Spycraft: The Great Game

Nice to see GOG make this available to the masses again. A classic piece of retro-gaming from a time when new genres were still be created and boundries expanded. It is to be sure a more thoughtful game, so if you're looking for twitch then this may not be for you. However for those seeking an interesting story, intriguing gameplay and just something a little off the beaten path then consider spending some time with this overlooked gem.

Back in the days I played Spycraft but could not finish the game, being too young at the time to really understand the deepness of the scenario and playing without help. (yes, some adventure games had some difficulty) So I was happy to see that this game was available on GOG. This allowed me to fully enjoy the gaming experience with today eyes and reach the end of the game (that time finally !) The thematics of the game are great: CIA, espionnage, politics, cold war. It includes very good intrigue and plot helped by a lot of cut-scenes and very good interface. I have to mention that I had to use some help to reach the end of the game because I was stuck more than once, this game is not an easy game to finish and it can be puzzling considering the modern-day adventure games. Anyway, that point did not alter the overall gaming experience, that was great, and justifies in my opinion, the 4 stars.

Virtually no replay value (though at the end you choose between two completely different endings). Horribly bad and muffled voice-overs, even when those voices were essential information. FMV in '96 sucked really bad. It's short. Puzzles occasionally are just pixel hunting. The few action/shooting scenes are annoying) Those are the problems that kept me from giving it a 5. But now let me tell you why you should invest precious money and time in this brilliant game. Full cooperation, and consulting from former heads of CIA and KGB. This is the only spy game ever to have the input of real spys. That doesn't make it real, but it is far more realistic than Splinter Cell. The challenges and puzzles are all logic-based (even when they do involve pixel-hunting). This game (amazingly for this era), makes you evaluate, investigate, and decide on sometimes incomplete or faulty information. It made you feel on the knife-edge of history. Even though FMV sucked back then, some of the performances they got were really effective. (especially Wm Colby...who knew?) But mostly, in 2020, this game remains fun, smart, accessible and very worth playing. (now please excuse me, my com-link is flashing)

The experience of Spycraft is, on the surface, largely familiar if you've played any other game where you float through hallways and occasionally watch a short film clip produced and starring a few people in an office, usually from Chicago. You have to pay attention, gather clues from dialog and visuals, and put together the pieces of a logic puzzle that they all lead up to. The difference is that Spycraft is based, lovingly and reasonably faithfully, to actual spycraft. A lot of material from the CIA manual (parts of which are public, look it up!) and theory relevant to the trade in the waning days of the Cold War's aftermath are front and center here. Of course, that means you're shown a rudimentary digital camera with a giant hard drive and expected to be wowed by it, but let's move past that. Sometimes that even makes for a great game. Take, for example, the fine detail of having to keep track of other spies, some of whom might be turncoats. They give themselves away, but only subtly, and often with little room for you to act on the realization. Other times, you have to be the rat, taking advantage of a lapse in somebody's attention to investigate their things, or even perform a tragic double cross. The game doesn't let you negotiate with its morally grey areas, which is both interesting and one of its downfalls. The ending has a tough decision for you to make, but it's presented as a binary when the reality could go in half a dozen directions. It doesn't quite feel in tune with the rest of the game. This feels, somehow, forgiveable. Video doesn't let you have too much flexibility, so we'll allow it this time. The ride you take getting to the end is sometimes tedious (you'll learn why terrorists demand non-sequential bills,) and sometimes exhilirating. When you navigate a puzzle on your own, it feels great.

Definitely worth playing if you're into spies and espionage movies and games. The only game I've played that is similar is the X-Files game that was on PS One. Interesting mini-games that are based on real 1990s intelligence tools make it seem very dated but also very authentic... a bit like watching Mission: Impossible for the first time!