About a month ago, developer Sweet Bandits Studio showed the gameplay of the multiplayer spy battle game Deceive Inc. and it was here that the game first caught my eye for its gentle spy versus spy-like gameplay. It seems to offer something that hasn’t really been addressed in the gaming market for a long time. Jumping to today, I was fortunate enough to be able to check out the game and experience how its multiplayer system works.
For those unaware, Deceive Inc. is a strictly multiplayer game where spies (or teams of spies) have to secure and extract from a location with an objective (a golden briefcase). The thing is, every spy in the lobby is after the same goals, which means you get a veritable tug-of-war strategy where each hopes to trick the other by exploiting the other’s progress and using traps and abilities. It’s a free-to-play style of play where players must keep their eyes peeled at all times, as civilians can actually disguise themselves as opposing agents, like flowerpots, thanks to the ability to imitate.
The problem is – aside from the hostile spies who will get you in trouble – the targets aren’t just public. Instead, it’s located deep within a vault and can only be accessed by activating the three vault terminals across the map. These vault terminals are also located in rooms with additional security that can only be opened with a keycard (or via hacking), which means you have to find new disguises that allow you to enter restricted areas without being provoked by the AI, while gathering intelligence To make sure you can crack the door, in addition to remaining invisible and not raising the suspicion of any rival spies, you might find yourself in the line of fire.
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Deceive Inc. takes it a step further and has an army of agents who all do all sorts of unique things and can equip themselves with a range of different gadgets. Larcin, for example, is the villain type, good at causing trouble for other agents by melee stealth and stealing items (even targets). Cavalier, on the other hand, is a stalker, better at following clues left by hostile agents in order to be able to blow their cover and eliminate them. Stack it with gadgets that can be used both for utility purposes (like a bouncing pad, launching you to new heights, or breaking a fall) and as aggression tools (i.e. automatic targeting of exposed agents). turrets) or for defense (in the case of a defensive umbrella shield, which blocks bullets), you get a game with a lot of moving parts that you have to manage.
However, unlike traditional shooters, where being overly complex tends to be a hindrance, in Deceive Inc., the abundance of options works in its favor, as it opens up a wide range of playstyle options. Since you’re only really worrying about yourself in the game (unless you’re playing team mode), you can play the game at any speed you want. If you like being an aggressive game maker, you can focus on opening the vault so you can be the first to catch the target. Likewise, if the long-term game is more your speed, you can wait for someone else to do the hard work, then pick them away while they wait to extract. The choice is yours, but one thing remains the same, unless you’re the last agent alive, chances are you’re in someone’s crosshairs.
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Deceive Inc. resonates with ’80s spy sensibilities. This is not modern spy wars, James Bond is essentially a killer. No, this game is more of a Roger Moore-era Bond, with splashes of Magnum PI, quirky gadgets, tricks, beards and turtlenecks that are cool. Because of this, the gameplay, though in a shooter, is more about staying calm and composed than panicking under pressure when all hell is loose. And it works very well.
Of course, there are some areas that worry me a bit. In particular the fact that you don’t really have to do anything other than extract the goal to win means that some players can do very little by exploiting the chaos of the end game and still be successful, although others will Move the target left and right on the map to make the game progress to that point. Also, the nature of the looting feels a bit pointless as you can get to pretty much anywhere on the map without encountering too many roadblocks, which does beg the question of why you would spend time opening drawers and hacking computer to gain intelligence, and instead, you can find a suitable disguise and roam the map unrestrictedly.
But overall, my time with Deceive Inc. has proven that this is a game that’s getting really interesting – even more so if/when there are more locations to explore and game modes to conquer . The variety and uniqueness of the gameplay keeps Deceive Inc. fresh and interesting, and it’s for this reason that I’m excited about launch day, no matter when.