CounterSpy Reviews
CounterSpy was a game that caught many people's eye with it art style and Cold War setting, but it's great to see that it also has the gameplay to back it up. The mixture of side scrolling stealth with the cover-based 3D shooting is quite an ingenious one, but simple enough that when combined with the randomly generated levels, you can hop into the game for a few minutes and, ignoring a few flaws, find yourself staying for an hour.
Cold War-esque side-scroller CounterSpy has a great concept and a lot heart, and also a few issues worth noting.
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.
CounterSpy is a nicely designed and presented game with a lot of appeal. You'll have a lot of fun sneaking through these challenging military installations, and you'll appreciate the character customization and relative depth. It's clear the designers spent a great deal of time crafting a cohesive, highly enjoyable stealth/action game, and for the most part, they succeeded.
CounterSpy is an excellent addition to the PlayStation Network with enough style and unique gameplay mechanics to make it stand out from the pack of side-scrolling platforming/action titles. Those of us who are old enough to remember the Cold War will particularly appreciate the game's style and humor, but it's an entertaining title for anybody who likes some good old-fashioned stealth action. Its later levels can be a bit frustrating, but its espionage challenges are enough fun that you'll want to keep trying until you reach the final mission.
The Cold War goes hot in Sony's CounterSpy.
Counterspy is a fun, quick-paced side scroller that draws players in quick by promoting bite-sized gameplay and a high replay value.
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.
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.
CounterSpy is short, but its stylized presentation and alluring gameplay hooks make it too sweet to pass up.
CounterSpy is an interesting stealth-game, with a mix between 2D- and 3D-gameplay. The graphical style and music top this amazing, little game off.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
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.
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.
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.
CounterSpy could use more finesse with its controls, however: I had occasional inputs register incorrectly, which adds a frustrating layer of clumsiness. Luckily, it's not enough of an issue to take the shine off of this smart spy affair, which can pump some tense, tactical action into your day's more mundane moments.
Had it gone with a more crafted experience, zeroing in on a consistent tone and a series of clearly defined challenges, CounterSpy could have been more Three Days Of The Condor rather than This Means War. All it needed to do was remember the 7 Ps, one of the British military's enduring adages: Proper prior planning prevents piss poor performance.
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.