Sly Spy/Secret Agent (ARC, 1989)
Graphics-7.5 Sound-7 Control-7 Challenge-7 Story-6
Level Design-7 Frustration-7 Fun-7 Originality-6
Overall Score-7
+
Shinobi/Rolling Thunder-style gameplay (no double plane stuff or 2-player though)
partial life refill after bosses
many sprites on screen without slowdown or flicker
pretty fast paced
speed upgrade (water levels only)
decent variation (one autoscrolling bike level, two underwater levels), james bond references (golden gun, hat boss), alternate ending (need to find hidden items? not explained before you begin), difficulty options (easy-hardest, lifebar options, coin worth (up to 2 credits per coin))
+/-
Limited ammo
very few health power ups
can't shoot while moving
can't move while crouching
short levels overall
-
Some cheap hits (missile base spike pit (can't look down), tiger bosses)
easy and simple bosses overall (except for the tigers)
can't adjust your jump height
can't jump right after shooting
can't shoot diagonally or upwards (can shoot diagonally on the bike, many aerial enemies in some parts)
pretty easy and repetitive bike level, pretty short, bland level map screen, so-so voice sample quality at times, few main weapons and no alternate weapons, no weapon inventory,
Bugs:
-Sound glitches out in the last level in Mame
Level Design-7 Frustration-7 Fun-7 Originality-6
Overall Score-7
+
Shinobi/Rolling Thunder-style gameplay (no double plane stuff or 2-player though)
partial life refill after bosses
many sprites on screen without slowdown or flicker
pretty fast paced
speed upgrade (water levels only)
decent variation (one autoscrolling bike level, two underwater levels), james bond references (golden gun, hat boss), alternate ending (need to find hidden items? not explained before you begin), difficulty options (easy-hardest, lifebar options, coin worth (up to 2 credits per coin))
+/-
Limited ammo
very few health power ups
can't shoot while moving
can't move while crouching
short levels overall
-
Some cheap hits (missile base spike pit (can't look down), tiger bosses)
easy and simple bosses overall (except for the tigers)
can't adjust your jump height
can't jump right after shooting
can't shoot diagonally or upwards (can shoot diagonally on the bike, many aerial enemies in some parts)
pretty easy and repetitive bike level, pretty short, bland level map screen, so-so voice sample quality at times, few main weapons and no alternate weapons, no weapon inventory,
Bugs:
-Sound glitches out in the last level in Mame