SPY×ANYA: Operation Memories Review Summary

Enjoyable, relaxing experience: The game is described as a generally enjoyable and relaxing experience. It's considered cute, comfy, and charming, making it suitable for casual gamers, fans of the series, and those seeking a wholesome and stress-free experience.

Relaxing, fun mini-games: The game is praised for its relaxing and enjoyable mini-games, which are considered a highlight. These mini-games offer a refreshing break from the main gameplay and contribute to the game's overall charm and casual fun, making it suitable for unwinding.

Authentic anime recreation: The game authentically recreates the Spy x Family anime experience. It features faithful character models, animations, iconic locations, and the original Japanese voice actors, capturing the art style and humor of the series.

Forger family customization: Players enjoy interacting with and customizing the Forger family. This includes dressing them in various outfits and participating in family outings, enhancing the game's appeal and providing a cozy experience.

Anya's character is enjoyable: Anya's character is a major draw, with her actions, expressions, and dialogue being a source of enjoyment for players. Her presence and interactions are considered a highlight of the game.

Overpriced for content: Many reviewers feel the game's content doesn't justify its price, citing repetitiveness, lack of depth, and shallow gameplay. Some suggest waiting for a sale. This point is consistently raised across many reviews.

Poor PC control scheme: The PC port suffers from poor keyboard and mouse controls, unintuitive button mappings, and unreliable controller support. Reviewers describe the controls as clunky, bizarre, and 'Japanese backwards'. This makes the game difficult to play without significant configuration or a gamepad.

Various bugs and glitches: Several reviewers have reported bugs, including audio glitches, achievement issues, and loading problems. Some bugs, like the persistent sound effect from investigating artifacts, are particularly disruptive.

Repetitive, shallow gameplay: Reviewers find the core gameplay loop and mini-games repetitive and shallow, with limited rewards and unengaging mechanics. The game quickly becomes tedious due to the school-home routine and reliance on simple mini-games.

Lacks originality, simple plot: The game's story and dialogue adhere too closely to the source material, lacking new scenes and feeling unnecessary. The plot is simple and linear, and the game assumes familiarity with the series.

Varied and referential mini-games: The game features a collection of mini-games, some of which are based on events and set-pieces from the Spy x Family series, and others are inspired by other games. These minigames provide a break from the main photography gameplay and offer a variety of challenges.

Simple controls, requires skill: While the game's controls are simple, mastering them and taking good photos requires effort and skill, adding a layer of challenge for players who want to excel.

Repetitive screenshot gameplay: The main content revolves around taking screenshots, and the gameplay loop can become repetitive, which may not appeal to all players.

Item purchases gate actions: Some actions in the game require purchasing specific items from an in-game stand, which may limit player choices and progression if they don't have enough currency.

Fully voice acted: The game features full voice acting by the original cast, which enhances the authenticity and immersion for fans of the series.

Technical issues and long loading: The game suffers from technical issues including screen tearing, stuttering, FPS drops, and sound glitches. Long and frequent loading screens disrupt gameplay flow, especially towards the end of the game. Some users have found workarounds for some of these issues.

Good performance, optimized for Switch/SteamDeck: The game's performance is generally good, likely due to its origins as a Nintendo Switch title developed in Unity. Specifically, the game runs well on Steam Deck, even at maximum settings, suggesting good optimization for that platform.

Good for Spy x Family fans: The game is primarily recommended for existing fans of the Spy x Family anime/manga. Reviews suggest newcomers should watch the anime first. Fans of the series will likely enjoy the game's cute and wholesome nature, especially if they enjoy relaxing gameplay.

Wait for a sale: Many reviewers feel the game is overpriced for the content offered. They recommend waiting for a significant sale before purchasing. Some reviewers specifically mention the PC port having issues.

Digital Deluxe Edition is optional: The Digital Deluxe Edition is considered worth it for the guaranteed skins, but DLC is not necessary to purchase.

Unclear or subjective points: These points are too vague or subjective to be useful. They include emotional language without specific details, and do not provide actionable feedback.

Controller is recommended: Using a controller is recommended for a better gaming experience, especially in rhythm-based games, due to the improved feedback from the joystick and buttons.

Requires anime/manga familiarity: The game assumes prior knowledge of the SPY x FAMILY series, as it doesn't fully explain the story or characters. Players unfamiliar with the anime may find it difficult to follow the narrative due to the abundance of text and assumed context.

Anya's traits are downplayed: Some of Anya's signature traits and mannerisms are simplified or downplayed to cater to a younger audience. This adaptation choice may affect the authenticity of the character for some viewers.

Toned down for wider audience: To maintain an 'E for Everyone' rating, the game tones down the more intense elements present in the anime, such as scenes involving blood and death. This may result in a less faithful adaptation for some fans.

Completion requires extensive effort: Full completion requires finishing the game, collecting all photos in the diary, and exhausting all main character dialogues. This completionist approach may appeal to dedicated fans but could feel tedious for casual players.