Spycraft: The Great Game

Went into this game without any knowledge or nostalgia. Really unique game that might be the only example in gaming history of simulating the job of a CIA analyst and case officer. Story and characters were great showing lots of love and care. It is a retro game so you'll have to go in knowing things might be a bit clunky. Recommend having a walkthrough on hand just to keep the story moving if you get stuck to prevent frustration. I would say this game still holds up to modern titles simply because no other titles have been produced in this realistic espionage genre. Recommended for people who are craving espionage. Pros: - Great story and characters - Unique game concept - Ideal for espionage lovers Cons: - Retro

This is an attempt at playing a Tom Clancy movie - not one of the good ones, one of the straight to video ones. It tries hard to create an end of the Cold War scenario and it's fine - just nothing special storywise. As a game, its not bad really - it's just shallow. There's very little replayability. There are a few different outcomes but they're pretty easy to see and are more like failed endings as opposed to genuine alternative endings. Gameplay is a lot of pseudo puzzler stuff. It doesn't totally hold your hand for the puzzles so at least the player does some of the work, but it is very light puzzling really. A number of CIA tools are introduced but some are only used in one particular moment, while others seem to offer a lot of options for use throughout the game but actually only one use-case is ever presented. Almost like they planned a bigger game, or a sequel that never happened. The whole thing can be done in a day cold - maybe an afternoon if you don't miss things and avoid an insta-death. Yes this is a 90s era adventure so there are some decisions that will result in insta-death if you didn't grasp what the game wanted. Save regularly! Its an FMV heavy game and for the most part the acting is well done. I did feel towards the end the payoff was a bit rushed and once the main protaganist was revealed it wasnt a big shock, but the game didn't let the player put the final pieces together to identify the final opponent. I did find on my machine the audio wasn't quite synched to video which made the sound related puzzles a little annoying to get through. That may just be my end though and even with that it was about a half second delay, so not too major. That's it really. If you like Clancy style cold war stuff, procedural adventures like police quest, this is probably worth a look as a beer and pretzels romp down memory lane. If you want fast action, or deep puzzling and logical deduction, this isn't it.

Spycraft: The Great Game is an absolute gem from the golden era of PC gaming. Few titles manage to combine gripping storytelling, authentic espionage detail, and truly innovative gameplay the way this one does. The branching narrative makes your choices feel meaningful—whether it’s interrogating a suspect, analyzing surveillance, or making a split-second decision that could avert a global crisis. The FMV sequences are surprisingly well-acted, and instead of feeling dated, they enhance the immersion, making you feel like you’re part of a Cold War thriller. What really stands out is how Spycraft blends puzzle-solving, strategy, and role-playing into a cohesive experience. It isn’t just about shooting your way through problems—it’s about thinking like a spy, piecing together intel, and making judgment calls under pressure. Even decades later, the tension and excitement hold up brilliantly. If you’re a fan of espionage thrillers, interactive storytelling, or just want to experience a classic that pushed boundaries for its time, this is an easy recommendation. Still one of the best spy games ever made.

Spycraft was wonderful for my entire life, as a Tom Clancy-esque very high quality high accuracy CIA thriller and was endlessly replayable with its small variations in plot. In this new era? What was once a legitimate military thriller has become almost a horror game in retrospect. The similarities to current events are striking. Spycraft feels MUCH different now with Thorn going through coded messages in pro-CCCP propaganda troll posts on bulletin boards, investigating russian mafia linked presidential candidates and disillusioned rogue specops hire mercenary groups carrying out perfect assassinations, imminent nuclear threat, and at least one person trying to sabotage you from the inside all to start a new world order. Before 2025? It's a classic. After 2025? 100/10. A+++. Educational material. The best CIA game ever made. More than all that though? It's very VERY relevant to our current times. This is a decently lengthed, highly replayable, highly enjoyable interactive film, but now it is ESSENTIAL play. It's still not too late for that sequel... In fact, it's probably the perfect time. PLAY THIS GAME NOW. N O W . RIGHT NOW. CLICK BUY CLICK INSTALL AND PLAY ALL THE WAY AND PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO EVERYTHING.

Spycraft: The Great Game (1996) remains an authentic experience and one of the best examples of the FMV genre. The writing, acting, directing and overall production values along with its unique adventure-style gameplay work better most times than it doesn’t. There are admittedly some fiddly moments of gameplay when using the in-game espionage tools but you can see the ambition. The game presents for the time technological advances with things like e-books or using the Internet to keep tabs on current info live as it happens. It’s certainly not the most fun example of the genre; some of your ‘correct’ choices are just as morally dubious as the choices that end the game early. The CIA presented here is one where the end justifies the means. That will be interpreted by most people as wrong but the purpose of Spycraft is to present reality as it is. The game never talks down to its audience. It’s a game that doesn’t seek your approval; its job is to offer a realistic view of espionage sitting between an action film and a John le Carré novel. It very much succeeds. The end credits promise a sequel that we so far have never got. At this time of writing it may never happen yet in the field of espionage expect the unexpected. The game deserves a lot more praise for what the developers did with the FMV genre. It’s a highly detailed world to explore. I’m not sure if Spycraft is a great game or not but it’s certainly a damn good one.