Internal Affairs

Internal Affairs is a stealth-action game developed and published by Install Entertainment. It was released for the PS4 and Xbox one video game consoles.

The game follows protagonist John Drake as he is assigned to go undercover as a convicted felon in order to infiltrate a fictional domestic terror organization called Fawke's Army.

Gameplay
In Internal Affairs, the player takes the role of John Drake and attempts to infiltrate Fawke's Army in order to stop the organization from the inside. The game incorporates elements from video game genres such as third-person shooter, adventure and stealth and is played primarily from a third-person perspective, though the camera switches to a first-person perspective during certain scenes. Unlike many video games, the game contains no head-up display, on-screen cues are limited to flashes when damage is taken and button prompts telling the player when an object can be interacted with. The player regenerates health automatically as long as he/she is not under fire.

John Drake is given objectives from two separate parties, the FBI and Fawke's Army, sometimes forcing the player to choose between them in order to progress. Due to the fact he is "working" for two different organizations, John constantly has to balance his priorities in the game in order to keep his trust with the Fawkes and the FBI, represented by the "trust meter". Trust on either side affects John's weapon arsenal: completing FBI objectives will unlock a high-tech arsenal, while completing Fawke's Army objectives will unlock a lower-tech lethal arsenal. A non-linear story line that changes based on the objectives the player completes (those of the FBI or Fawkes). The decisions he has to make will become increasingly difficult as he progresses through the game.

If he is seen completing FBI objectives or is thought to be doing something out of the ordinary, his trust will go down. Killing people apart from those ordered to be taken out will affect his FBI trust in the same way.

Borrowing stealth elements from such games as Splinter Cell, Hitman, and Assassin's Creed, Internal Affairs features three distinct stealth play styles for players to use through a level. Player's can use shadows to hide from guards. Guards will have a Closer Than Ever Zone where players will have to make absolutely no noise and where shadows become inadequate at hiding the player (the player is warned that he/she is in the Closer Than Ever Zone as John will instinctively reach for his gun and will tip-toe instead of his usual walking animation). Player's can hide in or under objects such as desks, closets, and vents. Most objects can be interacted with by the player: bottles can be thrown, tables can be flipped in order to create cover, lights can be switched off or shot out, paper can be pushed into guards faces in order to disorient them, and computers can be hacked to disable security systems and reveal emails (the game uses a contextual three button system in order to allow the player to easily interact with the environment). Players have the option of hiding bodies, while hiding bodies is optional it is highly suggested as guards may discover them and trigger an alarm. Bodies can also be 'looted' thereby providing John with ammo, items like ID cards, and a disguise which will allow him to wander certain areas freely (provided the player does not do anything to attract suspicion).

The individual levels are a series of self-contained, mission-focused areas designed for multiple paths of exploration in terms of in-game movement and gadgets. Each mission contains multiple ways to explore and reach objectives. Paths players can take through levels are designed to support the player-character's abilities, rather than specific paths that are aimed at a particular game play style, such as assault or ghosting. Each level has security systems that can be disabled (some levels will have a camera room which can be disabled, comm rooms which can be turned off in order to prevent any broadcasts, weapon storage rooms which can be destroyed thereby preventing guards from obtaining body armor or automatic weapons, and electrical rooms which can be shut off in order to disable the lights).

Missions are broken into two sides- FBI or Fawke's army these are further divided into:

Main objectives-objectives that need to be completed in order to beat the level.

Secondary objectives-objectives that are optional but usually offers a special reward (like new gadgets or weapons) or makes completing the main objectives easier (like disabling the lights so guards can't see you).

Opportunity objectives-objectives like secondary objectives but have a small window of opportunity in order to be completed (these usually alter the way the story unfolds).

Completing any objective results in a deduction or addition to the Fawkes or FBI trust meter. Similarly, killing people unnecessarily or triggering alarms will lower trust depending on the mission context.

In order to break up linearity players will notice a lot of variation in a single level due to the many random events programmed in. Depending both on a player's course of action (what objectives he/she completed), or a little luck in the random generation, the next mission may result in a different level altogether or possibly skipped entirely.

In between missions players can walk around the Fawke's Army HQ. The HQ is a fully interactive hub where John can explore and talk to others in order to get more background information about them or more info about the organization in general. While in the HQ player's can join in activities with the group to build up extra trust, these activities include: drinking, playing cards, target practice, dancing, and even helping to repair equipment for use in future assignments. While exploring John has the option of going into restricted areas, these areas contain information which John can choose to send to the FBI in order to build up their trust, but, if John is caught in a restricted area his cover will be blown and the game will end.

John can view current missions on his cell phone similar to Grand Theft Auto 4.

Before each mission is a planning stage, during which the player is given a briefing, and then chooses their weapons, equipment and uniform/camouflage. The pre-planning stage includes a map that the player can use to set up pre-established way points.

Enemies will take cover, lean around corners, and use squad-based tactics. Like in many other stealth games enemies will also react to changes in the environment: if a light switch is turned off, an enemy may become concerned, more so if the light is shot out. However, this behavior has been enhanced so that enemies may even become so frightened and start firing wildly into shadows, or throw a flare onto the ground next to them, making it difficult to sneak up on them. Enemies that are terrified will be more prone to opening fire, thus alerting other enemies. Also terrified guards will also spot the player more easily. However, terrified guards will often make irrational decisions and be easier to separate.

They will also open fire on John if he is detected. They will fire a large amount of rounds at his last known location, so if detected, the player is advised to re-position themselves and attempt to sneak past or eliminate the enemy.

Any bodies have to be discovered by a patrolling guard (or an active surveillance camera) in order to trigger an alarm. Guards will constantly try to be in touch with each other, many will perform radio checks and search for missing guards. Also guards patrols shift periodically.

Being spotted by enemies will trigger alarms, causing enemies to become more alert and combat ready (such as causing them to wear ballistic vests and helmets). However, triggering several alarms will not result in a game over although doing so will cause John to be seriously chastised by his superiors, and cost him significantly in his trust meter as well as canceling certain mission objectives.

John has a wide selection of close quarter combat moves. When undetected John can perform stealth kills or takedowns from behind, above, and below. When engaged in active combat John has two abilities: he can strike, or he can grapple. Striking is a basic punch and kick move that can be countered by some enemies (this results in a grapple, explained later) several successful strikes in a row in quick succession results in the enemy becoming disoriented. When disoriented enemies are vulnerable to being grappled. Grappling is an intense fast-paced brawl mode which results in either John subduing his opponent or John taking a large amount of damage. During a grapple the camera zooms towards John and his opponent, the player can use the 4 buttons plus the two trigger and shoulder buttons to initiate vicious attacks. The enemy will try to block these attacks, certain combo moves can help minimize the enemy's ability to block. If the player does not pull off the attacks quickly enough or the enemy is able to successfully strike the player then John will lose the initiative and it will be the enemies turn to attack the player. At this point the player must successfully block the enemies attacks. After a few hits most enemies will be considered 'subdued' at this state John can chose to kill or knock out the opponent using a wide variety of special take downs or he can interrogate his opponent and learn more about what lies up ahead.

Drake has two ways of reloading. If the player presses the reload button then Drake will drop his current magazine and pick a fresh mag or clip. If the player holds down the reload button then Drake will place the current mag into his pocket and reach for a new one, this takes longer than simply discarding the current magazine but it conserves ammo. If there are no fresh clips then Drake will reload with the one containing the most bullets.

Plot
Damon Washington is introduced to organized crime by James Carter. Carter trains him to become a mole inside the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Before he graduates from the FBI training academy, Johnathan Drake is asked by Captain Wilkes and Staff Sergeant Wahlberg to go undercover, as his family ties to organized crime make him a perfect infiltrator. He drops out of the academy and does time in prison on a fake assault charge to increase his credibility.

John Drake is sent to Maximum State Penitentiary Prison in Kansas where he is placed in the same cell block as Phillip Blaustein, a Fawke's Army member. Using the prisons own ventilation system, Drake helps Blaustein escape, and is welcomed into the Fawke's Army.

For his second assignment for Fawkes, John Drake is dispatched to Shanghai to oversee the meeting between Fawke's Army leader James Carter and Iranian arms dealer Ibn-Mussuoi. While on route to the meeting John is asked by Captain Wilkes to record James Carter's meeting for the FBI and investigate the disappearance of two CIA agents, Daniel Suarrez and Alice Morris. Morris had been working undercover in Ibn-Mussoi's organization eventually sending her last full report from Shanghai, but suddenly went missing. Agent Suarrez was sent to investigate shortly after, resulting in his disappearance a day later. At this point Drake is sent in.

Upon arrival in Shanghai, Drake is to rendezvous with FBI informant Thomas Choi inside a local warehouse in order to retrieve his gear. Drake finds the warehouse in flames, and finds Choi trapped beneath debris inside. Choi states that, according to Morris's last transmission, she had discovered "something big." Choi, before dying from his injuries, reveals the location of Suarrez's apartment, where Drake can find Suarrez's final report. Drake makes it to Suarrez's apartment, but finds Chinese mercenaries searching the apartment as well. Despite being confused as to why they are here, Drake enters anyway, and finds Suarrez's unfinished report. However, the report states that Morris has been dead for more than a day, and her body is in the morgue of a local police station. Staff Sergeant Wahlberg deduces that the bodies of the two CIA spooks are located in that morgue. However, Drake is unable to continue the search due to time and hurries to the meeting.

During the meeting, Mussuoi sells Cater many items ranging from drugs to narcotics to guns and ammo, but none more important than several kilograms of red mercury, a fictional explosive material that can detonate with the force of a thermonuclear bomb. With the FBI and homeland security on high alert, Drake is told to collect a sample from the safe in the meeting room. While he does this, Phillip Blaustein, radios in and orders him to steal notes from Ibn-Mussuoi's hotel room.

Facing a possible terrorist threat Damon Washington, head of the FBI's Special Investigations Unit, and Chris Phlem, assistant director of Homeland Security are brought in. Both men put pressure on Captain Wilkes and Sergeant Wahlberg to let them reveal the identity of the double agent in the Fawke's Army.

James Carter then goes to a meeting in Quebec with Alejandro Lexi and Yuri Ivan, allies of Fawkes. Drake bugs the meeting and finds out that the three terrorist leaders each have Red Mercury bombs. They plan to destroy Washington D.C., Los Angeles, and New York City.

The US government launches undercover sting operations in the affected areas in an effort to stop the attempted bombing, however, an anonymous tip is given to the terrorists and the bombs are moved.

After the failed sting operations, both moles become aware of each other's existence. Damon Washington is told to find the "rat" and asks James Carter for information to determine who is the informer within his group.

Drakes receives a text from Wilkes to meet up in a coffee shop. Unbeknownst to Wilkes Damon Washington had him tailed, and Cater's men kill Wilkes. When they exit, Drake pretends he has come to join them. Wahlberg is forced to step down.

Using Wilke's phone, Damon reaches Drake, who refuses to abort his mission. Damon learns of Drake's role as an informant for the Federal Bureau of Investigation from Wilke's diary, causing him to worry about his own identity being revealed. With Drake's help, James Carter and other high-ranking officials in Fawke's Army are traced to a cocaine drop-off, this is where the red mercury bombs were to be exchanged, a gunfight erupts between Fawke's Army and SWAT, resulting in most of the gang being killed. Carter, confronted by Drake, admits he is an occasional FBI informant. Drake then shoots him multiple times. With Fawke's Army destroyed, Damon and Phlem are applauded the next day, unknown to most that it was actually Drake who made the operation a success. In good faith, Drake comes to Damon for restoration of his true identity and to be paid for his work, but notices an email from Carter on Washington's computer and flees, finally realizing Damon is the enemy. Knowing he has been found out, Damon erases all records of Drake from the FBI computer system.

Later Damon discovers a package from Drake containing a CD with recordings of Carter's conversations with Damon. He contacts Drake, who reveals that Carter recorded every conversation he had with Damon. Carter left Drake in possession of the recordings and he intends to implicate Damon. They agree to meet at the coffee shop where Wilkes died.

After hours at the coffee shop, Drake catches Damon off-guard and handcuffs him. Officer Jones appears as well. Shocked, Jones draws his gun on Drake, who attempts to justify his actions by recounting his part in the operation and exposing Damon as the rat. Drake is shot in the head by Phlem, who then shoots Jones and reveals to Damon that Carter had more than one mole. When Phlem turns his back, Damon shoots him in the head. At headquarters, Damon identifies Phlem as the mole and has Drake posthumously given the Medal of Merit.

When Damon returns to his home, he is ambushed by Wahlberg, who shoots and kills him as he is entering his home.

Reception
Internal Affairs has received generally favorable reviews.

The United Kingdom and American versions of the Official Xbox Magazine gave the Xbox One edition of Internal Affairs a 9 out of 10. The UK magazine said that it was "rupturing quality and oozing tension", calling it "stealth gaming of the highest caliber, full of imagination and enhanced by an excellent two-way Trust system that leaves you pondering every choice you make and then having to deal with the consequences."

IGN gave the Xbox One and PS4 version of Internal Affairs an "Outstanding" 9.0 out of 10.

GameSpot reviewed each version separately, giving the PS4 and Xbox One versions a "Great" 8.5, noting "Some issues with stability and graphical performance."

USA Today praised the game for its great looks, "moral ramifications and branching objectives". However, he criticizes it for the "trial and error game play, it's over too quickly".

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