Interpol is a basic puzzle game where you have to find hidden items on a picture littered with all sorts of stuff. Great fun co-operative (local or live), so grab a friend and get started. Items are randomly chosen each time you play the stage, though there is a limited number of them. Play the stage enough and you'll be familiar with where they are. Unfortunately, the game lacks any replay value once you're familiar with the areas and know where all the items are - which is a requirement of some of the achievements.
What is an item? The game likes to be tricky. "Radio" might not necessarily be something that plays music. You may need to find the word written somewhere. Similarly, items may be a shadow or drawing rather than the actual item, like a plane, hand or bicycle.
What are the bonus items? Bonus items grant you more time, extra hints and bonus points. Their location varies each time you play, and each criminal has their own calling card. For most of them, you are given a hint at the start of the stage, but if you can't work it out, they are:
Mister Smith - Playing Cards
The Hammer - Grey Hands
The Artiste - Artists Palette
Dr Chaos - Golden Skulls
Hints? What hints... Each stage you can ask for a few hints. Press the Y-button, then select the item you want shown. The time limit is very gracious and if you keep an eye out for the bonus items, you shouldn't have any trouble. If you're aiming for the "Just Said No" achievement, then just take your time. You are not penalised for trying the wrong item. Make use of the magnifying glass (X-button) if you find an item hard to see. If you're playing with a friend (or three), you should have no trouble finishing without hints. You can always replay the stage a few times and get it next time.
Achievement: Quick on the Draw Finding 3 items in 5 seconds is easy. Look around for the items, but do not select them. Once you're confident you've found 3 items on the screen, select them one after the other. There are many opportunities for this, and again you are not penalised for selecting the wrong item. The clock is very generous, so do not worry how long it may take.
Achievement: Wham, Bam... Completing a stage in 30 seconds is far easier with friends. You do not need to find the bonus items for this. If you're having trouble, come back to an early stage once you've completed the game and play it a few times until you're familiar with the items location.
Achievement: Star Performer To earn Elite rank, you need to finish the stage as fast as you can, and find all bonus items without using any hints. Just become familiar with one of the earlier 3 stages and its bonus stage. Once you've played them a few times you will recognise the items quickly.
