Invisible, Inc. was a game I found interesting with its design, concept, and mechanics. We were given a point and click, turn based stealth exploration adventure with RTS and RPG elements. I rather enjoyed the main game for its interesting and engaging gameplay features but felt the game had some issues with balancing and difficulty. It takes time to grasp and become elite at the game, but it was a harsh mistress when it came to punishment. I personally felt the game needed more useful gadgets and characters with greater perks. The Invisible, Inc. Contingency Plan DLC does just that, but is it enough to engage myself and others to come back for more turn based stealth action?
Well for starters, we’re given 4 unique agents with their own skills and items that will surely benefit new players. Of course, you’ll have to unlock other characters during the game’s main story but Rush, Draco, Oliva, and Derek are thankfully unlocked straight away. What this does is help a multitude of players find a better starting point, as before we only had two very standard protagonists. Now, players can choose more so if they want speed over power or if they fancy carrying something that actually kills someone for once.
Along with new characters comes a host of new tech, Augmentations, side missions, and new difficulties. These new additions are integrated from the beginning throughout the game. But for those who have already saved games, you’ll have to start again to reap the new downloaded benefits.
Players can now obtain new powers/augmentations that allow them to teleport through laser grids, to new items including smoke grenades. All of these add more efficiency to your progression and help with some of the tougher enemies and situations. Many obstacles usually take a couple of rounds to bypass, increasing the difficulty unfairly as you’re merely trying to pass a laser grid or find a way to knock out an armoured enemy. Now, however, you can use an alternative route around the problem without causing too much of dilemma.
That said, there are some setbacks; Using lethal means to take out an NPC will result in a sudden and at times dramatic increase in security. For example: Killing one guard with a standard firearm made the security go up nearly one rank. You might as well not even use a lethal firearm in most cases unless absolutely needed. This is especially true considering that you can obtain items that can stun multiple opponents and allow for a quick escape.
The campaign is extended to include new missions and the story lasts another 48 hours in game time, with the help of some more side quests. There’s nothing that majorly changed the format of the objectives other than the Endless Contingency Mission which is a special objective on Day 4. This adds a few new challenges to the endless mode.
But what did interest me were the new threats you would encounter. The corporations have a few new tricks up their sleeves with new enemies to make life hard for our heroes. When I mean they make life hard… Yeah. I thought the original game was already tough but wow. Introducing new NPCs such as the Pulse Drone and Flack guard weren’t too much of a problem, but now we have the delight of upgraded elite units for when things get too much to bare. Invisible, Inc. has become even more punishing with their advanced countermeasures, but it seems as though the level of threat is more spaced out and these higher level enemies come at the brink of the difficulties. As a moderate player I found the lower difficulties a challenge enough and moreso with the added additions. For those who have mastered the game, More Endless difficulty will test you out. Trying it out broke me, but I can see that many fans will love this mode. I thought it was bad enough seeing rank 9 enemies, but rank 20? Good luck.
Invisible, Inc. Contingency Plan offers a greater challenge to veterans of the game and some tweaks and helpful items for novices. The game is still difficult even in the easier stages, but players are now loaded with more choice for characters and tactics, opening the way for novice players but adding more for the hardcore fans. This expansion is loaded with content and for its low price, it’s is a steal for fans of the main title.