15 Best Spy Espionage Games You Need To Play

There are many fantasies that video games help achieve, whether it’s embarking on a grand adventure, traveling to space or taking over the world. One understated yet popular fantasy is spy fiction, whether you play stealth titles that cater to the sneaking and infiltration aspect or puzzle games that require more thinking and observation. Let’s look at 15 of the best spy and espionage titles here.

Invisible, Inc.

Invisible, Inc. is a turn-based tactics game where two agents are selected to complete increasingly challenging espionage missions. You have three days to find out what led to your organization being compromised, find the enemy headquarters and insert the AI Incognita into their systems to ensure her survival. With various missions providing different intel and resources, it’s a tense and thrilling race against the clock to find out the truth.

GoldenEye 007 Remastered

Rare’s legendary first-person shooter not only set the standard for console multiplayer first-person shooters at the time but also for James Bond video game adaptations. It recreated memorable scenes from the film, while also adding unique missions. One mission you would be sniping enemies from afar atop a dam and then bungee jumping down to infiltrate a base. Another sees you navigating the streets with a tank, blazing through and causing mass destruction. The remaster translates this very well while adding 4K resolution and improved frame rates on Xbox.

Perfect Dark

There’s no relation between James Bond and Joanna Dark, but the latter’s debut adventure, Perfect Dark, was built on GoldenEye 007’s structure. Rare would expand on it significantly with more complex missions, a great story with several twists and turns, excellent gadgets and weaponry (including the famous FarSight XR-20), and even better multiplayer. Suffice it to say that the reboot has its work cut out.

Metal Gear Solid

When Metal Gear Solid was released, there was truly nothing like it. The top-down stealth action was in keeping with the Metal Gear series, but the presentation, voice-acting and script all channeled a high-stakes espionage film like no other game at the time. While subsequent entries would innovate and expand upon the gameplay that Metal Gear Solid pioneered, the original is still a top-tier spy fantasy with an incredible narrative.

Gunpoint

Suspicious Developments’ Gunpoint stars freelance spy Richard Conway who takes on high-risk assignments for clients. His tools? Trousers that allow for incredible leaps, the Crosslink for rewiring a building’s electronics and ingenuity. Lure guards to areas, tie light switches to doors, survive impossible falls, and then leave as if nothing happened (broken windows aside). Though short, it’s a compelling adventure that rewards clever thinking and experimentation.

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

Taking place in 1964 before the events of Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, Snake Eater is the perfect place for someone new to the franchise. The game did away with its traditional on-screen radar and introduced new elements like the survival viewer, and new gameplay mechanics that made stealth elements more engaging. Metal Gear Solid 3 is a fan favourite, and it took the series into a new direction by setting the game in a jungle.

Operation: Tango

What if you weren’t just a lone wolf trying to sneak through a base? What if you had an ally to help and/or comically hinder you? Operation: Tango brings this fantasy to life as a co-op-only adventure where two players are linked by voice alone. The Agent infiltrates typical high-stakes espionage missions, while the Hacker provides intelligence and sometimes leads enemies to your position for laughs. It’s as hilarious as it is endearing.

Commandos 2: Men of Courage

Pyro Studios’ first Commandos was a breakout success, introducing a World War 2 strategy game focused instead on stealth and sabotage using a small group of units. Commandos 2: Men of Courage added to this with new equipment, skills, and commandos, expanding the number of tactical options available. It also allowed for using enemy weapons and exploring interiors. The improved enemy AI also ensured that players would have to leverage every opportunity and get creative if they hoped to survive.

Device 6

Many top-tier spy thrillers are available on mobiles, and Device 6 is one of the best. Developed by Simogo of Year Walk and Sayonara Wild Hearts fame, the story focuses on Anna, who awakens in a strange castle with almost no memories. Upon investigating, she’ll have to deal with strange devices and creatures, unlock doors, and much more, with the text morphing and changing to suit each situation. Minimalist yet sleek, it’s a satisfying adventure.

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory

The first Splinter Cell may have started it all, but Chaos Theory refined it. The combat knife for more CQC opportunities, more non-lethal options, and choking enemies while hanging upside down – these are just some of the improvements. However, it was the overall mission quality, from the sandbox of the Bank to the finale of Kokubo Sosho that made this one of the best stealth titles ever.

I Expect You to Die 2: The Spy and the Liar

I Expect You to Die 2 takes an escape room approach to its espionage, that too in VR. As an agent fighting against the megacorporation Zoraxis, you must accomplish objectives with limited items in different environments. Whether bomb disposal, disabling security or making it through unscathed, there are plenty of world-threatening scenarios, and it’s all backed by solid writing.

Hitman: Blood Money

Assassinations may seem like the focus in IO Interactive’s acclaimed stealth adventure, but there’s much more value in subtlety and espionage, as you search for the best opportunities. In addition to improving movement and combat, Hitman: Blood Money lets you turn assassinations into accidental deaths. Be careful, though, as rival assassins can pop up and ruin your day.

Acting too trigger-happy will raise Agent 47’s notoriety, making it easier for NPCs in subsequent missions to ID him. Knowing your environment and the best way to take down a target is key.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Though a blend of action RPG, stealth, immersive sim, and FPS elements, Deus Ex: Human Revolution channelled the essence of corporate espionage and conspiracies. As Adam Jensen, players began by thwarting an attack on Sarif Industries by the Tyrants to unravel the mystery of the Illuminati. You never know who to trust, and the sheer amount of ways to complete missions (and the game) ensures different paths for all spies.

Acid Spy

Cyberpunk first-person stealth title Acid Spy doesn’t have the heaviest narrative, but it makes up for it in solid, movement-based stealth and assassination. Infiltrate bases by sneaking, sliding, and wall-running, taking down guards to open up the next area. The synth wave soundtrack and focus on studying enemies’ patterns before taking them down creates a simple yet satisfying gameplay loop.

Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise

Another puzzle adventure title that debuted on mobiles, Agent A is a chapter-based spy thriller where the titular agent takes on rival spy Ruby Rouge. The objective is to catch her once and for all, which can only be done by gathering items and solving environmental puzzles. It’s not super-challenging and ends somewhat quickly, but there’s little filler and more than enough thrills to be had.