Spyfag Recommendations

[Darkozric]

I literally just finished NOLF 1 and 2. Playing Contract JACK right now.

Is contract JACK good so far? They say is worst than NOLF 1-2.

 

[Tweed]

I literally just finished NOLF 1 and 2. Playing Contract JACK right now.

Is contract JACK good so far? They say is worst than NOLF 1-2.

I just started. It's a lot more like a regular FPS, they took out a lot of the spy elements like searching for stuff and they removed the stat system from NOLF 2. The opening levels are just straight up combat.

 

[Tweed]

And uhh finished, that was really short. It's a straight up FPS with long gauntlets of endless shooting. If you like the NOLF universe then it's probably worth playing, I'd recommend just setting the difficulty to easy and plowing through it.

 

[mck]

Covert Ops: Nuclear Dawn

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

I literally just finished NOLF 1 and 2. Playing Contract JACK right now.

Is contract JACK good so far? They say is worst than NOLF 1-2.

JACK is pure decline. You can safely skip it.

 

[Tweed]

I literally just finished NOLF 1 and 2. Playing Contract JACK right now.

Is contract JACK good so far? They say is worst than NOLF 1-2.

JACK is pure decline. You can safely skip it.

Has some decent music in it like the others though:

Like I said, if you like the NOLF universe and don't wanna let it go yet then just play on easy and blast your way through, has an amusing ending for people who played NOLF 2. Otherwise skip it, it's underwhelming.

 

[Tweed]

Another game you might be interested in is Hacker. Not exactly standard spy stuff, but still involves espionage and world saving.

 

[Morpheus Kitami]

Midwinter II: Flames of Freedom (1991)

...Really? I'm surprised you would recommend this when you're crapping on Alpha Protocol, because back when I played it, Midwinter II's spy setting seemed like window dressing to jumping from helicopter to helicopter engaged in such frantic combat that I completely forgot it was supposed to be about stealth.

 

[Alienman]

Chameleon / Kameleon
https://www.moddb.com/mods/chameleon-english-translation
from people who made Mafia, Vietcong and other gems.

Gorky17 spin-offs "Gorky Zero: Beyond Honor" and "Soldier Elite: Zero Hour"

Ah, right, this one. Remember asking about on Codex before, but never got to try it, until now. I found an install with English and everything. No screwing around with mods.

You can find it here: https://www.myabandonware.com/game/chameleon-g6e#download

Just get the Custom installer by Elemhunter. Easy install, with working English text and voice acting.

Been playing it for an hour or two. I love the engine, since it's the same engine as Hidden and Dangerous 2. It just has this gritty realism feeling to it. The atmosphere in the game is nice, very spy-like, but man, the combat is brutal, typically old skool PC unforgiving. Unfortunately, it's the worst kind of hard since the game is extremely linear, at least in the beginning. There is only one way to do things, the stealthing for an example - if you don't do exactly what the game want to you do the game it is impossible hard. Lots of trail and error.

Still, fun to play a long-lost game like this.

Edit.

Almost forgot. There is this game too: In Cold Blood.
Supposed to be very cloak and dagger, cold war stuff. But not played it myself yet.

 

[Harthwain]

Alpha Protocol claims to be an "espionage RPG", but it contains little espionage and only a few RPG elements.

It's espionage in theme mostly.

I could recommend Phantom Doctrine.

- It's a game about espionage set in a Cold War period, offering a number of different mechanics spread throught the game (the Investigation Board, actions on the World Map, Tactical Missions with both stealth and combat, base management, including MKUltra options for captured enemy agents, Sleepers and Moles).

- The combat system very similar to that of Hard West, although with some differences and additions (such as Overwatch and Breach features).

- Tactical missions can be completed entirely in stealth. You have the ability to use disguises, the off-map support (such as spotters, snipers, grenade launchers, etc.) and a wide variety of short, medium and long range weapons, attachments and personal body armor, with their own pros and cons.

- Visually the game looks decent, with some really good environmental effects (such as rain or sandstorms).

- Agents with unknown perks can be Sleepers or Moles, or can become ones if you leave them behind during a mission. With MKUltra facility it's possible to return the favor and do many interesting things to captured enemy agents.

- Items are consumables but refresh after a mission, which is nice as you aren't discouraged from using them.

- Once stealth is broken and combat ensues enemy reinforcements start pouring in, including air support, which is a good way of telling a player that it's a good time to start running away.

I liked it overall. However, be warned that a plenty of people didn't. It's very "hit or miss" kind of game.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Too bad there are more games about infiltration than there are about espionage.

 

[luj1]

MG games always strike me as a chaotic mess. But since GOG brought some, perhaps I'm gonna try a few of them at some point in the future. From what I've seen, I like the tone of MGS 2 Substance mostly. MG acid for PPSSPP is also in my list to play, hope it's good.

yeah I liked MGS 2 the best

 

[Darkozric]

Thread resurrection for the Alpha Protocol gog release, time to celebrate on the high seas.

 

[911 Jumper]

 

[ind33d]

Splinter Cell: Blacklist is the best espionage game ever made in Canada

 

[Ash]

That game is popamole, like every Canadian game.

My recommendations for spy-themed games:

Deus Ex (The GOAT)
James Bond 007 (Original Black & White gameboy game. Legitimately good, the best James Bond game of the many out there. Believe me, I possibly played them all lol)
Metal Gear Solid 3 (This heavily jerks off spy themes. Is a fairly good game when the cutscenes finally end. Also, is better than MGS2)
Syphon Filter 1 & 2 (console Deus Ex thematically/at a glace - gov. conspiracies, terrorism, action-stealth hybridism. Just an action game though. It's pretty good for what it is)
Destroy All Humans 2 (Cold War Espionage themes alongside parody of numerous other 1960s cultures and media. Game is fairly decent)
Return To Castle Wolfenstein (WW2-era. Not so heavy on the spy theme, but it's certainly there. One of the better of the shitty 2000s era shooters).
Hitman: Blood Money (A hitman is just a "spy" employed by someone other than the government. Fairly good game, kinda).

I'd say none of these are must-play except Deus Ex.
Excluded is a bunch of mediocre Spy games like Nu Deus Ex, all the other James Bond games that isn't the gangsta gameboy game, Alpha Protocol is shit, Perfect Dark meh. Bunch of stuff I am forgetting I'm sure.
I never gave the early splinter cell games much a chance. Seemed pretty boring, but ultimately I can't pass judgement on them without more hands-on time.

 

[udm]

Talking about spies, anyone remember SpyDNA? I'm still butthurt that it's in development hell. It was is one of my most anticipated games.