An enemy base, a pair of binoculars, a plan rehearsed until it finally holds.

The gut pick puts I.G.I.-2 ahead of only 16% of games, and the criterion breakdown drives it home: desert island ahead of 2% of titles, connection 3%, art direction 3%, fun 7%, soundtrack 11%. Low across the board. One line escapes, and it says everything: controller feel climbs just above the median, on two duels only, so handle it with care. That is the tension here: nobody grows attached, nobody calls it beautiful, but the moment you talk about the act of playing, it lifts its head.

That was already its nature back in 2003. A dry, demanding PC stealth shooter where a single triggered alarm sends you back to the start of the mission. Against criteria built for emotion, memory and visual style, a game of pure method has little to trade with. What makes it valuable, the cold satisfaction of a plan that works, is barely measured by these questions.

So, who is it for? For you if you like rigid stealth, big bases to study before you move, and the idea that failure is your own mistake. Much less so if you want a game that stays with you for its characters or its look.