Do you wish that you were a spy? And no, we’re not talking about the near-superhero qualities of the indestructible trigger-happy madman known by the agent number 007. We’re talking real spies: social sleuths that are so cunning with their skills that they wear fake identities like a skin suit. In SpyParty, you’ll be using your conversational wits to create an international mission while not being caught.
Do you wish that you were a spy? And no, we’re not talking about the near-superhero qualities of the indestructible trigger-happy madman known by the agent number 007. We’re talking real spies: social sleuths that are so cunning with their skills that they wear fake identities like a skin suit. In SpyParty, you’ll be using your conversational wits to create an international mission while not being caught.
And if you don’t like the idea of winning a battle with a conversation, you can always be the guy that tries to shoot that guy in the head.
SpyParty is an indie game by Chris Hecker, an ex-employee for Maxis and GDC panelist who worked considerably on Spore before moving on to this new project. While SpyParty has been in same form of development for the better part of at least three years, its appearance at this year’s PAX Prime in Seattle means we’re ever closer to this party’s much-anticipated RSVP date.
While the game still has a plethora of modes, concepts, and an entirely new visual style to implement, the game’s early product was still plenty of fun on the show floor. In the game’s main mode, a single spy and sniper are pitted against each other in intellectual combat. It’s the spy’s duty to complete predestinated missions, such as switching statues and contacting double agents, all while disguising themselves as a normal partygoer amongst a field of NPCs.
As the sniper, you have full view of the party through outside window’s, and it’s up to you to rotate your view and uncover who the single human member is at the party. You’ll be eliminating or suspecting potential partygoers in Guess Who? style. You have just a single bullet, and your rifle’s laser sight allows the spy to see where you’re looking most of the time. With your single shot, it’s your job to eliminate the spy before they succeed in their missions.
While SpyParty definitely has some time before it sees the light of day, the concept of a socially based intellectual multiplayer game is a rare subject material that is not often explored, and we love it. Players interested in trickling into the game’s popular Beta program can drop the game’s $15 cost in advance, allowing you an early access to the party games before everyone else, as well as a complete copy of the game when it ships. Just like the sniper with a single shot has to search carefully through a pile of samey computer characters, this is one indie game worth looking out for.
