CounterSpy Reviews
CounterSpy has two faces. Its presentation, its look and sound, is a victory hard to ignore. But its interactivity is ugly enough to make for an unfortunate pairing when the balance is measured.
CounterSpy revels in the consistency of its chaos. When its directed assemblage of menacing systems are behaving with candid sincerity, CounterSpy is an exciting model of action and reaction. When its pieces collude together in a remorseless coincidence, CounterSpy feels like it's coming apart at the seams. Drawing inspiration from a satirical appreciation of the Cold War, it's fair for CounterSpy to teeter on the edge of principled oblivion. Finding value in its eccentricity, however, controls whether you can hang on or fall off.
If CounterSpy doesn't look like the kind of game you'd want to play, don't. Even for indie fanatics it's missable, though I doubt you'd want to give up the visuals or the procedurally generated levels.
Counterspy successfully gives you the feeling of being a powerful and deadly third wheel in a Spy vs. Spy game of one-upmanship. Moving to and removing your target of choice amounts to the most gratifying stealth since 2012's Mark of the Ninja. But the problems start flying as soon as the bullets do. Gunplay frequently feels more awkward than enjoyable, and you'll die more times from a cheaply laid out level than you will your own lack of skill.
CounterSpy does not last long enough, but the time you have with it is an absolute blast. The implementation of the DEFCON system and cover mechanics freshens up an increasingly bland genre, with the spot-on atmosphere and witty writing, feeling like icing on a delicious cake. Throughout CounterSpy's lifespan, you will die a whole lot, and with that comes frustration. But on the other end of that frustration is an immense feeling of satisfaction as you get one step closer to saving our precious little moon.
There's a lot to like about CounterSpy, but not enough to love. Its interesting polygonal graphics spawn original PlayStation-era nostalgia, but its archaic shooting mechanics feel just as dated.
CounterSpy is short, but its stylized presentation and alluring gameplay hooks make it too sweet to pass up.
Counterspy is all the best parts and all the worst parts of a great downloadable stealth game with delightful visuals. It's those worst parts of the stealth genre that keep me from recommending it wholeheartedly.
Save the Moon in Counterspy, a title created by a team of incredibly talented developers and creators from many different mediums. Experience Bond-esque style in a brand new way.
Impressive visuals and gameplay innovations for the stealth genre, Counter Spy is an impressive first offering from this new studio. While it's not perfect, and near broken in some cases, stealth fans who buy on PS4 or PS3 won't likely leave disappointed.
Cold War-esque side-scroller CounterSpy has a great concept and a lot heart, and also a few issues worth noting.
CounterSpy nails its style. The angular art, the tight animation. Even the 2.5D cover mechanic stuff, the over-the-shoulder shooting, looks cool. But there is a weird tonal inconsistency to the whole thing that leaves it feeling unfinished despite the polish. The absurdist premise meant to invoke Dr. Strangelove is half-heartedly written with laziness that pretends at deadpan while the stealth is undercut by the stitched-together rooms used instead of careful design.
CounterSpy goes heavy on style, by Dynamighty's bid for replayability fizzles around shallow shooting galleries.
If you enjoy classic cold war era spy action, Counterspy is oozing with style and integrity. The enemy AI is a little inconsistent and can cause frustration with the defcon system, and the game is maybe a bit too short, but these things don't bring down an otherwise great game.
I really enjoyed this game because it has a lot of historical commentary delivered with subtle humor, and the unique DEFCON system challenges you to be smart about how you complete each mission. Playing as a spy who doesn't align with either side and also questions the agency he works for makes for an engaging PSN title. CounterSpy touches on the gravity of the cold war while presenting it in a polished game that many will enjoy, if they choose to accept the mission.
Arguably a better fit for the Vita than the larger consoles, the cross-save function negates any need for favouritism and allows you to continue your fight against tyranny wherever you are. Humorous and well-designed, Counterspy is certainly worth investigating if you like your espionage in short, fast-paced chunks.
While CounterSpy is an excellent game in theory, it simply falls short. Featuring some cool ideas, it is a rather quick indie stealth game that doesn't live up to expectations.
CounterSpy is a stylish game with wonderful art direction and a humorous tone - it's just let down by a few sneaking flaws.
Despite its seemingly vanilla exterior, CounterSpy is a remarkably ambitious title. It makes an admirable attempt at creating a new kind of 2D stealth game, but unfortunately the results just aren't particularly compelling. While its presentation is dapper and divine, its gameplay is clunky, and the whole experience gets tiresome very quickly.
CounterSpy doesn't really develop beyond its opening concepts. It's fun to play the spy game for a while, but it quickly falls victim to tedium and repetition, with an unrewarding ending that comes off as a smoldering dud.