Summary
- Mission: Impossible has inspired a range of spy genre video games with diverse gameplay mechanics.
- Spy thrillers can tackle social issues, as shown by Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Republique Remastered.
- Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell and Invisible, Inc. Both pay homage to spy movies from the past and present.
Fans are lining up to see Ethan Hunt in his eighth cinematic adventure with Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, which will culminate almost three decades of stories. Since the Mission: Impossible movies first began, the series has helped redefine the spy espionage genre, with other movies, TV shows, and video games taking inspiration from the Tom Cruise spectacles.
Best Spy Espionage Games
Espionage has become one of the most popular and notable video game genres over the past few decades. Here are some of the best ones available.
Whether someone is excited about the release of the new Mission: Impossible or has just walked out of the theater and wants to experience what it’s like to be a super spy, many games provide that same feeling of excitement and intrigue. Spies can also fit into various genres, from first-person shooters to stealth thrillers that test a player’s patience.
10 Mission: Impossible - Operation Surma
A Rare Time When Gamers Could Play As Ethan Hunt
Mission: Impossible - Operation Surma
- Released
- December 5, 2003
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen - Blood, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Stealth, Action
Games directly based on Mission: Impossible are rare and seldom of quality, but there was a surprise gem for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox called Mission: Impossible - Operation Surma. It was developed by Paradigm Entertainment, who also made the Spy Hunter reboot, and features Ethan Hunt trying to stop a computer virus from unleashing chaos on the world.
While far from excellent, Operation Surma does deliver on the big-action set pieces and stealth gameplay that utilizes tactics and gadgetry that fans expect from the franchise. It even features over-the-shoulder third-person shooter controls, something that was maligned on release but has since become the norm. Additionally, while Tom Cruise does not reprise the role of Ethan, Ving Rhames returns as Luther to aid the player on their adventure.
9 Deus Ex: Human Revolution
A Dark Future Full Of Cyborgs And Conspiracies
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
- Released
- August 23, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
- Genre(s)
- FPS
Deus Ex: Human Revolution is already fun to play because Adam Jensen is already a superpowered cyborg, but he is essentially a cyberpunk super spy. He infiltrates different locations, utilizing a variety of combat and stealth proficiencies to fight terrorist organizations, solve puzzles, and unravel greater conspiracies.
As Adam Jensen delves further into a world where corporations dominate the cybernetic augmentations that people rely on, the situation becomes increasingly grim. The environment starts to resemble that of Mission: Impossible; outside Adam's primary team, trusting anyone, including those he works for, becomes a significant challenge.
8 Invisible, Inc.
Players Have To Think Like A Super Spy To Be One
Invisible, Inc.
- Released
- May 12, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood, Language, Use of Tobacco, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Turn-Based Strategy
Gamers who enjoy XCOM or Final Fantasy Tactics can get their secret agent fix with Invisible, Inc., which mixes turn-based strategy and tactics with classic spy themes and visuals akin to James Bond or The Man From UNCLE but with a modern flair. Like other strategy games of its kind, Invisible, Inc. Always punishes the player with its difficulty, forcing them to think at least five steps ahead before making a move.
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These tactics games are the fastest-paced in the genre for players who want to flex their tactical muscles without the slog of in-depth management.
Invisible, Inc. Homages every spy movie trope in some way, from the obviously evil villains to the over-the-top world domination plots seen in James Bond or Mission: Impossible movies. Players can hack into systems, characters have gadgets for infiltration and action, and everything is meant to look and sound stylish and sleek.
7 James Bond 007: Everything Or Nothing
A Splinter Cell Clone In All The Best Ways
James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing
- Released
- February 17, 2004
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter
James Bond games are known for being first-person shooters, but James Bond 007: Everything Or Nothing broke away from that mold with a third-person shooter that focused more on cover fire. With Pierce Brosnan providing the face and voice of Bond, Everything Or Nothing is more or less the closest thing to a fifth Bond movie starring Brosnan, even featuring famous actor Willem Dafoe as the new villain.
Fans of Splinter Cell will be quick to point out the similarities to that franchise, which is understandable, as Splinter Cell was an explosive hit just two years before. Ironically, Splinter Cell was originally going to be a James Bond video game. The mix of action and stealth was later used for the From Russia With Love and 007: Blood Stone games.
6 Republique Remastered
Unique Gameplay Allows The Person In The Chair To Shine
République Remastered
- Released
- February 26, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
Rather than directly controlling the spy, Republique Remastered boldly chooses to have the player be the tech-savvy operative behind a computer, akin to Simon Pegg's Benji in the Mission: Impossible movies. The player has to guide the main hero, Hope, by looking through security cameras and telling her where to go, when to hide, or what to find.
Like many spy movies, Republique Remastered delivers social commentary on real-life issues. The main theme is the perils of government surveillance via the internet. This helps fill its unique gameplay approach with tension, and the voice talents of David Hayter, Jennifer Hale, Khary Payton, Josh Keaton, and Dwight Schultz give the game an extra dose of genuine cinematic storytelling.
5 GoldenEye 007
Rare Revolutionized First-Person Shooters With James Bond
GoldenEye 007
- Released
- August 25, 1997
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Animated Blood, Animated Violence
- Genre(s)
- Shooter
There are many James Bond games out there, but for most gamers, GoldenEye 007 is considered the definitive title in the series after it debuted on the Nintendo 64. Not only was it a strong recreation of the movie that shares its name, but it revolutionized multiple first-person shooter mechanics that have since become gold standards in the industry.
Arguably, the most famous part of GoldenEye 007 is the split-screen multiplayer, in which up to four players can engage in deathmatches using characters from the movie and throughout James Bond’s history. The story itself is still fun, plunging gamers into a world of terrorism, political thrills, and memorable set pieces straight out of the film.
4 Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell
The Series That Redefined Video Game Spy Thrillers
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
- Released
- November 18, 2002
- ESRB
- t
- Genre(s)
- Stealth
The Splinter Cell games have always felt like UbiSoft’s take on the Mission: Impossible franchise, from Sam Fisher's role as an operative who takes on shadow missions to the many gadgets he wields. The game spawned multiple sequels, including Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, Double Agent, Blacklist, and more.
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Games old and newer such as Alien: Isolation and Splinter Cell have utilized stealth mechanics in revolutionary ways that inspired games today.
Sam Fisher in the first Splinter Cell resembles the early Mission: Impossible movies, focusing on infiltration, using stealth takedowns, and employing his wits as much as his hands to take down villains. The gadgets are present but intentionally understated to avoid appearing too outlandish, and Sam Fisher mirrors Ethan Hunt in his quick and calculated actions. Furthermore, Michael Ironside portrays Sam in nearly every entry, adding a cinematic quality to the character.
3 Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction
Sam Fisher Is Now A Rogue Operative Without Gadgets
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction
- Released
- April 13, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Stealth, Third-Person Shooter
Sam Fisher is left on his own without the endless technology and weapons he is known for, forcing him to rely on the bare minimum and his training to keep him alive and thwart a terrorist plot. The more grounded direction of Splinter Cell: Conviction is reminiscent of the Jason Bourne movies and is almost identical to the main concept of Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, with Ethan and his team operating in the shadows.
Splinter Cell: Conviction still has the stealth that the franchise is known for, but Sam Fisher is at his most gritty and relentless, with more emphasis on melee and shooter combat. This not only tests the players who are overdependent on gadgets, but it was intended as a way for new players to enjoy the game without having to play past entries.
2 Perfect Dark
Joanna Dark Is A Futuristic Super Spy
Perfect Dark (2000)
- Released
- May 22, 2000
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Animated Violence, Animated Blood
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter, Stealth
Rare, the company that also developed GoldenEye 007, created another spy thriller outside the James Bond franchise called Perfect Dark. This game features many of the same first-person shooter mechanics as Rare's other work, but has been refined. Unlike the more contemporary setting and semi-realistic plots of GoldenEye, Perfect Dark adopts a more extravagant storyline set in an alternate 2023, where two alien species are engaged in a war.
Joanna Dark is a secret agent tasked with infiltrating two corporations, each covertly involved with one of the two alien races. Although the game evolves into more of a sci-fi action experience by the end, it still captures what gamers loved about GoldenEye 007.
1 Alpha Protocol
If Mass Effect Were A Spy Thriller RPG
Alpha Protocol
- Released
- June 1, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Obsidian Entertainment is already famous for their RPGs like Fallout: New Vegas and The Outer Worlds, but one of their more experimental titles was Alpha Protocol. In many ways, Alpha Protocol resembles a spy thriller take on Mass Effect, and this similarity is a strength rather than a weakness.
As a result, players have more of a choice of how the characters operate, with story and dialogue choices that can turn the main protagonist into a James Bond-like agent or a more morally gray character like Jason Bourne. The game features an evolving story and character development that can be influenced by player choices. Additionally, it offers the excitement of Mission: Impossible, with plenty of action sequences to keep players engaged, including gunplay, various gadgets, and melee combat.
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Obsidian Entertainment has a long and storied history of critical and commercial hits. These are their best games from over the years.