Invisible Inc.
- August 19, 2014
- Klei Entertainment
- 71h median play time
Invisible Inc. is smart and stylish, and delectable for fans of stealth or strategy.
Invisible Inc. is a turn-based stealth game where you control a team of agents infiltrating dangerous corporations to complete high-stakes missions. With deep customization and a randomly generated world, each playthrough offers a unique challenge. Choose from 10 agents and 6 variants, and adapt your strategy with items, augments, and programs to overcome obstacles. The game includes five different modes and extensive customization options for a tailored experience.
Reviews
- Engaging turn-based stealth gameplay that requires careful planning and strategy.
- High replayability due to procedurally generated levels and a variety of agents with unique abilities.
- Stylish art design and a compelling cyberpunk atmosphere enhance the overall experience.
- Campaign is relatively short, leaving players wanting more content and story depth.
- Difficulty can spike unexpectedly due to random level generation, leading to frustrating experiences.
- Limited inventory management and resource allocation can hinder gameplay and strategic options.
- story3,828 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 82 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story in "Invisible, Inc." is generally described as minimal and somewhat cliché, serving primarily as a backdrop for the gameplay rather than a central focus. Players often find the campaign short, typically lasting around 5-10 hours, with a limited number of missions that can feel repetitive upon replay. While the narrative elements, including character backstories and cutscenes, are appreciated, many reviewers express a desire for a more developed and engaging storyline, particularly given the game's intriguing cyberpunk setting.
“The story was simple but effective.”
“The story is good enough for what it is, however, I will say despite what you are supposed to be doing, it feels like you're just doing random missions, getting more buff and waiting for the game to just move on - like the missions are meaningless obstacles.”
“The story is minimal, but very interesting, like all their other games.”
“The whole story was utterly disappointing, really.”
“The world-building felt lazy, the cyberpunk themes were extremely shallow, the characters were just emotionless talking heads providing you with exposition between missions, and the ending... oof.”
“The story is minimal and incomprehensible, but who cares, you can skip it all and even play endless mode instead if you want, although i think its more fun to work towards a winning run in story mode.”
- gameplay2,169 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of *Invisible, Inc.* is characterized by its turn-based stealth mechanics, which blend tactical decision-making with a roguelike structure, offering a high-stakes experience where players must navigate procedurally generated levels while managing resources and time. While the core mechanics are praised for their depth and strategic complexity, some players find the learning curve steep and the lack of clear tutorials frustrating, leading to a mix of engaging and repetitive gameplay. Overall, the game is well-received for its unique art style, solid mechanics, and replayability, though some players express a desire for more variety and depth in mission design.
“No dice or random percentages to your attacks, stealth and hacking were interconnected in a cool way that made both mechanics complement each other, and having to balance speed with stealth was interesting and tension-inducing.”
“The core tension that makes gameplay challenging is that you want to take your time looking for the perfect hole in the guard patrols, looting all the treasure available and checking all the vendors you can - but every turn, the alarm ratchets up, and at set points bad stuff happens: first inconvenient, then risky, then easily fatal if you're not well on your way to making yourself scarce.”
“It fails to give me any XCOM / Darkest Dungeon 'long term' campaign progression & resource management, nor does it give me the Hades / Synthetik roguelite immediate 'mechanical' gratification (it's turn-based tactics after all).”
“The gameplay loop is basically that of a roguelike; the game scales in difficulty with every mission and you have to keep up or die.”
“The game plays in a very cruel way; it makes it extremely easy for you to save scum, and it goes as far as being built into the game’s mechanics, but if you want to challenge yourself and not do it, the game will just as easily take away over 10 hours of progress from your doomed save.”
- replayability880 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is highly praised, with many players noting the procedural generation of levels, diverse character options, and customizable difficulty settings as key factors that keep the experience fresh and engaging. While some reviewers mention the short campaign length, they often highlight the potential for endless replay value through various strategies and unlockable content. Overall, it is regarded as one of the most replayable titles in its genre, offering a rich and varied gameplay experience.
“Many games claim to be very replayable but this is one of the few which is in fact forever replayable, as the distribution of maps, guard positions and schedules, the location of cameras and other security measures, what items you can find etc, is always random, and the challenge is always high if you choose so.”
“The game has a very high replay value because of the procedural generation system for the map, so every mission will feel different each time you play, which makes the whole stealth aspect of the game more meaningful.”
“The sheer variety of interesting stealth and combat puzzles it winds up generating is amazing, giving it fantastic replayability.”
“The production value is good, mind you, but it's a short story with a cheap 'mystery' style setup - where's the replay value in that mystery once it's revealed?”
“The problem with saying it is all about replayability while creating a storyline and interesting universe is that players like me, who love shadowrun and story-driven challenges, will be lured in without knowing it is essentially a puzzle game, and end up bitterly disappointed by the sudden ending and the lack of incentive to replay.”
“Despite its emphasis on replayability, this game has very little.”
- graphics845 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Invisible, Inc." are widely praised for their unique and stylish art style, which blends cyberpunk aesthetics with a clean, isometric design. Many reviewers highlight the game's polished visuals, vibrant colors, and smooth animations, contributing to an engaging atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience. While some players find the graphics simple or reminiscent of older titles, the overall consensus is that the art direction effectively supports the game's themes and mechanics, making it visually appealing and memorable.
“The graphics are crisp and stylish (while extremely light on GPU requirements), user interface feels smooth, it all fits perfectly.”
“The art style is fantastic and you will get wrapped up in hours of play with a lot of different styles of game mode.”
“The aesthetics of the game are gorgeous; the graphics and art style give a wonderful vibe, the music perfectly sets up the mood of the game.”
“Not a big fan of the art style (even if it's pretty well executed).”
“It's a game I like in concept, but the gameplay loop and the visuals just don't click for me.”
“The story feels tacked on, and I hate the stereotyped '1960s spy cartoon' art style, but this is just a question of preference.”
- music397 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience, with many reviewers highlighting its masterful composition and adaptability to in-game tension. The soundtrack effectively transitions from ambient tones to intense beats, reflecting the game's stealth mechanics and escalating challenges, while also fitting seamlessly within the cyberpunk aesthetic. Overall, players find the music to be a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's immersive qualities.
“The soundtrack deserves a special mention as it is masterful.”
“The music and sound design are also top-notch, adding and subtracting track elements depending on the alarm level of the stage, which is greatly effective at producing an absorbing and immersive experience.”
“The music ramps up gradually as security tightens, going from foreboding background strings to 'everything is insanity and red flashing alarms and on fire'.”
“The music is your standard cyberpunk background music, with little to nothing in the way of audio cues for any sort of events, good, bad, or otherwise.”
“There is very little variety, if any, music, but that keeps the atmosphere focused.”
“Personally, I wouldn't mind there being more styles of music, or a music style change after the guards have spotted you for the first time.”
- atmosphere113 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive cyberpunk and stealth elements, enhanced by atmospheric music and striking visuals. Reviewers highlight the tension and high stakes that contribute to a sense of fear and urgency, making each mission feel rewarding yet challenging. Overall, the game's design and sound work together to create a captivating and engaging environment that keeps players returning.
“The gameplay is tense and suspenseful, the visuals and atmosphere are great, but what impressed me the most is the way the game breaks new ground in terms of stealth games.”
“The cut scenes and progression are extremely well executed creating both atmosphere and a sense that you are controlling a covert ops agency.”
“It has an incredibly deep atmosphere of cyberpunk infused espionage that steers you towards using cunning stealthy strategies to make any progress.”
“Simply gorgeous art direction with each floor bursting with atmosphere and tension.”
“The graphics and sound create an inviting, futuristic pulp-fiction atmosphere.”
- humor40 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a lighthearted tone, featuring dry wit, amusing character interactions, and comical gameplay scenarios, such as guards displaying hilariously poor intelligence. Players appreciate the balance of tension and levity, with funny dialogue and absurd situations that arise during missions, making the experience enjoyable even in challenging moments. Overall, the game successfully combines humor with its tactical gameplay, providing a fun and engaging atmosphere.
“There's a lot of difficult decisions to make, tension and suspense, but at the same time the game maintains a very enjoyable lightheartedness, both in content (a bit of dry humor here and there, the way the characters dash about, the snarky comments and fun enemy exclamations) and in gameplay experience (you're not really heavily punished if you fail missions and campaigns but you simply fail and move on), which makes this game such a perfect companion to spend from 20 minutes to several hours with.”
“The guards are pretty hilariously stupid, with some of them spotting you and entering overwatch, but if you just shut the door in between the two of you, they give a comical 'guess they got away.' The existence of cloaking devices also gives you another way out if you should need it.”
“The premise is intriguing, the between-mission chatter adds to the story and is frequently hilarious ('this is my surprised face.' - okay, you had to be there...), and the opening sequence is a fabulously animated adventure that really sets the scene brilliantly.”
- grinding34 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 6 % neutral mentions
- 88 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often leading to frustration and a lack of engagement. While some appreciate the replayability and character synergies that mitigate the grind, many still feel that the gameplay mechanics and resource management can become monotonous over time. The balance between challenge and tedium appears inconsistent, with some players enjoying the story mode while others struggle with the grinding required to progress.
“The perfect 'no grinding for resources' RTS!”
“But somehow it's just tedious and nothing else for me.”
“The game increases its alert system constantly (no matter how stealthy you are) and I just found that kind of tedious.”
“Unfortunately, in its current stage (and it is not an early access title) this game offers somewhat frustrating gameplay experience, inconsistent universe, and not a very entertaining replay-grinding.”
- character development34 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 24 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally viewed as minimal, with many reviewers noting a lack of depth and substantial narrative for the characters, often comparing it unfavorably to other titles like XCOM. While the character designs and voice acting are praised for their quality and charm, the gameplay focuses more on strategy and mechanics rather than character growth, leaving players wanting more in terms of story and character engagement. Overall, the game offers some satisfying elements of character development through gameplay choices, but it falls short in delivering a rich narrative experience.
“Character development, between inventory management, skill development, and augments, is satisfying and unlocked characters add flavor and replayability.”
“Turn-based game with lots of interesting choices, including character development.”
“The art style and character design is really beautiful and unique, like in most Klei games.”
“There's little to no character development for your agents. I wouldn't be surprised if they have less than 5 lines of dialogue each, and it's only on mission start to make some witty remark like 'let's do this so I can go drink.'”
“I do wish there was some semblance of character development over the course of the game or with the DLC.”
“XCOM, whose characters are totally random, has better character development than this game with its dedicated cast of agents.”
- stability30 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its stability, with users reporting minimal bugs and smooth performance across various systems, including lower-end hardware. Many reviewers highlight the game's polished state, noting that it runs well without significant gameplay or visual glitches, setting a high standard for early access titles. While a few precise bugs were mentioned, they do not detract from the overall positive experience.
“It looks great, runs great.”
“Runs great on Linux on my ThinkPad T450s.”
“Runs great on your potato laptop.”
“Troubleshooting doesn't help.”
“This game isn't Bethesda-buggy; instead, there are a few very precise bugs with gameplay.”
“This is the level of product early access games on Steam should be held to rather than the overly ambitious bug-ridden messes that populate most of the category.”
- emotional27 mentions
- 93 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
Players report a profound emotional experience, characterized by intense highs and lows as they navigate challenges and make critical decisions. While the game excels in creating tension and connection to characters, some feel the story lacks depth and resolution, which diminishes the overall emotional impact. Despite this, many express a strong sense of satisfaction and investment in their journey, often recalling moments of both triumph and heartbreak.
“It will take you on an emotional rollercoaster - from initial confidence to total devastation when you make mistakes that end in a disaster, from doubt and despair to exhilaration when you manage to get out of a seemingly hopeless situation.”
“I've had so many close call heroic victories in this game and also heartbreaking defeats.”
“It really made me feel connected to the characters, as their operator, guiding them and trying to keep them alive in a corporate world seeking to consume the rogue agencies that defied them!”
- optimization20 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates strong optimization with smooth performance and excellent visual polish, even on lower-end PCs. While some users noted minor issues with long session play and an unoptimized living room UI, the tactical design and rewarding progression system contribute to a compelling experience. The mechanics are well-balanced, preventing exploitation and enhancing gameplay consistency.
“The progression of unlocking new 'programs' and agents by your performance during a campaign, combined with a smart tactical game design, is what keeps you coming back for more.”
“Great performance optimizations, excellent visual polish with awesome pre-rendered cutscenes.”
“Technically, the game runs smoothly, and the mechanics behave in a predictable manner without allowing the player to exploit them.”
“Zero performance issues even on my shitty PC.”
“[performance issues, unoptimized living room UI, mediocre story]”
“[performance issues, unoptimized living room UI, mediocre story]”
- monetization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its deep and challenging gameplay with high replay value, and notably, it features no microtransactions, which enhances the overall experience for players.
“Deep, fun, challenging, tons of replay value, and most importantly, no microtransactions.”
Critic Reviews
Invisible, Inc. Review
In a genre that's traditionally concerned more with open combat, Invisible, Inc.'s stealth focus is a revelation. Chock full of smart game design, you're gifted plenty of options in how you approach your mission, and despite having so many tools at your disposal, it remains satisfyingly challenging, without ever crossing over into being unfair. While the roguelike progression could potentially be a downside for some, the high level of customisation around the difficulty settings will swiftly rob you of this complaint. Simply put, if you have even a passing interest in turn-based strategy games, you shouldn't let this exceptional title sneak under your radar.
90%Invisible, Inc: Console Edition PS4 Review
As overwhelmingly terrifying as it can be to learn, Invisible Inc just so happens to be a ridiculously compelling experience. The congregation of turn-based strategy, stealth and roguelike seems like an odd grouping, but my word, it works so very, very well.
90%Invisible, Inc. Review
Invisible, Inc. is a tense squad-based strategy game, simultaneously honouring and reinventing the genre with neat twists and smart design. While the main campaign is short, it's rich enough to want to play again straight way, focusing on different types of missions, going after different upgrades, or trying to free new people to join the team. The only thing lacking, perhaps, is a multiplayer mode, which could have been a fun inclusion. Overall, this is a must-play game for TBS fans, or those that feel like they might enjoy a smartly made game of hacking and heists.
90%