Old-fashioned spy movie buffs will get a kick out of Deceive Inc., a multiplayer game about deception and scanning your surroundings for any movement out of the ordinary. It’s Among Us meets No One Lives Forever and quite an achievement at that, conveying a chic cartoon atmosphere full of color and elegance. If you’re going undercover, at least do it in style and show the other spies who’s the real Austin Powers of the bunch – if only you could do it in more locations…

Spies Among Us

It’s impossible to avoid comparisons with the hit sus game Among Us, but The Ship might be a better reference. While everything steers you in the direction of a deceptive approach, there are no shackles keeping you in there; if you want to go to your objectives with guns blazing, no one is going to stop you… apart for the opposing teams who are striving for the same goal, but you get the idea.

You have eight agents in total to pick from, with three unlocked at the start, complete with plenty of cosmetic options, from skins to poses. Coming from different backgrounds and sporting varied arsenal, gadgetry, and a passive skill, the choice is open to your fondness for a specific weapon or device, but also to looks, because style has a say in the matter. From dual pistols to a sniper rifle or an automatic crossbow, there’s no shortage of means to effectively dispose of the rival agents and haphazard guards.

In a somewhat unexpected twist, civilians can become casualties in the middle of intense firefights, but don’t think for a second that Deceive Inc. is a game about carnage – the stealthier you are, the better you’re likely to perform. That is, until you reach the extraction phase of the game, where players tend to flock to the surroundings of the extraction vehicle and engage in frantic and quite honestly underwhelming shootouts that seem to be a bane of the genre. But if you enjoy this type of gameplay, there’s a lot worse that you can do than Deceive Inc.

But I’m getting ahead of myself, as the matches start well before the extraction phase. Your goal, both as a solo agent or in a team of spies, is to blend in with the crowd, collect intel, extract the package, and exit the premises. Easier said than done, as any suspicious movement will capture the attention of your enemies and spark a fight to the death.

Going undercover isn’t a matter of wearing cool costumes and nifty wigs. In Deceive Inc., you get a full-on holographic cover tool that allows you to turn into any person and conceal your real look. This is how you will explore the locations without raising suspicion, unless you decide to go for a rushed approach that gives you away, even to the most clueless of players – running around, jumping from balconies, approaching intel objects, and the like.

Access to some rooms during the Insertion phase is limited not only by a required amount of intel that works as keys, but also by security level access. There are five security tiers that you must pay attention to, always having to enter rooms with an equivalent or higher level: civilian, staff, guard, technician, and VIP. Fail to find a suitable holographic cover and you’ll be challenged by guards who are very trigger happy.

A Slight Case of Repetition

Firing your weapon will break disguise temporarily, exposing you as the sitting duck that you are. Luckily, cover will return a few seconds later, so you may get into a firefight with a rival agent or guard, run away, and get under the skin of another NPC. Your goal is to disable three terminals to open the vault and grab the package, making a run for it as the other agents are regularly pinged about your location, with chaos potentially ensuing.

That’s one of the issues with Deceive Inc., as this system often rewards camping and punishes players who have actively moved around and strived to fulfill the mission goals. It’s understandable and even recommended to take a discreet approach, as any spy should do, but being spotted by players who are doing nothing but scanning the environment can be frustrating; the same can be said about the chaotic extraction moments, which are too punishing and feel like they are out of a completely different game.

Gunplay isn’t entirely on point, feeling a bit light and failing to convey the feelings of high-tech weaponry, even if some of it fits on the zany spectrum. Just be sure that if you are looking for a game with great first-person shooter thrills, this isn’t the one.

Another issue is that we use our holographic cover in front of a crowd, and no one has any sort of reaction to the abrupt body switch. They keep going about their daily lives as if nothing happened, something that doesn’t happen when shots are fired, as they duck or run for safety. A minor niggle it may be, but it took me some time to adjust to it.

The maps are considerably vast and with plenty of scope for ambushes and even a little bit of parkour antics. Mostly beautiful in their bright colors and strong contrast, it’s a game that aims and succeeds at portraying a fictional era with ties to the age of hippies and flower power. On the downside, there are only four different environments, and the map rotation is flawed, as you can be placed in the same map several times in a row, paving the way for boredom to creep in.

Not Shaken, Nor Stirred

Deceive Inc. isn’t merely the umpteenth Among Us clone, as it picks a setting that is prone to suspicious stealth action and camouflage and adds the gadgets and panache to it. Although there isn’t much to praise on the shooting aspect and the low number of maps is disappointing, this is a game that works when you find a group that plays by the rules. The more enthusiasm and immersion the better, and it is very enjoyable when that happens. But find a few ruthless players who will just try to botch your efforts and barely move, and things take a turn into frustration avenue.

Still, this is a clever and engaging game that deserves a shot if you enjoy the garish style and multiplayer shenanigans. Even though some repetition sinks in, the concept is fresh and deserves a look – to paraphrase what that legendary spy once said: Yeah, baby!

Score: 8/10

Pros

• Stylish selection of agents and cool gadgets
• A garish cartoon art style that sticks
• Large and interesting maps
• Fun gameplay loop…

Cons

• … As long as everyone plays as expected
• Gunplay is underwhelming
• Only four maps

Deceive Inc. review code was provided by the publisher. You can read MP1st’s review and scoring policy right here.