Rent-A-Spy

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Average Rating: Number of Ratings: 3 Write a review

SPAG

This reminded me in some ways of an Andy Phillips game -- Heroine's Mantle, say -- but without the mad verve. It does have the persnickety puzzles that have unbelievable solutions, and the somewhat sketchy implementation. There were a number of things I did that I think shouldn't really have worked; I don't, for instance, believe it is actually possible to open elevator doors in the way this game's PC does.
-- Emily Short

>INVENTORY - Paul O'Brian writes about interactive fiction

With some editing, further testing, and some premise doctoring (perhaps making the PC something like a reporter, which would be quite a bit more believable than a spy you can look up in the phone book), this could be a pretty enjoyable piece of IF. For now, it's more an example of unfulfilled potential.

This game placed near the middle of IFCOMP 2002. In this game, you play a spy who must infiltrate a building, steal information, but leave no trace.

The leaving no trace bit is interesting, similar to Sub Rosa and the orange room in The Recruit. However, all of the puzzles are difficult, as they only admit one solution, even if other reasonable solutions are avilable. Also, the game is inconsistent in what it considers as leaving a trace or not.

The writing was descriptive and the game would be thrilling if not for the frequent interruptions due to odd puzzles.

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- Grey (Italy), December 25, 2009

- Quintin Stone (NC), October 23, 2007

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