
Agent A: A Puzzle In Disguise And Unique Environments To Explore 2019
August 24th, 2019
Yak & Co
Stylish 1960's inspired art
35 unique environments to explore
100 inventory-based puzzles
50 puzzle screens
30 achievements to collect, for the trophy hunter in all of us
Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise is a cute puzzle game with a lot of style and fun. Spy-hack your way through a secret hideout with a lovely pink sunset as a backdrop — an aspiring 007 couldn’t ask for anything more. Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise was never on our radar until it was ported to the PC from mobile platforms. The excellent reception it garnered, as well as the aesthetics of mid-century modern art, drew our interest. We tried the game because we were in the mood for some escape-room-style puzzle games and were pleasantly pleased by how enjoyable it was.
You’re an Agent A hot on the tracks of Ruby La Rouge – a nasty French-accented spy working for a HAVOC organization bent on world dominance, is being pursued. Ruby is hard at work, executing heinous acts like blowing up a cruise ship in half (don’t worry, even this looks lovely with the setting sun on the horizon). She not only seems to be one step ahead of the other agents, but she also appears to enjoy toying with you, setting up a series of traps, and watching you fall for them. But you’re a determined agent, so nothing will stop you from apprehending Ruby as you’re dropped off in front of her snare-filled mansion. After all, your boss doesn’t call you “The Beast” for nothing.
The stylishness of “Agent A: a puzzle in disguise” is immediately apparent. With soft-hued yet bright tones, the unique cartoon appearance lives and breathes all things “spy and special agents.” Everything about Ruby’s house screams spy charm, from the layout to the traps, underground vaults, lovely surrounding scenery, and the spies themselves. You can sense the love and effort that went into making these beautiful, memorable pictures no matter where you look or what you use. If there is a second game in the series (and the conclusion suggests there will be), it will be worth it only to be able to revisit Agent’s A world again.
Since it’s a puzzle game, you’ll be working your way around Ruby’s massive three-story home. (There’s a cave.) There’s also a waterfall. There’s also a communications tower. There’s also a lighthouse on a nearby island. Apparently, nefarious sabotage pays well). Working alone, you’ll solve a variety of puzzles by pressing hidden buttons that reveal secret compartments containing secret objects required for secrets you haven’t discovered yet. There are a lot of puzzles, and they’re all medium-to-easy stages with a chain progression — you’ll collect one thing to get to the problem, which will earn you a key to unlock another puzzle, which will bring you… So, you get the idea. The vast majority of them flow easily into one another and are intended more for “light” thinking and pleasure than for real brain training. Some will demand a little more thought and patience, but the overall game design is geared toward giving players a light, enjoyable experience that will allow them to relax and enjoy the entire trip.
The writing, which is hilarious and acts as a backdrop to puzzle-solving, is communicated through an occasional conversation and largely inner monologues of Agent A as he makes his way through Ruby’s lair. It’s all about making fun of espionage stereotypes in the most lighthearted way possible. Agent A’s comments about the need for a good cocktail and not wanting to ruin a perfectly tailored suit in yet another explosion go hand in hand with mustache-twirling villains debating global dominance, reminding us of a Disney cartoon combined with Pinky and Brain’s dialogues. Of course, there is a lot of nasty laughter. And that laughing, like the rest of the dialogues, is brilliantly spoken. At some point, there was an almost physical need to see the process of recording the voice-over, everything is uttered with such exaggerated passion and “I-have-lots-of-secrets-I’m-not-telling” pauses with protracted ominous laughs at the conclusion that it appears like voice actors had a blast with this one.
The soundtrack is in keeping with the game’s theme and is just as attractive as the graphics. As you play, the ambient jazzy music varies gently from scene to scene, instantly reminding you of all your favorite spy flicks. This is a genuinely outstanding combination of voice acting, sounds, and graphics that all complement but do not overshadow one another.
If we had to select a flaw, we’d say the antagonist, Ruby La Rouge’s, French accent is unconvincing and inconsistent. The voice actress might as well not have attempted it.
“Agent A: a Puzzle in Disguise” is ideal for those seeking a peaceful and engaging game. If you prefer puzzle games, they are a little easier, but the ambiance, aesthetic, and light nature of the game will keep you entertained nonetheless. Even if you don’t appreciate puzzles, the game’s atmosphere, style, and light nature will make it entertaining for you, and the puzzles are on the easy side. It now appears to be working for everyone. Whatever adventure genre you like, it’s difficult to imagine why someone wouldn’t enjoy this hilarious and engaging game.