IGI 2: Covert Strike multiplayer details

Codemasters has today released information on the multiplayer features that'll be supported by IGI 2: Covert Strike, which is currently in development at Innerloop Studios. The game will support up to 16 players online and 32 on a LAN, with full support for all the popular client-matching applications. All five of the different multiplayer arenas have been designed with Counter-Strike -style objective-based team games in mind. Operatives will be pitted against terrorists in all the multiplayer games, and objectives will include hacking data satellites, launching space shuttles, bombing oil refineries, and escorting convoys.

Players in multiplayer games will have access to their own cash reserves with which to pay for weapons, specialist equipment, and reentering the game after they've been killed. Interestingly, the longer dead players wait to buy themselves back into the game, the less it will cost--meaning that players who rush back into the game instantly will have less money to spend on their arsenal.

As in the single-player game, the emphasis will be on stealth and tactics, and players will actually be able to view real-time satellite data of their surroundings--including any units and armaments--using a map computer. This will not only be important for locating enemies and teammates, but it can also be used to assess the surrounding terrain, perhaps looking for somewhere to camp or conduct surveillance of a target.

IGI 2: Covert Strike is currently scheduled for release in February 2003. For more information, check out our Counter-Strike of the game.