Are there any TRUE spy games?

[prophecy2514]

"dealing with different objectives at the same time and infiltrating buildings, not by shooting the guards, but by either grabbing a clipboard and claiming to be a building inspector or by crawling through the air ducts? I'm not saying that there shouldn't be any shooting, but the killing should be less shooting and more 'oh god someone's coming where do I hide the body?'

I'm tired of games that slap a stealth mechanic on a shooter and claim that it's a Spy game. Are there ANY true spy games?

Hold on a second. Which splinter cell games are you refering to? Because the first 3 splinter cell titles (and to a good extent the fourth double agent) very much allow you to do this, with the exception of the the disguise mechanic. the hitman games would be more appropriate for this taste.
If your shooting in splinter cell games, your doing it wrong. Ignore conviction, it is a pile of dog shit

 

[Jaythulhu]

How about Velvet Assassin? Wasn't that a thief-y sort of game based around the actions of a female spy in ww2?

 

[alik44]

We still have hitman series even though im very skeptical about the newer one coming out.

 

[DeadlyYellow]

Hold on a second. Which splinter cell games are you refering to? Because the first 3 splinter cell titles (and to a good extent the fourth double agent) very much allow you to do this, with the exception of the the disguise mechanic. the hitman games would be more appropriate for this taste.

I'd argue against that in the first game, if only because if its incredibly linear design. Chances were you weren't in a vent because you wanted to be, you were because it was the one path open to you.

As for stealth games, very few fit the bill. NOLF could be argued, playing both as a Bond film and parody of one albeit lacking the diplomacy engagements one would expect. Syndicate (the Original) and Shadowrun (either Genesis or SNES) could also be argued to an extent.

Though honestly when you said spy game, the first thing that popped into me head was Uplink. But that's no where near what you want.

 

[triggrhappy94]

I'm tempted to say Alpha Protocal (think Deus Ex crossed with Splinter Cell).
The guns are so crappy in that game, you have no joice but to shoot as few people as you can. Too bad there are some instances where you have to kill people but there's normally a way around it--like paying some guy to hide a huge sniper rifle on roof over looking an ambush that doesn't show up until the very end of the mission.
I remember there was one mission where I got through most of it tranquing FBI agents (to see if I could mostly), and was heading for the door when some reinforcements showed up. I knocked out all but the last guy, who I decided to shoot in the face. No consequence? Not until I got to the end of the game where I was completely locked out of the best possible 'good' ending because that one kill put me on the FBI most-wanted or something like that.

EDIT:
If all else fails, Evil Genius.
Really fun and really challenging.

 

[Robert0288]

Tf2

Edit before ban: Also, spying isn't actually interesting. It's incredibly boring. It's not just like paperwork, but IS paperwork. We've simply allowed ourselves to believe that James Bond is a series about a spy, and not just "British bastard fucks foreign chicks and then kills them"

Here's the thing. I want that. Not the paperwork, but keeping up a facade as I try to inch closer to the secrets I seek. Walking into a building with nothing but my false identity. Having to avoid some, blend with others, and holding my breath whenever someone suspects me. The idea that IF my disguise fails, I'm doomed. It's the tension that I want.

Eh. As an excersise in an International Relations class, we actually had a retired spy come in and spend two classes with us, and it's not interesting in the super secret hidden identity kind of way, but usually in the "they know you're there and don't actually care enough to stop you and have to face the consquences that would bring," kind of way. International relations have gotten to a really weird point... Anywho, a game about upholding a false identity would be really cool It's just that "true spy" isn't that interesting.


Captcha was "one hit wonder". Captcha's been talking to my ex

In terms of the IR stuff. I agree up to a certain point. The goal of counter-espionage is not to arrest the int officer, but to follow him around uncover his network and arrest the people in your own government/institutions that are giving him information. Or plant false information. When you start getting into the meta game it does get interesting. The majority of the stuff where you push papers around would only be mildly interesting depending on what the information on the paper is

I too have always wanted a spy game like OP. Shooting means that there was someone there. You might have won the mission but lost the campaign as you now exposed yourself. There is potential, but I have a feeling it would be more of a niche game than anything else.

 

[triggrhappy94]

You can play Deus Ex: Human Revolution via stealth, finding alternative routes, hacking, and persuasion. It may not fit your bill perfectly, but I think it does a pretty nice job.

I think it works, especially because there's a way (glitch/exploit/whatever) to kill all but one* of the bosses without firing a shot.

*not counting the last part of the last boss

 

[octafish]

I'm just going to throw In Cold Blood out there. It is where BLOPS stole it's story structure from but it is a fairly tense spy game, more Bond than Le Carre though.

 

[paislyabmj]

Thats how I play hitman.

I played the american suburb mission of hitman blood money by sedating doughnuts putting ether on panties to knock out perverted FBI agents and dressing up as the pool boy to get the target upstairs and knick her necklace.Not a shot was fired and i got away with it. I think a lot of people assume that just because hitman gives you guns that you are supposed to use them but if you are going for silent assassin there are a wide variety of imaginative and creative ways to finish the missions.

 

[TerribleAssassin]

BATMAN! You think I'm joking, just imagine Batman is a spy from the year 4012 in Arkham Asylum and you more or less have your Spy game.

 

[Zack Alklazaris]

I really can't think of any. You know after playing the Agent in Old Republic I have become interested in playing a spy game too.

I sense an untapped market...

 

[Rooster Cogburn]

I'm sorry if this is not helpful or redundant, but you really need to play Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory >>>>>on Hard<<<<< if you have not already. It sounds like exactly what you're looking for. On hard mode, you have to find alternatives to combat just to get by. Additionally, you are scored based on how many alarms you set off, how many guards you are forced to neutralize, and how many bodies, open doors, flipped light-switches, and so on are discovered. To get a perfect score it must be like you were never there. There are large levels with multiple objectives to be completed in any order, in addition to optional objectives. You have the option to choose different equipment loadouts, but believe me you will only want the loadout that gives you stealth gadgets over firepower. If you're looking for a spy game that makes you shout "fuck!" and start over every time you trigger an alarm, this is the game for you.

 

[Brandon Logan]

Depending on how you play it:

Team Fortress 2.


Also Splinter Cell played right is a spy game.

 

[Fasckira]

Tf2

Edit before ban: Also, spying isn't actually interesting. It's incredibly boring. It's not just like paperwork, but IS paperwork. We've simply allowed ourselves to believe that James Bond is a series about a spy, and not just "British bastard fucks foreign chicks and then kills them"

Here's the thing. I want that. Not the paperwork, but keeping up a facade as I try to inch closer to the secrets I seek. Walking into a building with nothing but my false identity. Having to avoid some, blend with others, and holding my breath whenever someone suspects me. The idea that IF my disguise fails, I'm doomed. It's the tension that I want.

Um, I guess TF2 probably is the closest to what you want then, especially if you play the Capture the Briefcase objectives. Sneaking into the other base while disguised and trying to act like a foe can be pretty tension filled, especially if you have pyros bombing around.

 

[Guybythestreet]

Tf2

Edit before ban: Also, spying isn't actually interesting. It's incredibly boring. It's not just like paperwork, but IS paperwork. We've simply allowed ourselves to believe that James Bond is a series about a spy, and not just "British bastard fucks foreign chicks and then kills them"

Here's the thing. I want that. Not the paperwork, but keeping up a facade as I try to inch closer to the secrets I seek. Walking into a building with nothing but my false identity. Having to avoid some, blend with others, and holding my breath whenever someone suspects me. The idea that IF my disguise fails, I'm doomed. It's the tension that I want.

Besides a huge portion of intel being gathered through hacking and drones and networks of people who sit around instead of one guy who works his way from point A to point B your game sounds like more social interaction sim. Sneaking around via a secret identity sounds like you want a game where you have to choose the correct lies to keep your cover. There might be a slight bit of stealth but not much more than looking out for anyone while you run some info search program from a usb that you plugged into a computer.

While that game doesn't appeal to me I see how it can appeal to other people - but more directly to your first post: I don't think such a videogame exists. Pencil and Paper roleplaying games can have these scenarios all day long. But I don't know of any videogames where that social sneakiness is the main part of the game.

 

[Enrathi]

Though honestly when you said spy game, the first thing that popped into me head was Uplink. But that's no where near what you want.

Nice to know I'm not the only one that thought of Uplink, even if it doesn't quite fit the bill.

EDIT: Typos.

 

[templar1138a]

Not to the extent you're talking about, but Alpha Protocol is the closest I've seen to being a spy game. After all, you can shoot up a place and be a macho badass, but that tends to cause problems in later missions. It's definitely a plus in the long run when enemies don't see you, and especially so if you don't attack them at all.

Not to mention that intel can be gathered during and between missions.

Still, I would like to see an RPG where I can establish a spy network and become an information broker.

 

[Stealthygamer]

Everytime somebody says Splinter cell conviction is stealth i just want to kill them

everytime someone says Splinter Cell Conviction ISNT a stealth game make me want to correct them. Sure its not as stealth focused as the previous entries in the series but if you want to play it as a stealth game you can, especially the co-op campaign and the 'Deniable Ops' mode, which are less linear then the main campaign and don't force you into situations where you have to shoot your way out

 

[risue]

I've only played part of it but Velvet Assassin did seem to follow relatively close to what you're looking for

 

[Brandon Logan]

GLORIOUS

Why didn't I think of this.

OP this is what you've waited for.