Intravenous 2
Intravenous 2
Game
Game2021
Intravenous
Developer Explosive Squat Games
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! From the Steam store page
285 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon) · newest Nov 6, 2026 · last updated Nov 6, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
84
LovedLoved
180 positive · 34 negative
95% range 79–88%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 180 | 34 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 31 | 2 | 36 |
| Mastodon * | 1 | 0 | 1 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
2,203 of 2,478 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
84% recommend · 173 yes, 33 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 206 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (5,066 of 5,628 positive).
Players praise the stealth mechanics and tactical depth, comparing it to Splinter Cell and Hotline Miami. [1][2][3] Some find the game very hard, with unforgiving AI that can ruin stealth runs. [4][5][6] A few reviewers criticize the game for boring gameplay or problematic themes. [7][8]
Liked
Representative posts
- [5]
Although it had the potential to be a great stealth game from a bird's-eye perspective, Intravenous tried to be too action-packed at the same time, which messed everything up. The problem here stems mainly from the enemy AI, which reacts either quietly or aggressively. If they hear or see something suspicious, they don't start inspecting the area; instead, they move so fast across the map that it becomes impossible …
- [1]
Strangely, the closest comparison I'd draw would be not to the obvious Hotline Miami meets MGS/Spliner Cell continuum, but to (of all things) old Delta Force. Same tactical focus, same loadout emphasis, same protagonist fragility, same stealth dynamics - primarily existing to hop into combat on favourable terms. Except this is leagues ahead, so should probably be compared not to Task Force Dagger and the like, but …
- [4]
The stealth mechanics are cool, the lighting and sound systems are interesting. This game is hard. Not "unfair". Even on Easy difficulty, I found myself restarting encounters constantly. One wrong step often means a bullet to the face. After 10.5 hours of dying more than progressing, I put it down without finishing the story. If you have good patience and crave a genuine stealth challenge, Intravenous is an indie …
- [3]
One of my favorite games, it's as close to 2D top-down Splinter Cell as you can get, as well as being similar to Hotline Miami, just better and without the melee weapons. It's really well made and I'm surprised it's not more popular. I recommend it if you like doing stealth, being a one-man army or going guns-a-blazing. The game also does a good job of having stealth and guns-blazing coexist. Pros + The AI is one of …
- [2]
Splinter Cell meets Hotline Miami = Intravenous It's definitely good albeit a bit short. Imagine this: if Intravenous 1 is this good then the second installment must be even better.
Summarised from 34 of the 269 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Players who liked Intravenous talk about great stealth mechanics with dynamic lighting and sound; those who didn't talk about enemy AI can swarm and alert instantly, ruining stealth. Which matters more to you?
Reactions
60 of 285 · most liked firstAlthough it had the potential to be a great stealth game from a bird's-eye perspective, Intravenous tried to be too action-packed at the same time, which messed everything up. The problem here stems mainly from the enemy AI, which reacts either quietly or aggressively. If they hear or see something suspicious, they don't start inspecting the area; instead, they move so fast across the map that it becomes impossible to continue undetected. This forces a stealth run to either be perfect or a…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Good game if you were born in 1920 and have an overbite
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →gave this and its sequel like 8 tries, i just cant recommend it. it sounds good on paper. Hotline Miami type game with stealth mechanics and a loadout system for more replay ability? sounds so good i bought the first one, and when the first didn't stick with me, i even bought the sequel when it released because i thought maybe this time it would click (no fault but my own) Its just boring. I know that's a very cheap way to call a game bad but man do i find it borderline impossible to want to…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fanatical is giving away Intravenous for free until March 31st, and it is a fantastic game to play on the #SteamDeck: steamdeckhq.com/get-intraven...
positive · AI labelView post →Strangely, the closest comparison I'd draw would be not to the obvious Hotline Miami meets MGS/Spliner Cell continuum, but to (of all things) old Delta Force. Same tactical focus, same loadout emphasis, same protagonist fragility, same stealth dynamics - primarily existing to hop into combat on favourable terms. Except this is leagues ahead, so should probably be compared not to Task Force Dagger and the like, but to the modern successor which is Microprose's Dagger Directive. I attempted…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It was pretty fun and not too long (which I like). I got jumpscared a ton tho...
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →this game is hard if you suck ♥♥♥♥ at hotline miami and suck ass at stealth games in general, 10/10 expereience
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →interesting game. I initially found the mechanics to be fun to play around with. Unfortunately the game has 3 massive issues. 1: ai will all be alerted if a single enemy is alerted. This isn't a simple, they're making a call to everyone or anything, it's literally that they will all zerg swarm to the spot something happened with perfect pathfinding. If there was even a bit of a delay, or others would simply turn their head and check out the spot, or just anything more natural it would make it…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Originally refunded this. Idk what's wrong in the head of the devs, but from the first hour of the game there is a very strong and very weird hatred for homeless people. This on par with those weird indie games that are just murdering simulators rather than actual games with proper motivations for what you are doing. It's a weird line to walk because it isnt that hard to have normal motivation for the action like going against a violent gang or a terror group etc, but this game is clearly…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →After squeezing my ass and teeth tight, I have played through the rest of campaign where I left over for months and it was as hell worth it. This game is an excellent example of hardcore tactical experience with quite a story to tell!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →this game is simply amazing, i think i first pirated this game but decided to buy it later to support the goated devs
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →---{ Graphics }--- ☐ You forget what reality is ☐ Beautiful ☑ Good ☐ Decent ☐ Bad ☐ Don‘t look too long at it ☐ MS-DOS ---{ Gameplay }--- ☐ Very good ☑ Good ☐ It's just gameplay ☐ Mehh ☐ Watch paint dry instead ☐ Just don't ---{ Audio }--- ☐ Eargasm ☐ Very good ☑ Good ☐ Not too bad ☐ Bad ☐ I'm now deaf ---{ Audience }--- ☐ Kids ☑ Teens ☑ Adults ☐ Grandma ---{ PC Requirements }--- ☐ Check if you can run paint ☑ Potato ☐ Decent ☐ Fast ☐ Rich boi ☐ Ask NASA if they have a spare…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This must be one of the worst experiences I've had in gaming to date. I bought this game many years ago thinking it would be a fun experience. I hated it so much that I closed it and never looked back until yesterday when I rediscovered what made this game so awful. In theory, this game is fun; it's a splinter cell-type game with a top down view where darkness is your friend. However, this "stealth game" is not stealth at all. Any action you do beyond crawling and stabbing people with the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →have mixed feelings about this game. On one hand, the gameplay is cute and well executed—a solid take on Hotline Miami–style stealth mechanics. On the other hand, the storytelling feels cheap and leaves me conflicted. It leans too much toward a right-wing mindset for my taste, with its distrust in an “inefficient system” and glorification of self-made vengeance. At the same time, it isn’t satirical enough to be read as a deliberate, tongue-in-cheek narrative choice. In the end, what really…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →game has a feature where you can yell into your microphone to bait the enemies. it's also a good game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The dev of the Intravenous games seems to like palling around with harrassers. You do with this info as you will. Personally, makes me regret buying the first game and happy I skipped the second.
negative · AI labelView post →With this game, I've realized 2D Stealth doesn't work as a genre for me - you have complete control over the enemies' whereabouts, and it defeats the all the excitement of sneaking around.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Splinter Cell meets Hotline Miami = Intravenous It's definitely good albeit a bit short. Imagine this: if Intravenous 1 is this good then the second installment must be even better.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Had this game back in July 2024 and somehow let it gather dust in my Steam library for two full years. Finally started playing it, beat the campaign on Normal, and honestly couldn't put it down. The gameplay is super immersive. Sneaking around, shooting out lights, and cutting the power to mess with guards feels awesome, especially since the AI is actually smart enough to check suspicious stuff out with flashlights. But if you blow your cover, the gunplay is fast, chaotic, and ridiculously fun…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It should be fun, but the writing is bland and the game play loop is just skipping combat and if you choose to go loud you just get swarmed by fifty crack heads hiding in the dark
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Big fan of the splinter cell series, so I thought I would give this a try. The music and sound design in general is pretty fun. Story was pretty by the numbers and the dialogue was mostly okay with a few lines that were a little cringe. The biggest issue I have with this game is that the stealth system feels really inconsistent. Silenced weapons seem to frequently give off enough noise to alert every guard in the next room, which may be realistic to how silencers actually sound but doesn't make…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I entered softly, dressed in black, A silent shadow on the track. I watched the guards, I learned their route, Then somehow knocked a bottle out... A flashlight turned. A shotgun spoke. My careful little plan went broke. No longer ninja, calm and sly - Just one loud man refusing to die. The past came back, the gangs drew near, Revenge was served with lead and fear. I meant to sneak. I truly did. Instead, I left no witnesses hid. A grim little blast from gaming’s past: Plan slowly, fail…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The stealth mechanics are cool, the lighting and sound systems are interesting. This game is hard. Not "unfair". Even on Easy difficulty, I found myself restarting encounters constantly. One wrong step often means a bullet to the face. After 10.5 hours of dying more than progressing, I put it down without finishing the story. If you have good patience and crave a genuine stealth challenge, Intravenous is an indie gem.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Punishes you for breathing wrong
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A solid game in the "angry white dude wearing a skimask and chest rig" genre. We need more like this. The only reason to get it on Steam is workshop support, I've been playing both on GOG mostly.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Intravenous is the only stealth game Ive played to make it feel like you actually got caught if you fucked up.
positive · AI labelView post →Oh ma lord, Remorse is such a good song, first mission of the Intravenous 3 demo and my ears are already being blessed by peak. I've ran the mission back for hours just to hear it again lol Game is a ton of fun with the combat/stealth improvements and I can't wait for the full release next year!
positive · AI labelView post →One of my favorite games, it's as close to 2D top-down Splinter Cell as you can get, as well as being similar to Hotline Miami, just better and without the melee weapons. It's really well made and I'm surprised it's not more popular. I recommend it if you like doing stealth, being a one-man army or going guns-a-blazing. The game also does a good job of having stealth and guns-blazing coexist. Pros + The AI is one of the best things about the game, they seem alive and not braindead, they…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Excellent criminal removal simulator.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →fascist writing
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →First off, I 100% recommend this game to anyone who enjoys a bit of a challenge. I just completed my first full playthrough, my first playthrough having been abandoned since it had been a bit since I played it and wanted to start fresh with going for a few achievements, as for said achievements, I decided to be pretty dumb and go for the following: CBT - Beat the game on Masochist Mode, Boxer - Beat the game without using any weapons, and Hippy - Beat the game without killing anyone *unless…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →either commit to being hotline miami or commit to being a stealth game
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →has a good difficulty to it always have a "agh" moment.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I finally took the time to play this game and as an absolute fan of the original splinter cell PS2 games I didn't think I would come across a game that has the same feeling in the stealth options. Apart from some issues with wild doors and some AIs who just seemed to have developed a spider sense ( added at the very frustrating combat parts on some mission where you are forced to knock / kill ), it still was a great experience and I will surely take the time to do all the remaining achievements…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →asterisk signs are used for minor details and notes ---{ Graphics/Design }--- ☐ You forget what reality is ☐ Masterpiece ☑ Beautiful ☑ An original artistic direction ☐ Good ☐ Decent ☐ normal ☐ Bad ☐ Don‘t look too long at it ☐ MS-DOS + interesting artstyle +- while I really like the graphics and artstyle, I sometimes had issue with seeing some things I can interact with and the level "structure" ---{ Gameplay }--- ☐ Won’t ever touch any other game anymore ☐ Very good ☑ Good ☐ It's just…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →♥♥♥♥ game (totally did not 100%)
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Intravenous will always have a special place for me—it was the first game I played using keyboard and mouse when I got my PC back in 2021. It really helped me learn and get comfortable with the controls, so it gets a lot of love from me for that alone. Beyond that, it’s just a genuinely awesome game. The gameplay is tight and rewarding, and the top-down shooting feels smooth and satisfying. Whether you’re going in stealthy or more aggressive, it gives you the freedom to play how you want,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very Dynamic Lighting. Better than Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, even. Splinter Cell was never this hardcore; it’s just a glorified hide-and-seek simulator for babies.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game is like Hotline Miami with stealth mechanics, and it's very good. The story is okay, it only serves to explain why you're doing what you're doing. After playing this one, I'll definitely play the second game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →PSA: Do not play this like Hotline Miami ... until you need to play this like Hotline Miami This is a fun take on an 80's vigilante movie. In a nutshell you play a dude who wants to kill a bunch of druggies for the - wait for it - murder of your brother. Now, you would think that exacting revenge on every dude that's not you is the order of the day - but it isn't. The majority of the game is best played as silently and cautiously as possible. I ended up just using my bare hands (#flex)…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Hotline Miami meets Splinter Cell. Satisfying stealth and fun gunplay. Nice!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fast, brutal, and addicting. Feels like Hotline Miami but with stealth options and way more freedom. Short but seriously fun.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →i really liked the intro to this game. the story is compelling, the artstyle is unique, the gameplay feels relatively smooth, and i heard intravenous was getting a 2nd game so i thought why not try and find a cheap key for it. got the game for around $1.50, not too bad, and honestly yeah i’m impressed. not typically a big fan of topdown games, but this one is pretty cool. i feel like this game is almost equivalent to a “no bs” boom shoot, in the sense that you literally don’t have to run…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Intravenous 1 is free from Fanatical for the next couple of days. www.fanatical.com/en/game/intr... #gamedeals #freegames #videogames
neutral · AI labelView post →🚨 FREE GAME ALERT 🚨 🔔 Intravenous 💥 Is on a #Giveaway on #Fanatical 📅 Keys are limited, so better hurry! ☑️ Type: Hardcore Tactical Stealth Shooter ✅ Reviews: Very Positive ✴️ SteamDB Rating: 86.84% 🔗 Link:⬇️ www.fanatical.com/en/game/intr... #IndieGameDev #FreeGames #GamingNews
neutral · AI labelView post →Hardcore tactical shooter Intravenous 2 adds new weapons and Steam workshop support Boasting a 96% Steam review average, the stealth game is a punishing cocktail of Hotline Miami and Deus Ex #indiegame www.pcgamesn.com/intravenous-...
neutral · AI labelView post →dogwash wont let you change equipment if you start a mision
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's alright. I took the stealth approach until I couldn't. Most of the time I was just using the throwing knife to kill two enemies and use it as a silent ranged weapon too. The gameplay when it's loud and not stealth isn't forgiving, which is in line with Hotline Miami but I never bothered to play with guns blazing because you die in one shot, even with max armour, and replaying from the last save to have another go isn't as simple as one tap of a button. It's more like two buttons, but…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Hotline miami but stealth and I hate stealth games. Still if you miss hotline miami and want something that feels like it crawled out of the same neon soaked basement, there is plenty here to scratch that itch.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →great times in babylon
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →An surprisingly deep top-down stealth shooter that starts out fairly simple but becomes a serious test of planning and strategy on the higher difficulties. The stealth mechanics are excellent, and the game constantly forces you to think ahead and carefully plan your approach. 100% steam achievements Time : 43.7H Completion Difficulty : 7/10 Playthroughs : 3 - 6 Missables : Yes - campaign choices Notable requirements : Complete the game on easy, true and masochist, finish the campaign without…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →creator seems to be a right wing chud with no idea how to tell a story or make an interesting game. removing this game from my steam collection permanently.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Even though this one is harder to play mainly because the enemies can still spot you in the dark and shoot you in the face.The good thing was the gameplay and the PEAK music.Also this is prolly gonna be a hard since the AI is so hard and shi.But overall i still recommend this game if you hate junkies and want to slaughter them.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's hard but still love this game! :)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →why the accomplice guy from the screenshots looks like Kurt Cobain
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It felt like it was going nowhere fast from its story to its gameplay, to the point I couldn't see the fun after the first few minutes. Enemies and maps weren't interesting or engaging.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →i got this game for free and i was instantly hooked its pretty solid game i recommend it 9/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game #5 of 2026: Intravenous What if Hotline Miami, but with a focus on stealth? It implements that idea in a cool way, but with a LOT of jank, including omniscient AI and controls that don't respond consistently. Apparently fixed in the sequel, which also has PAID remaster DLC of this campaign.
neutral · AI labelView post →top down stupidity with pathetic 'controls'.. belongs in the 80s! and should have remained there!
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Verdict 👍 Recommended (for fans of the genre) I played Intravenous for about 13 minutes. It instantly gave me strong Hotline Miami-style vibes — top-down action, fast restarts, and that “one mistake and you’re done” intensity. If you love these kinds of games, Intravenous looks like a really solid pick. For me personally though, I’m not finishing it. It’s not that the game feels bad — it’s just not the type of gameplay loop I want to commit to right now. My history with the game…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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