Project I.G.I. (released in North America as Project I.G.I.: I'm Going In) is a tactical first-person shooter video game. It was developed by Innerloop Studios and released in December 2000 by Eidos Interactive.[2] The game received mixed reviews due to shortcomings including a poorly programmed A.I., lack of a mid-game save option, and the lack of multiplayer features. However it was praised for its sound design and graphics, thanks in part to its use of a proprietary game engine that was previously used in Innerloop's Joint Strike Fighter.

Project I.G.I.
North American cover art
Developer(s)Innerloop Studios
Publisher(s)Eidos Interactive
Director(s)Andrew Wensley
Producer(s)Richard Carter
Frank Hom
Designer(s)Gavin Skinner
Programmer(s)Ole Marius Liabo
Artist(s)Olav-Rasmus Vorren
Composer(s)Kim M. Jensen
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
ReleaseDecember 8, 2000[1]
Genre(s)Tactical shooter
Mode(s)Single player

It was followed up in 2003 by I.G.I.-2: Covert Strike.

A prequel titled I.G.I. Origins was announced by publisher Toadman Interactive in 2019 and was being developed by AntiMatter Games with no release date announced.[3] In May 2023, Antimatter Games announced the closure of the development studio.[4][5]

Plot

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Former British SAS agent David Jones is sent by the Pentagon to Tallinn, Estonia, where he is to track down and extract a kidnapped Estonian arms dealer Josef Priboi, who has vital information regarding the recent theft of an American W-88 nuclear warhead from a storage depot in Germany. Aided by his Pentagon handler Rebecca Anya, Jones follows Josef's trail through several military bases, and eventually locates him. Upon being rescued, Josef reveals that his uncle Jach is attempting to sell the warhead to a mysterious party. Jones captures Jach for interrogation, but their helicopter is shot down by two hostile fighter jets near the Russian border. A group of armed men arrive to investigate the crash site; the group's mysterious female commander, known only by her call sign 'Ekk', orders them to capture Jach and execute Jones, but the agent manages to escape his attackers and crosses the border back to Estonia, where he is rescued by a helicopter.

Anya informs Jones that Jach is being transported by train to an unknown location; the two surmise that Ekk is likely a rogue military or ex-KGB officer. Jones hijacks the train carrying Jach, much the latter's rejoice, but the train is derailed by the same fighter jets from before, sent by Ekk. Jones and Jach escape Ekk's forces and evacuate the area via another helicopter.

Soon after, Jones is ordered to retrieve the warhead and capture Ekk at her base of operations - a former KGB training camp, located in a ruined mountain castle. Jones infiltrates the complex, but fails to prevent Ekk from escaping and finds the warhead dismantled. Anya realizes that Ekk has used components of the warhead to construct a suitcase nuke, and tracks Ekk's helicopter to an old plutonium refinement plant, which houses a functional nuclear reactor. Jones infiltrates the facility and grants Anya remote access to its communication network.

Reception

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The game received "average" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[6] Samuel Bass of NextGen said that the game "quickly transforms itself into a frustratingly mediocre experience."[17] Air Hendrix of GamePro called it "a tough but addictive covert-ops mission that's definitely worth volunteering for."[19][a]

It received a "Silver" sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA),[20] indicating sales of at least 100,000 units in the U.K.[21]

Notes

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  1. ^ GamePro gave the game three 4.5/5 scores for graphics, control, and fun factor, and 4/5 for sound.

References

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  1. ^ Walker, Trey (November 27, 2000). "I'm Going In Complete". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on June 22, 2001. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Osborne, Scott (December 22, 2000). "Project IGI: I'm Going In Review". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on June 22, 2001. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  3. ^ Sheehan, Gavin (November 9, 2019). "Toadman Interactive Announces "I.G.I. Origins" Coming In 2021". Bleeding Cool. Avatar Press. Archived from the original on July 16, 2023. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  4. ^ Chalk, Andy (May 25, 2023). "Rising Storm studio Antimatter Games is being closed". PC Gamer. Future plc. Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  5. ^ Blake, Vikki (May 28, 2023). "UK studio Antimatter Games set to close this summer". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on July 16, 2023. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Project IGI: I'm Going In". Metacritic. Fandom. Archived from the original on March 13, 2024. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  7. ^ White, Jason. "Project IGI: I'm Going In - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  8. ^ Harms, William (January 5, 2001). "Project IGI: I'm Going In". Gamecenter. CNET. Archived from the original on January 24, 2001. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  9. ^ D'Aprile, Jason (January 24, 2001). "Project IGI: I'm Going In". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on March 4, 2003. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  10. ^ Liberatore, Raphael (April 2001). "Wooden Soldier (Project IGI: I'm Going In Review)" (PDF). Computer Gaming World. No. 201. Ziff Davis. p. 94. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  11. ^ Edge staff (January 2001). "Project IGI" (PDF). Edge. No. 93. Future Publishing. p. 108. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 19, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  12. ^ Taylor, Martin (January 5, 2001). "Project IGI". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on March 29, 2001. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  13. ^ Brogger, Kristian (March 2001). "Project I.G.I. [I'm Going In]". Game Informer. No. 95. FuncoLand. Archived from the original on December 31, 2004. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  14. ^ Sanders, Shawn (January 2001). "Project IGI [I'm Going In] Review". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on February 13, 2014. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  15. ^ Gorham, Greg (January 29, 2001). "Project IGI [I'm Going In]". GameSpy. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 24, 2005. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  16. ^ Adams, Dan (January 2, 2001). "Project IGI: I'm Going In". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  17. ^ a b Bass, Samuel (April 2001). "Project IGI: I'm Going In". NextGen. No. 76. Imagine Media. p. 90. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  18. ^ Erickson, Daniel (March 2001). "Project IGI [I'm Going In]". PC Gamer. Vol. 8, no. 3. Imagine Media. p. 49. Archived from the original on March 15, 2006. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  19. ^ Air Hendrix (March 2001). "Project IGI: I'm Going In" (PDF). GamePro. No. 150. IDG. p. 58. Archived from the original on February 11, 2005. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  20. ^ "ELSPA Sales Awards: Silver". Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association. Archived from the original on February 21, 2009.
  21. ^ Caoili, Eric (November 26, 2008). "ELSPA: Wii Fit, Mario Kart Reach Diamond Status In UK". Game Developer. Informa. Archived from the original on September 18, 2017. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
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