Developer: SCEE London Studio
Publisher: SCEA
Genre: Adventure
Region: NTSC
Format:
Release Date: 15 Nov 05

Score 10 (Best) 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 (Worst)

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Overview

Well we are getting ever closer to the end of the holiday season, and yes I know it seems like it just started. This has been one busy year and we have seen a lot of ups and downs in 2005 for the video game industry. Sony having a moderately successful year with the PS2, which shows that it still has life within it with a whole slew of top games released and a great deal more scheduled until the introduction of the PS3. One game was just released and it was for the EyeToy, which is EyeToy: Operation Spy. So does this game continue on in EyeToy greatness? Read our full review to find out!

Gameplay

When I first heard about EyeToy: Operation Spy, which was not all that long ago, I must say that the idea behind it actually sounded pretty intriguing. Being able to really just get down into a spy game while seeing things happening on screen and participating in it sounded like a blast. But of course you also have to worry that these ideas might not necessarily translate all that well. So did Sony manage to create a winning sneaky performance?

Now for those who may have thought this puts you in a simple spy game that you got to control, this is not really what Operation Spy is. What it is basically a an idea of trying to make you feel like you're going through a normal action game story mode, but instead you will find out pretty quickly it is just a lineup of mini-games in an organized fashion. Now this doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad thing, because in the past the EyeToy mini games have been pretty enjoyable. Now let's take a second and talk about some of the mini games.

Basically the biggest difference between, say, Operation Spy and Play 2, is that you're really not the main focus on screen. Instead they kind of hide your body and keep you trying to complete different puzzles or games. Now the mini games in this game are a lot deeper then the ones in Play 2, and there are even some that are extremely enjoyable. One mission is to get your character to land his parachute on the right area and this is a pretty fun and entertaining mission.

I have to say without getting any deeper into this that the game has some very significant underlying problems. First the whole spy idea is just kind of a sales gimmick, as although the missions have a spy look to them, they are for the most part the same sort of games we are used to. You will be swinging your arms frantically and moving around trying to make sure you complete the games to move on. The whole idea is great but the execution is really sub-par. Never once did I think I was awed by the whole gamplay. The whole game gave me the feeling like this title was just a repackaged EyeToy game and slapped with the "Spy" tag to make it sell.

The only real neat feature in Operation Spy was one that was actually included in Play 2, which was the security camera feature. Leave your PS2 on and the Eye Toy becomes a security camera, snapping pictures when triggered by its motion sensors. A very smart and cleaver idea that is a lot of fun, but then again if you have Play 2, this feature isn't that big of a deal.

Graphics

Like I said before, Operation Spy is visually the same as EyeToy: Play 2, except with a Spy moniker on the cover. There are a few minor 3D areas, but these are kind of lacking any sort of detail or color. The main portions of the game looks solid however, with pretty good-looking interfaces and a good solid amount of colors involved. Sure the presentation wasn't a key factor in Operation Spy, but it was done in a decent enough fashion that this was not a huge problem in the game.

Fun Factor

If you read my review of EyeToy: Play 2 I really enjoyed the game, and I even enjoyed the previous Play game as well. Although the EyeToy is not a technical marvel, it is a fun little device that has produced some fun games. Now is the camera starting to feel a bit worn out? Absolutely, and unfortunately Operation Spy is a perfect example of this. The young crowds may get a kick out of this game, but in my opinion this was a weak attempt at extending the lifecycle of the hardware. It just felt in my opinion like a game that had much more potential than just a string of adequately enjoyable mini-games.

Overall

In my opinion EyeToy: Operation Spy was really one of the worst outings this small black camera has seen. The game just really lacked any real purpose or incentive to move this game past the mediocrity mark. I liked the idea of having a spy-based game, but unfortunately this game didn't turn out too much. Unless you are just a diehard EyeToy fan, I would recommend staying away from Operation Spy it is just not an overly impressive game.

Gameplay
5.0

Graphics
6.0

Fun Factor
5.0

Overall
5.0

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