If you’re developing a video game, and you’re looking for a hero, you can hardly go wrong with a good old-fashioned secret agent. For starters, it opens up a wide array of genres to play with: stealth, action, driving — you name it, it probably makes sense in a spy game. Plus, secret agents are just rad. And who wouldn’t want to play as someone rad? I know I sure would.
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Of course, when you start thinking about secret agents, as one is wont to do, you will inevitably think of 007 himself, James Bond. And His Majesty’s finest operative has certainly had more than his fair share of video games to star in. But, since I woke up today with the urge to talk about secret agents, we’re going to list ten great secret agent games… that don’t have James Bond in them. So, sit back and have yourself a shaken-not-stirred Martini, 007, and sit this one out.
Right quick — when we’re talking about “secret agents”, we’re discussing an individual who is tasked with a dangerous solo mission. That means they aren’t always automatically spies. Like, for example, in Secret Agent Barbie, starring Barbie as a secret agent. Which is a game I wanted to include, but I was informed I wasn’t allowed to. Sorry, Barbie.
10
kill.switch
The Original Cover Shooter
Every game mechanic has to get its start somewhere. 2003’s kill.switch didn’t invent the concept of a cover shooter — that distinction probably goes to WinBack: Covert Operations for the Nintendo 64. It did, however, introduce the concept of blind firing from cover, which has been pretty commonplace among cover shooters ever since. Cliff Bleszinski himself has credited kill.switch as the inspiration for its incorporation in Gears of War.
kill.switch puts players in the shoes of Bishop, an operative for an agency that one might describe as “shadowy.” He’s tasked with going into the strongholds of nefarious ne’er-do-wells and convincing them to give up their evil ways through the power of interpretive dance. Nah, I’m kidding — he shoots ’em with a gun. It also eventually turns out that he’s had a “Direct Neural Connection” in his brain, being controlled by that very shadowy agency. I tell you, you think you can trust a shadowy agency, and then they go and do something like that.
9
The Mafat Conspiracy
Duke Togo is Back, Baby! And He’s More Golgo-y Than Ever!
If you’re not familiar with Duke Togo — aka Golgo 13 — chances are you’re not from Japan. And that’s OK, lots of people aren’t. But our friends in the Land of the Rising Sun have been enjoying the adventures of this legendary sniper/secret agent since 1968. While those exploits are usually told through the mediums of either manga or anime, he’s also seen action via two games for the Nintendo Entertainment System, one of which got away with way more than it probably should have.
While Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode was an exceptional game for its time, it’s the follow-up, The Mafat Conspiracy, we’re talking about today. And that’s because, frankly, it’s a significantly better game. It not only looks and plays better, but the story is also way more engrossing. While I wouldn’t necessarily recommend playing Top Secret Episode today, I can attest that The Mafat Conspiracy still holds up.
8
Just Cause 2
Why Are We Including This Game? I Dunno. Just Cause, I Guess.
Sometimes, all a game needs is just a simple little addition to take it from a copycat to something amazing. When the original Just Cause was released in 2006, it immediately drew comparisons to Grand Theft Auto. It was an open world third-person action game with driving. Hell, it came out the same year as Saints Row. What was so special about it? The grappling hook, that’s what. Rico Rodriguez’s ability to fling himself around was just what the game needed to stand out.
Then, in 2010, Avalanche Studios gave Rico a glider/parachute in Just Cause 2, and took things to the next level. Now, our buddy, also known as “Scorcher”, could launch himself in the air, open his parachute, and mow down his enemies from the sky as he drifted to the ground. Add to that great controls, an absurdly large map, and an incredible physics engine, and Just Cause 2 goes from “clone” to “classic.”
7
Alpha Protocol
It’s a Spy RPG. A SpyPG? No, That Doesn’t Work…
Let’s face it. If any studio was going to make an RPG about a secret agent, it was going to be Obsidian Entertainment. And that’s exactly what they did back in 2010, when they teamed up with Sega to give us Alpha Protocol. Dubbed an “Espionage RPG,” it told the story of Michael Thorton, a new recruit for yet another shadowy agency, and how everything goes wrong on his very first mission.
Gameplay-wise, Alpha Protocol isn’t exactly what you’d call in-depth. Interestingly enough, the game I’d compare it most closely to is Mass Effect (another game where you kind of play as a secret agent). Not just in combat, but also in how you interact with different characters. There’s a dialogue wheel much like Bioware’s classic, and how you act in certain situations (what the developers called the “Three JBs” – James Bond, Jason Bourne, or Jack Bauer) determines how they react to you. It’s not perfect, but it’s fun, and worth checking out.
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6
Syphon Filter
They Were Clearly Just Picking Random Words At This Point
When a certain game featuring Stealth Espionage Action was released exclusively for the PlayStation in 1998 (hold your horses, we’re getting to it), Sony decided, “Hey, we can do that, too!” And wouldn’t you know it? They could do it, too! Enter Syphon Filter by Sony-owned 989 Studios, a game I’m honestly shocked there isn’t even rumored to have a new entry or a remake, much less one in production.
Gabe Logan works for a — you guessed it — shadowy spy agency imaginatively named The Agency. A terrorist group has unleashed a bioweapon called Syphon Filter, which insidiously targets specific ethnic groups. That got extremely dark really fast. Gabe will need all his training, cunning, and his weirdly overpowered taser gun in order to save the day.
5
The Operative: No One Lives Forever
Oh, Behave
So far, the titles on this list have had modern settings and, for the most part, take themselves fairly seriously. But, let’s not forget that James Bond himself was introduced back in the 1960s, and his films were so ridiculous that a whole cottage industry sprung up around making parodies of them. That’s the kind of vibe that The Operative: No One Lives Forever tried to capture. Well, I say “tried”, but that’s exactly what they did.
The change of pace begins with the game’s protagonist, Cate Archer. Think Emma Peel in The Avengers. No, not those Avengers, the one from England. Look, she’s a sassy British lady. She’s also one of gaming’s unsung heroes. Her character is just one of the many ways this game (and its sequel) capture that goofy 60s spirit in the same way the Austin Powers films did. And what’s a secret agent without gadgets? Not a good one, that’s for sure, which is why Cate has an arsenal of gear that would make Q himself jealous.
Unfortunately, the rights to the series are wrapped up in a situation that could only happen in the entertainment industry, making this one a bit difficult to play. But if you can, you should.
4
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
How Is Jeff Goldblum Not In This?
I’m not really privy to the history of the creation of Splinter Cell and the Sam Fisher character (I should really fix that). But, if you’re a game publisher that wants their own Metal Gear Solid and Solid Snake, you could do a lot worse than turning to Tom Clancy to do it. The original Splinter Cell was a revelation, taking a more tactical, realistic approach to the stealth genre. Its methodical approach also benefited greatly from the game’s amazing use of light and shadows, really taking advantage of the power of the original Xbox.
While its sequel, Pandora Tomorrow, was a definite improvement, Chaos Theory really took things to the next level. Not only did Sam need to use cover and shadows to stay hidden, he also needed to watch how much sound he was making. Not only did the newly implemented sound meter measure his noise, but also against background noise in the level, too. Throw in a new combat knife for melee combat, and you have one of the best secret agent games ever made.
3
Perfect Dark
Rare Certainly Had a Goldeneye For Details
It seems appropriate that one of the best non-James Bond secret agent games ever released was designed by the same studio that made one of the best James Bond games ever. GoldenEye 007 wasn’t just great, it was shockingly great. So, when word got out that Rare was making a similar game but with their own IP, to say people were interested is an understatement.
Perfect Dark didn’t stray too far from what made GoldenEye great. Smooth controls (well, as smooth as they got on the Nintendo 64, anyway) and addictive 4-player multiplayer were the order of the day, and it delivered. The story had more of a sci-fi slant and also didn’t take itself nearly as seriously as modern James Bond is wont to do. It also pushed the N64 to its technical limits, even requiring the infamous Expansion Pack to run. Nowadays, you can play the original multiple ways, all of which are recommended over playing its hot garbage prequel.
2
Hitman: World of Assassination
World of Assassination: Worst. Disney Park. Ever.
It feels like there have been more Hitman titles over the years than there are planets in No Man’s Sky. That’s (probably) not true, but there have been a lot. And while none of them are objectively bad, there’s really not a whole lot of reason to go back to them now that Hitman: World of Assassination exists. I mean, you can do what you want, I’m just saying this collection is amazing.
World of Assassination collects all three of the “modern” Hitman titles, starting with the self-titled 2016 release, and just makes it one big game. Everything that makes this series awesome is here: from the “clockwork” NPCs that follow a set schedule to the absurdly open-ended ways to complete your missions. And for anyone who wants to say that an assassin isn’t a “real” secret agent, well, first, you’re dumb. And, secondly, Bond was sent to assassinate people all the time. Hell, he had a license to kill. So, instead of arguing dumb things, just go play World of Assassination and leave me alone.
A Solid Way To End This List. OK, I’ll Stop Now.
Finally, we come to the inspiration for this list. Well, other than James Bond, of course. It’s fitting, though, as series creator and ageless boy genius Hideo Kojima has often listed the Bond franchise as one of his own inspirations for the game. I mean, you’ve heard the theme song to Snake Eater, right? Enough said.
Solid Snake himself has a lot of similarities to 007, aside from frequently being the “only one who can save the world.” He’s definitely a ladies man and has a dry sense of humor. He’s clearly a seasoned weapons expert and hand-to-hand fighter. On the other hand, I’m pretty sure Bond has never had to single-handedly fight a bipedal walking tank, much less multiple times.
All of the Metal Gear games would be a good fit for this list — well, all the ones that feature a character with “Snake” in their name, anyway — but it’s Solid that really captures the essence of an operative on his own. The game itself still holds up, though the controls are an adjustment for those who have gotten used to those from the later games.I don’t know if Metal Gear Solid is the best secret agent game, but it’s the most “secret agent” secret agent game and well worth playing today.
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