Saturday!

I’ve been spending time with Invisible, Inc. and I’ve really been enjoying it.

As it was explained to me, I will now explain it to you: Remember X-Com Enemy Unknown? It was a downright phenomenal game that explored base-building, resource management (kinda), and tactical combat… with RPG elements! With a action-sci-fi feel, the game pretty much was a worthy remake of a game that was awesome back in the 90’s. The only thing that was really kinda crappy was the RNG that did that thing where you had a 92% chance of hitting an absolutely essential shot AND YOU’D MISS MORE THAN 8% OF THE TIME.

Drove me nuts.

Anyway, Klei did something where they wanted a game that had a similar set of mechanics, but a different setting, and *NO* RNG.

For this one, you’re running a covert spy agency with a handful of agents and your cover was blown, you’re now on the run with minimal resources and the clock is ticking for you to get the stuff you need before everything goes even further south.

The mechanics are somewhat similar to X-Com… the spies have the following skills: speed, hacking, strength, and anarchy.

Speed is how many “action points” you have in a given turn. It’s the difference between only moving 8 spaces or moving 12. It’s the difference between moving up to a door and peeking behind it or having to only move halfway because it’s a bad idea to spend time away from cover. Hacking is how much power you get from hacking various consoles (this is power that you will use to turn off camera that will be able to see you, or drop firewalls preventing you from getting into a network, or turning off laser tripwires). Strength dictates how many items you can carry before taking a hit to your number of action points, and how far you can drag a knocked-out guard. Anarchy affects how much you can steal from guards (more anarchy equals more money!) and whether you have to knock them out before you go through their pockets.

Oh, but don’t be seen by them. If they see you, they will pull their gun on you. If they can still see you in the next instant, they will pull the trigger (you have *JUST* enough speed to duck into a place where they can’t see you (but it better not take more than one step) *OR*, if they’re standing right next to you, you might be able to taze them and knock them out). So don’t be seen. Be a ghost. Get past the locked doors, get past the firewalls, get the McGuffin, then get out.

Oh, and by the way, the clock is ticking.

If you liked X-Com and are looking for a fun little X-Com adjacent game, you should seriously check out Invisible, Inc.

So… what are you playing?

(Picture is HG Wells playing a war game from Illustrated London News (25 January 1913[/efn_note]