In reality, they are conducting bioweapon research, and the people are just unlucky cattle being led to slaughter. A military force has quarantined a major metropolis under the guise of protecting citizens from a viral outbreak, but their occupancy is far from altruistic.
In contrast to the devil-may-care attitude showcased in the majority of the adventure, the story does take itself seriously. By clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot's