Covert Action
| Developer: N/A | Graphics: |
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| Publisher: MicroProse | Sound: |
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| Year: 1992 | Difficulty: |
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| Genre: Strategy-adventure | Lastability: |
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| Number of players: 1 | Rating: |
6/10 | |
What…? Jingle Bells? Oh, cracked version. One moment…
You are Max Remington (Mr. or Mrs.), the world’s best secret agent, associated with the CIA. Your mission is to apprehend the masterminds behind international criminal operations, first by thwarting their plans, then by gathering clues and evidence to put them behind bars.
This complex (dare I say pretentious) counter-terrorism espionage simulation turns out to be a compilation of arcade and puzzle mini-games, cleverly packaged (decoding, wiretapping, burglary, and car chase). These sequences are introduced by a multiple-choice adventure game interface, leaving you entirely free (or should I say, lost) with the different ways to conduct your mission. Where to go, who to talk to? What does my secretary think?
The replay value is enhanced with various random elements, false leads (planted by double agents, whom you must expose), and a difficulty level that’s highly adjustable.
My issue is that the mini-games drive me mad, and the controls just don’t feel intuitive. For me, having to refer to the manual to understand something is a dealbreaker. It might be acceptable for a flight simulator, but here, I find the mechanics unnecessarily convoluted, probably to mask the lack of depth.
The PC version comes across as prettier, faster, and more manageable; plus, the secretary is more curvaceous. I recommend getting it on GOG for less than 2 euros.
If you’re set on playing it on Amiga and the intro music seems odd, just download another version.
A modern heir? How about three? Alpha Protocol (2010), Hacktag (2018), or even Agent A: A puzzle in disguise (2019).
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