really detracted from the overall experience.”
    • “Despite the game's potential, the lack of optimization makes it nearly unplayable on lower-end systems.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find grinding in the game to be frustrating and tedious, often lacking clear guidance and feeling unrewarding, especially in New Game+. Exploration can become a chore, with finicky mechanics that lead to wasted resources and a sense of annoyance rather than satisfaction.

    • “Grinding achievements can be a bit annoying without any guidance or reliance on saves; New Game+ can feel a bit underwhelming since it doesn't do anything new other than carry over your stuff from the previous game.”
    • “Exploration is tedious, and I quit before I might learn that the extra $200 is worth the trouble.”
    • “It's so finicky to the point that you have to make sure it's perfectly aimed at the thing you want to disable (e.g., I wanted to turn off one of the wall lights, and I just so happened to waste the battery on it because I didn't remember/aim towards the specific target, which I personally think is so tedious for no apparent reason).”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its nostalgic 2000s flash game charm, featuring absurd and profane dialogue that adds to the entertainment value. Players find the AI's panicked reactions to their actions both hilarious and rewarding, showcasing the developers' attention to detail and effort in crafting a polished comedic experience.

    • “The dialogue has hilarious 2000s flash game charm, with everyone shouting profanity at you for no reason. It's clear that the developers put a lot of effort into small details, resulting in a polished and highly entertaining game.”
    • “It is hilarious and rewarding to watch the AI panic in a human-like way in response to your terror.”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game exhibits stability issues, particularly with AI behavior, as users report frequent bugs affecting enemy interactions.

    • “The game can still be a bit buggy, especially with the AI.”
    • “Enemies are buggy.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game is criticized for heavily penalizing players who attempt stealth gameplay, despite the game promoting itself as offering stealth options. This discrepancy has led to frustration among users who feel misled by the marketing.

    • “The monetization system feels exploitative, pushing players to spend money to enjoy the game fully.”
    • “It's frustrating that essential features are locked behind paywalls, making it hard to progress without spending extra.”
    • “The constant prompts to purchase in-game currency disrupt the gameplay experience and take away from the enjoyment.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

16hMedian play time
23hAverage play time
1-53hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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