Info about Spy Drops:

Official game description:
  
Experience PS generation, low-polygon, 3D stealth action updated with modern effects such as lighting and shadows, randomly generated levels, modern equipment, and head-to-head local multiplayer.  
An eco-terrorist organisation is threatening to plunge the world into digital darkness, wiping out all digital records and sending the world back to the stone age. As a member of the counter terrorist Spy Drops team you are tasked with neutralizing the threat, but soon begin to question the mission objectives and uncover a deeper conspiracy.  
Dropped behind enemy lines, your covert ops are to infiltrate infrastructure and undertake secret ops that includes gathering intel, installing spy devices and rescuing prisoners.  
Mission layouts are randomly generated producing a tense gameplay experience as you never know what is around the next corner. Everyone's game will be different.  
Explore enemy bases room-by-room, choosing how to tackle each one. You can dodge, hack or shot cameras, knock out or kill guards, stick to the mission objective or explore further. Scout the area first with a drone, hide in lockers, or even use sponge boots to move around quieter. Stealth is always rewarded and you will earn more experience for not killing and remaining undetected.  
You select what equipment to take on each mission, choosing from a range of items and weapons such as drones, hacking devices, night vision googles, sniper rifles, taser guns, mine detectors and many more. New equipment is researched and added as the game progresses.  
Accumulate Target Points by extracting intel from unconscious guards using the Dream Catcher. You cannot extract any intel from dead bodies so always avoid killing when possible.  
Gain experience to level up your stats including health, stamina, aiming accuracy and luck.  
Go up against a friend in local head-to-head multiplayer!  
*   Nostalgic, low-polygon, 3D stealth action.  
*   Randomised mission layouts, enemies and items.  
*   Modern effects including real time lighting and shadows, changing times of day and varying weather conditions.  
*   Choose what equipment to take and how to tackle each mission.  
*   Tense stealth action with enemies that can see your shadow and hear your footsteps.  
*   Original character designs by acclaimed Japanese studio ArtePiazza.  
*   An intriguing story of cyber terrorism set in modern-day, exploring the challenges of the world adapting to new resources and technologies including AI.  
*   Go up against a friend in local head-to-head multiplayer with Spy Against Spy!  
*   Three distinctively different environments: Military base, jungle and desert, each with different areas, obstacles and challenges.  
*   Elaborate boss fights!

Release date: Jul 30, 2025

Categories: Stealth Gameplay, Procedural Generation, Roguelike, Top-Down Perspective, Single-player Story, Local Multiplayer, Retro Aesthetics


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $10.00 - $15.00
  - Reasoning: The reviews consistently indicate the game is overpriced at its current full price, with multiple users suggesting waiting for a sale or expressing that it is not worth the asking price. This implies the community considers a fair price to be significantly lower than the launch price, likely in the range of typical discounted indie shooters. The evidence points to a price that reflects the game's unfinished state and limited content, suggesting a range around $10-$15 USD.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides individual playtime reports (20 minutes, 3 hours, 2.5 hours, 1 hour) but none specify total hours to complete the game, story completion time, typical session length, or endgame progression. The Japanese review mentions clearing the story mode but does not give a duration. Therefore, all playtime metrics are unsupported and set to null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game has a steep learning curve and clunky controls, but players who persist find the mechanics become more readable and enjoyable after several hours, though some report repetitive content later.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: After several hours of play
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: clunky controls; tutorial instructions not working; janky enemy interactions; painful camera controls; steep learning curve
  - Unlock drivers: mechanics become more readable with time; time and practice
  - Conditions: willingness to push past initial friction; retro game enthusiast; patience with clunky controls; time investment of several hours; tolerance for repetitive missions
- Player Archetypes:
  - Retro Stealth Purist (buy)
    - Motivation: Reliving the classic MGS/Splinter Cell stealth experience and enjoying a faithful homage to that era.
    - Playstyle: Embraces retro controls, uses classic stealth tactics (crawling, hiding, non-lethal takedowns), and adjusts camera settings to suit their preference.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: hardcore MGS fan; retro game enthusiast
    - Reference games: Metal Gear Solid; Splinter Cell; Pandora Tomorrow; Peace Walker
  - Quality-Conscious Critic (no buy)
    - Motivation: Seeking a polished, complete stealth game; frustrated by unfinished mechanics and technical flaws.
    - Playstyle: Attempts to engage with the game but is repeatedly pulled out by clunky controls, camera issues, and AI inconsistencies; may force themselves to play out of hope.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Metal Gear Solid


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Voice acting improved with humans (weight 0.34): The replacement of AI voice acting with recordings from real human actors is a significant improvement. Players praise the voice acting for sounding natural and not AI-generated.
- Good concept and cool ideas (weight 0.29): The game concept is good, with a lot of cool ideas and style. It has a good base and potential, and the premise and setting are well-received.
- Great stealth game with Metal Gear style (weight 0.28): The game is a cool Metal Gear style stealth game, described as a fantastic roguelike spin on Metal Gear Solid. It evokes nostalgia for MGS1 and Syphon Filter.
- Superb art style and graphics (weight 0.28): The game looks great with superb art design and an incredibly charming art style. The low-polygon PS1-era aesthetic with modern lighting creates a moody atmosphere.
- Updates improve the game (weight 0.27): Updates are gradually making the game more fun and enjoyable, with the game in a much better and more playable state than before. The developer is active in supporting the game post-launch.
- Variety in gadgets and tools (weight 0.27): Objectives and gadgets are varied enough, with multiple ways to approach objectives. The game offers a wide variety of tools and gear, and lots of different items to use in missions.
- Game is fun and charming (weight 0.26): Players consistently describe the game as fun, charming, and enjoyable, with simple yet engaging gameplay. The game has potential and is a lot of fun to play.
- Controls are fine and comfortable (weight 0.25): Controls are generally considered fine, comfortable, and not as bad as some reviews suggest. They are responsive and easy to understand, similar to Metal Gear.
- Good music and atmosphere (weight 0.24): Music is good, with a very good OST and spine-tingling intense music. The atmosphere is spot on, with well-composed Alert and Caution phase themes.
- Random missions with OSP items are solid (weight 0.18): The idea of randomly generated missions with prebought and OSP items is solid, providing replayability. Procedural generation creates genuine tension.
- Solid and enjoyable gameplay loop (weight 0.17): The core gameplay loop is solid, simple, and enjoyable, providing a good foundation for the stealth experience. It is a good ode to the early PlayStation era.
- Good story and progression (weight 0.15): The story is cheesy but good enough to encourage gameplay, and the game has a story that tries to get you invested. Progression with EXP and weapon/support equipment balances rewarding persistence and maintaining tension.
- Not bad as standalone game (weight 0.14): As a standalone game, it's not bad, and it is a good first playground for stealth. It is a charming effort and fun as a retro-style game.
- Good mission variety and objectives (weight 0.13): Missions offer enough variety with different objectives and locations, keeping the gameplay fresh. The variety in missions is a positive aspect highlighted by players.
- Charming despite jankiness (weight 0.12): The game is janky and dated in exactly the ways it should be, but it has charm once you get past the jank. Gameplay is janky but pretty cool when it does work.
- Fun when it works (weight 0.11): The game is fun when it works, and becomes fun after getting used to the controls and camera. It is enjoyable after getting used to the controls.
- Orbital camera is a nice change (weight 0.08): The game looks great with the new orbital cam, and the orbital camera is a nice change. It improves the visual experience.
- Occasionally fascinating moments (weight 0.08): The game occasionally shows something fascinating that makes you wish the game was good, and throws novel things your way. These moments are memorable.

Common complaints:
- Controls are clunky and unintuitive (weight 0.37): Players consistently report that the controls feel fiddly, clunky, and counter-intuitive, with some saying they are incomprehensible and cannot be changed. This is the most frequently mentioned issue, affecting a large portion of the player base.
- Camera controls are painful (weight 0.28): The camera is described as painful, janky, and even nausea-inducing, with poor responsiveness and awkward behavior. This significantly hampers gameplay and contributes to a frustrating experience.
- AI voice acting is poor (weight 0.27): The AI-generated voice acting is widely criticized as sounding artificial, flat, and hard to listen to, with some calling it awful and obvious. This detracts from the game's immersion and overall quality.
- Game feels unfinished and rough (weight 0.2): Many players feel the game is in an alpha state, lacking polish and refinement, with janky mechanics and a general sense of incompleteness. This is a common theme across multiple clusters, indicating a widespread perception of low quality.
- Enemy AI is weak (weight 0.16): Enemy AI is described as terrible, with limited field of vision and easily giving up chase, and guards not reacting to knocked-out bodies. This undermines the stealth gameplay and challenge.
- Game is worse than MGS (weight 0.14): Players compare the game unfavorably to the Metal Gear Solid series, stating that the gameplay and quality do not come close to MGS1. This is a significant criticism for fans of the genre.
- Missions feel repetitive and samey (weight 0.13): Players note that missions, even with different objectives, feel nearly identical and procedurally generated content can become monotonous. This reduces long-term engagement and replayability.
- Music is repetitive (weight 0.08): The music, especially sneaking music, is criticized for being repetitive, with the same short loop playing over and over. This adds to the overall lack of polish and immersion.
- Game has some bugs (weight 0.08): Players report that the game still has some bugs, though not as severe as the camera glitches. This contributes to the overall rough feel of the game.

Gameplay feedback:
- Stealth action game (weight 0.66): The game is primarily a stealth action game, often compared to Metal Gear Solid, with top-down gameplay and stealth mechanics.
- Procedurally generated missions (weight 0.49): Missions are procedurally generated with random maps, enemy configurations, and objectives, providing replayability but also unpredictability.
- Top-down camera perspective (weight 0.44): The game uses a top-down camera as the primary view, with an optional orbital camera and a first-person mode for observation only.
- MGS1-inspired gameplay (weight 0.36): The game heavily draws inspiration from Metal Gear Solid 1, featuring top-down stealth, codec UI, and similar mechanics, aiming to be a spiritual successor.
- Roguelike elements (weight 0.32): The game incorporates roguelike features such as procedural generation, permadeath-like progression, and resource management, blending with stealth gameplay.
- Mission-based structure (weight 0.31): The game is structured around missions, including story missions, side missions, and boss fights, with a contract-based selection system.
- Weapon and item loadouts (weight 0.29): Players can customize loadouts with weapons and items before missions, including drones, gas masks, and hacking devices, affecting approach.
- Stealth mechanics variety (weight 0.26): Players can use various stealth mechanics like crawling under tripwires, corner takedowns, hiding bodies, and using disguises to avoid detection.
- Boss fights (weight 0.22): The game includes boss fights, with the first boss fight being fun, but later maps may have difficulty spikes.
- Progression and upgrades (weight 0.2): Players can level up skills, upgrade stats like health and stamina, and research new equipment, adding RPG elements to the stealth gameplay.
- First-person observation mode (weight 0.17): A first-person view is available for observation, allowing players to use items like telescopes, but movement is limited to walking.
- Interrogation and intel (weight 0.16): Players can interrogate enemies and use items like the Dreamcatcher to gather intel, but interrogation may not provide useful information.
- Non-lethal encouraged (weight 0.15): The game promotes non-lethal play through rewards and penalties, such as reduced mission rewards for kills, and encourages knocking out enemies.
- Retro graphics and style (weight 0.14): The game features low-poly PS1-era graphics, pixel art, and a codec UI, evoking nostalgia for early PlayStation games.
- Local multiplayer mode (weight 0.11): There is a local competitive mode, such as Spy v Spy, but it is limited to local play, not online.

Performance notes:
- Game performance is smooth (weight 0.05): Players report that the game runs well, indicating stable frame rates and overall good technical performance.
- Steam Deck font too small (weight 0.05): The font size is too small on Steam Deck even when set to maximum, making text difficult to read on the handheld device.

Recommendations:
- Appeals to MGS1 fans (weight 0.2): The game is recommended for players seeking an MGS1 experience, with its old-school aesthetics and style resonating with fans of the original. This is a recurring theme across multiple clusters.
- Not recommended in current state (weight 0.2): Several reviewers cannot recommend the game as it is now, citing that it needs more development time or is difficult to recommend. This suggests the game may feel unfinished or lacking polish.
- Controller recommended over keyboard (weight 0.16): Multiple reviewers suggest using a controller for a better experience, as keyboard and mouse controls may be less comfortable. This advice appears in several clusters, indicating a common sentiment.
- Recommended for stealth-action enthusiasts (weight 0.16): Fans of stealth-action games may find the game worth trying, as it offers a retro take on the genre. Several clusters highlight this recommendation, though some note it may not suit beginners.
- Consider buying on sale (weight 0.15): Some reviewers suggest picking up the game on sale, indicating that the current price may not be justified. This is a common recommendation for games with mixed reception.
- Suitable for retro enthusiasts (weight 0.08): Retro game enthusiasts who appreciate old-school style may find the game appealing, as it evokes a classic era. This recommendation is for a specific audience.
- Enjoyable as roguelike MGS retro (weight 0.05): Players who like the idea of a roguelike MGS retro type game will enjoy it, as it combines familiar elements with a unique twist. This niche appeal is highlighted in one cluster.
- Supportive of developer effort (weight 0.05): One reviewer encourages supporting the game and developers to keep trying, acknowledging the effort behind the project. This positive sentiment is isolated but noteworthy.
- Recommended for low-poly fans (weight 0.05): Fans of low-poly graphics may appreciate the game's visual style, which evokes a retro aesthetic. This recommendation is specific to a particular audience.
- Disable VHS filter for comfort (weight 0.05): One reviewer recommends disabling the VHS filter and adjusting the camera if feeling dizzy, suggesting the visual effects may cause discomfort. This is a practical tip for players.
- Recommended for Signalis fans (weight 0.05): Fans of Signalis may enjoy this game, as it shares similar retro and atmospheric qualities. This cross-reference is a niche recommendation.

Other player notes:
- Frequent Metal Gear Solid comparisons (weight 0.75): Many reviewers compare the game to Metal Gear Solid, often unfavorably, noting it falls short of the classic's gameplay and design. Some acknowledge it as a homage or spiritual successor, but most feel it doesn't meet the high bar set by MGS.
- Active post-launch support (weight 0.41): Reviewers note the developer is actively improving the game with updates, responding to feedback, and fixing bugs. This ongoing support is seen as a positive sign, with specific patches and improvements mentioned.
- AI voice acting controversy (weight 0.35): The game initially used AI voice acting, which sparked controversy and negative reviews. The developer later replaced the AI voices with human actors, resolving the issue, though some reviewers still noted the initial problem.
- PS1-era retro aesthetic (weight 0.21): The game features a low-polygon, PS1-era visual style that many reviewers appreciate as a deliberate throwback to classic stealth games. This aesthetic is a key part of its identity and appeal.
- Good value for price (weight 0.18): Several reviewers feel the game is reasonably priced for its content, with some noting it's a good deal at $8-$15. However, one reviewer felt the price was too high for the quality.
- Multiplayer and modes (weight 0.16): The game features multiplayer options, including a PvP mode and a local-only Spy v Spy mode. Split screen is still available, and a standalone mission mode was added in an update.
- Single developer project (weight 0.14): The game is developed by a single person or small team, which reviewers often mention to contextualize its scope and limitations. This is seen as both a constraint and a point of admiration.
- Potential and promise (weight 0.11): Many reviewers see potential in the game, describing it as a promising first draft with lots of room to grow. They hope future updates will refine the experience.
- Randomized mission generation (weight 0.11): The game includes randomly generated locations and missions for replayability, though some reviewers note these can feel assembled from blocks. Story missions are hand-designed, offering a more curated experience.
- Localization issues (weight 0.1): Some reviewers noted localization problems, such as claiming traditional Chinese support but only offering simplified Chinese. Others suggested adding Turkish language support, while Spanish translation is available.
- Suggested improvements (weight 0.1): Reviewers suggest adding a third-person shooter mode, pixel reduction options like in R.E.P.O, and a disclaimer about AI use. These are seen as potential enhancements to improve the game.
- Early access feel (weight 0.09): Some reviewers feel the game plays like an early access title despite being fully released, citing rough edges and incomplete features. This is a common criticism among those who expected a more polished experience.
- Release year and platform (weight 0.08): The game was released in 2025 and is available on platforms like the Playstation. This basic information is mentioned in some reviews.
- Nostalgia purchase (weight 0.07): Some players bought the game for nostalgia, drawn by its Metal Gear Solid inspiration and retro style. This emotional connection drives initial interest.
- Unique in its niche (weight 0.04): One reviewer notes there is no similar project to this game, highlighting its unique position in the market. This could be a selling point for fans of the genre.
- Demo available (weight 0.04): A demo is mentioned, allowing players to try the game before purchasing. This is a positive feature for potential buyers.
- Hope for future entries (weight 0.04): One reviewer hopes for a new entry after GAIDEN, indicating interest in the franchise's future. This suggests the game has built a following.
- Voice muting option (weight 0.04): Voices can be muted, but this is not seen as an ideal solution to the AI voice issue. It's a workaround rather than a fix.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.26): The dominant frustration stems from clunky, unintuitive controls and a problematic camera that makes combat and stealth feel janky and disorienting. Players also cite boring grind for story missions, inconsistent AI detection, and various bugs that break missions or stealth attempts, all contributing to an unrefined experience.
- Disappointment (weight 0.25): Players expected a Metal Gear Solid-like experience but found the game half-baked, with poor story, AI voice acting, and fundamental gameplay flaws. The game feels unfinished and abandoned, with bugs and lack of polish preventing it from living up to its potential or the quality of the classic MGS titles.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.13): Despite its flaws, players find the game fun when it works, enjoying the simple yet engaging gameplay loop, variety of equipment, and procedural levels. The art design, atmosphere, and nostalgic charm also contribute to a satisfying experience, especially after adapting to the controls.
- Hope (weight 0.06): Players see potential in the game and are encouraged by ongoing updates and the developer's active work on improvements. They hope future patches will fix controls, camera, and other jank issues, and add more features, making the game more enjoyable over time.
- Appreciation (weight 0.04): Players appreciate the game's graphical style, music, and atmosphere, as well as the effort from a small indie studio or solo developer. The Spanish translation and improvements like real voice acting in patch 1.1.1 are also positively received.
- Excitement (weight 0.03): The game occasionally delivers moments that excite players, and the fun gameplay loop with new weapons and items keeps them engaged. Players are also looking forward to the studio's future projects.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.03): Players feel satisfied when infiltration plans go smoothly and when the game delivers what they wanted. The game's current state is seen as much better and more playable, even surpassing older games in some aspects.
- Approval (weight 0.02): The game is praised as a standard for indie games, and the replacement of AI voices with real voice acting is seen as a huge improvement. The intentional jank is also appreciated by some players.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): The game becomes repetitive and monotonous over time, with mini-missions lacking connection to story progression, leading to boredom.
- Amusement (weight 0.01): Players find the cutscene animations hilarious and enjoy watching enemies get confused by doorways, providing moments of levity.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Players are confused about what to do after knocking out a soldier and taking their uniform, and some cannot start the game due to lack of keyboard support.
- Regret (weight 0.01): Players regret the purchase due to the high price relative to the game's quality and the presence of too many bugs, despite initial interest.
- Anger (weight 0.01): Players are angered by the developer's dismissal of rational criticism and the lazy story handling with AI voices.
- Discomfort (weight 0.01): The top-down camera view is uncomfortable and hard to get used to, causing discomfort during play.
- Annoyance (weight 0.01): The dialogue voice tone problem disrupts the experience, and the camera is a constant source of annoyance.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Players are surprised that enemies react to your shadow in a small game, a detail that stands out positively.
- Suspense (weight 0.01): Procedural generation creates genuine tension, keeping players on edge during missions.
- Difficulty (weight 0.01): Playing with a keyboard is somewhat difficult, adding to the game's challenge.
- Disgust (weight 0.01): Players are disgusted by the game's incomprehensible controls and visible code in the text, feeling it is poorly made.
- Respect (weight 0.01): Players respect the developer's commitment to paying homage to classic stealth games.}