CounterSpy Review - 2D Cold War Espionage

Arriving as the last of Sony’s four Play 2014 indie titles, which support cross-buy as well as discounted pricing, CounterSpy is the boldest of the bunch. Seldom do we see stealth games, let alone stealth games in the indie space. For that reason alone it caught our attention.

CounterSpy is drenched in Cold War era flavor. You assume the role of a non-descript spy tasked with uncovering the details of a plot to hit the Moon with a nuclear strike. Both the Russians and Americans are involved in this crazy plan, so you’ll have the option to investigate both. Your goal is to get from the start of a level to the end, acquiring as much intel as possible (anywhere from one to three items) in the process. At the end, you simply press triangle at the computer to complete your mission. Although gathering all the intel in each level isn’t required, you’ll need them to progress the story.

As austere of a story as it may present, CounterSpy never takes itself too seriously. Humorous propaganda decorates the walls of its underground facilities. Dialog between the main character and his boss makes a good effort to deliver laughs. It might not be completely successful, but at the least it feels welcoming and will likely make you smile.

CounterSpy‘s gameplay is cleverly designed. Played as a side-scrolling action stealth game, it layers in a third-person view when behind cover so you can not only see what’s ahead, but take accurate shots at enemies. Although this is a stealth game, the protagonist is quite the gunslinger. Using pre-defined cover spots, you can take out groups of enemies with a variety of weaponry, including an assault rifle and silenced handgun. As you progress further into the story, aiming for headshots becomes incredibly important since enemies will have more health.

As interesting of a mix as the camera design is, there are moments where it causes frustration. The short-angle side-view doesn’t allow you to see very far, making it difficult to discern where guards in the distance are looking, leading to situations where you’re spotted before you ever had a chance to prevent it. The commonly encountered cameras, which light up in the direction they are looking, are difficult to read. Put simply, you’ll find situations where the game’s most unique quality is also its greatest weakness.

Procedural generation results in replaying levels not feeling too repetitive, and also makes this a game more about skill than memorizing level layouts. That said, there aren’t too many assets in the game, so you’ll see most of what it has to offer within the first 20 minutes of play. Thankfully, you are able to infiltrate either imperialist or socialist installations at any time, which have some moderate differences.

Labeled a stealth game first and foremost, CounterSpy makes a strong effort to encourage you to avoid combat. Ammunition costs money, meaning that players who can get from start to finish by firing the least shots possible will have more currency to spend on weapons and formulas (formulas are perks that temporarily strengthen your character. Also, enemies quickly become enough of a opposing force to teach you that aggravating more than a single foe is a quick way to die. A potent melee attack, silenced weapons, and tranquilizer darts ensure that you have enough options in your toolkit to play as a quiet hero.

If you aren’t careful, the Defcon system will make your life living hell. If enemies are alerted to your presence, they’ll begin speaking to others in their area over through walkie talkie. If you let Defcon reach a full bar at level 1, you’ll have 60 seconds to complete the current map. Your Defcon level carries with you, and you’ll quickly learn that having it at level 1 or even 2 makes everything much more difficult. You can hold up isolated officers, who stand out with their white uniforms, to reduce the Defcon level.

A lot of the fun in CounterSpy comes from unlocking new weapons and trying them out in different situations. They can be earned by finding blueprints hidden in each map, and include quite a few options. Currency and health are also scattered around each map, incentivizing your exploration.

There’s a system in the game where you’re given a Rival Spy to compete against. This Rival Spy is actually another player’s high score on a level. If you manage to top the score, which is a result of your speed and stealth (combos come from knocking out enemies silently), you will then be tasked with finding a downed agent on the next level which results in huge reward. This system is the only form of online interaction CounterSpy has, and it serves its purpose. It would have been great to see some form of co-op—Sega Genesis’ Bonanza, anyone?—, but what’s here will last you around three to four hours, maybe a little more if you feel compelled to explore bonuses and go for high scores.

The visual style is very reminiscent of Team Fortress 2 with stylized, cartoon-like visuals that are pleasant. The soundtrack is soft spoken, staying within the game’s stealth espionage theme. The presentation is clean with highly functional menus, making it a well polished experience.

CounterSpy is a novel interpretation of the stealth action genre. It has a unique identity, merging 2D side-scrolling and third-person shooter mechanics with moderate success. It stumbles in level design, and at times lends itself to a frustrating experience, but its polish and unique challenges make it stand out from the many other indie titles on the market.