Well, this was an unexpected pleasure. “Spyleaks” is a genre-blending game that brings together genres as disparate as stealth-puzzling and vertically scrolling shooters. I kid you not. There’s even an overarching storyline. There’s a lot of meat on these 80 Microsoft Point bones.
Many levels are puzzlers in nature, some demanding simple puzzle skills as you push object around until you figure out the winning condition (see “Aesop’s Garden” from 590 days ago, and “Crystal Hunters” from a mere 95 days ago, for similar games). Others demanding key timing to maintain your stealth, which is an element largely missing from games of this genre. Sussing out the right approach can be tricky, but that’s part of the fun. Then there are the top-down shmup levels, which are obviously out of place, but somehow fit the game a little better than they had any right to do. The storyline does a decent job of tying things together.
It’s one of those things that shouldn’t have worked, but somehow does. Can’t fault them for that. There’s so much personality to the game, especially to your opposition during the sneaking levels, that it’s hard not to love it.
Here’s what the developer (HeartBit Interactive) has to say about the game:
“Spyleaks is a old school game with a modern twist. 3 game genres coexist while Spy, Jules’ agent, tries to recover important intelligence from the evil corporation that wants to overcome Freedom City. 25 brain-shaking puzzles, 5 action-packed shooter levels, five exciting escapes against the clock and an intriguing spy story with a grand-finale!”
Writings of Mass Deduction 