5.9

Spy vs. Spy

A simple game based on the comic strip that featured in Mad magazine about a black spy and a white spy who are always trying to kill each other. The first game in this series was on the NES system which was a lot of fun considering the limitations of the system. However unfortunately the XBox version, despite the new technology behind the game really doesn't do much in the way of good gameplay or even graphics. The two spies are faithfully recreated, however the world in which they battle is a bit mundane.

There simply doesn't seem to be a lot of heart in the game which revolves around tipping acid on each other and all other sorts of traps. The controls are sluggish and fairly unresponsive, taking away a bit from the gameplay and general enjoyment of the game. The title redeems itself a bit with XBox Live but not to any great extent other than the fact that it takes some of the predictability out of the title. Level design whilst looking solid in these screen shots is pretty limited and there are areas where the action simply stops as it is not put together to facilitate smooth gameplay.

There is a platform element to this title that is hit and miss for the most part with skewed sense of direction that simply makes for many mistakes being made through the course of the game. If you choose to play the game in classic mode, the platforming parts of the title mercifully go away which is a blessing. There are other bits and pieces that you can achieve with completing the game such as new costumes. Really not enough to keep you going or even wondering what was going to happen next.

This game is best suited to younger players and I think that older gamers might be disappointed with it overall. I would certainly recommend a hire before you put serious money down on this title. Not a worthy homage to this great little comic strip.