The objective of Insurgency varies between game modes.
Game modes
There are a total of nine online game modes and five co-op game modes.
Online game modes
Push: The attacking team must capture three territorial objectives in sequential order. For every objective captured, more reinforcements are made available and more time is given to capture the next objective. The defenders must protect the objectives from the attackers. If the attackers are able to capture all three objectives, they must find and destroy the cache. At this point, the defenders only have one life to fend off the attackers. The game ends when either team runs out of reinforcements and players or time.
Firefight: Both teams must battle each other to capture all three territorial objectives. Each player only has one life and can only respawn after their team has captured an objective. A team wins when either the entire other team is eliminated, or all three objectives are captured.
Skirmish: Like Firefight, there are three territorial objectives that both teams have to capture. Each team also as a cache to protect. If the caches of both teams are destroyed, the game will be played like Firefight. To win, the cache must be destroyed and all three objectives captured.
Occupy: Each team has a certain number of reinforcement waves. There is one central territorial objective that the teams have to the capture. The team that is in possession of the objective will be given infinite reinforcement waves. The game is won when the other team has run out of reinforcement waves, and do not have any players remaining.
Ambush: One team has a VIP that they must escort to an end location, whilst the other team must stop the convoy from reaching their end destination. The game ends when the VIP reaches his or her destination, or when the VIP is killed.
Strike: The attacking team must destroy the three caches of the defending team. For every cache the attacking team destroys, time and additional reinforcements are rewarded. The game ends when the attacking team runs out of reinforcements and players, or when all three caches are destroyed.
Infiltrate: Each team must capture and return the enemy's intel back to their base. Reinforcements are only rewarded when the enemy intel is captured, or when the enemy with the intel belonging to the player's team is eliminated.
Flashpoint: Each team receives two caches with one neutral territorial objective. The game ends when the opposing team's caches are destroyed, and the entire territory is captured.
Elimination: The attacking team must destroy one of two caches belonging to the defending team. Each player only has one life. The game ends when one of the caches is destroyed, or when the entire attacking team is eliminated.
Checkpoint: Players are grouped into one team and must complete mission-based objectives against AI. Every completed objective will grant fallen players another life.
Hunt: Players are grouped into one team and must eliminate the entire group of AI insurgents. Each player only has one life. The game ends when all insurgents are killed and the weapons cache is destroyed.
Survival: Players play as insurgents who must take on increasingly difficult waves of security forces. Each successful wave grants players extra supply points to purchase stronger weapons and modifications. Any dead players will also be revived at the end of each wave.
Outpost: Players are grouped into one team and must protect their weapons cache from opposing forces. Every wave that is successfully defended will grant the players reinforcements.
Conquer: Players must capture objectives and defend them from opposing forces. Destroying opposing caches will reduce the amount of opposing forces.
Mechanics
One of Insurgency's defining characteristics is its hardcore gameplay. Unlike other first-person shooters, Insurgency has a very simple HUD, and lacks virtual crosshairs, ammunition and player health counters and minimaps. Also, all guns instantly kill with one shot to the head. This adds a considerable level of difficulty for the player. At the beginning of each game, players are able to choose a class and select a variety of weapons. Players have a certain amount of supply points to spend on purchasing weapons and modifications.
Development
Inspired by the reception of the mod for Half-Life 2, a dedicated sequel was put into development. In July 2012, a kickstarter was launched for Insurgency, with a goal of $180,000. The kickstarter later failed with only 37% of the monetary goal raised. After multiple obstacles to work through, such as constantly running out of funds, the game was finally launched into Steam's early access in March 2013. During the ten months in early access, the developers of Insurgency were able to get feedback from the community, and thoroughly updated the game. The game was officially released on January 22, 2014.
Reception
Insurgency was met with overall good reviews. Metacritic, which grades on a 100-point scale, gave Insurgency a 74. IGN rated it a 7.5 out of 10, Hooked Gamers rated it a 9 out of 10, and PC Gamer rated it a 77.
Sales
As of July 2017, there are approximately 3.76 million owners of Insurgency on Steam. According to Andrew Spearin, the creative director of New World Interactive, about 400,000 copies were sold in the first eight months on Steam.
Sequel
In February 2016, New World Interactive announced a sequel, . The game is available for Microsoft Windows, and will release in spring 2020 for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Insurgency: Sandstorm is published by Focus Home Interactive and uses Unreal Engine 4. Originally planned to be released in 2017, the Microsoft Windows version of the game was released on December 12, 2018 on Steam to critical acclaim from game critics and players alike, with console versions planned to be released in the first half of 2019.
