A Game Boy Experience for the PC

When a game studio has a good concept but bad execution, the reaction is one of the following: they blame the gamers/critics or learn from the feedback to improve the game and do better next time. Rainy Frog and Dadako have opted for the second choice when it comes to Spy Drops Gaiden. The result is a unique follow-up while having learned from the mistakes of Spy Drops during its launch.

Whereas Spy Drops attempted to capture the experience of a stealth action game from the PlayStation era, specifically Metal Gear Solid, Gaiden attempts to recreate the same experience but on the original Game Boy. The result is not only a fun game but also a great callback to a system that is fondly remembered by gamers. Even though it is a PC game pretending to be a Game Boy title, it knows exactly how to capture that feel.

Welcome Back, Agent Ripley

Agent Ripley is back and must once again save the world. The threat is a militia that has set up a base of operations on Yosai Island off the coast of Japan. With the support of Green Scar and Laser, she must infiltrate the enemy base and carry out a series of missions to neutralize the threat. However, something else seems to be at play, as the leadership is strict about keeping you in the dark and providing you with as little information as possible unless the mission calls for it. As with the first game, the story is the classic setup from the ’90s, with you being the super spy who needs to save the world from a sinister force. It is not the most unique story, but that is okay because that is exactly what you are expecting from a game like this.

Gameplay borrows heavily from Metal Gear: Ghost Babel as it follows the standard stealth-action formula. Players are deployed into each level solo with no equipment while given their task. To progress, stealth is essential, as detection should be avoided at all costs. This means evading enemies, robot dogs, and surveillance cameras while using the environment to your advantage. When necessary, combat becomes a last resort, with knocking out the guard being the best option. Should you do that, you can use the Dream Catcher to collect intel from the guard. In between some missions, there is a bonus game that presents an arcade style shooter where you aim to get a high score.

Compared to its predecessor, the gameplay is a little stripped down and simplified. But that is okay because it is trying to capture the feeling of a Game Boy title. The original Game Boy was a handheld system that was very limited in its hardware. Yes, there were better handheld devices during this era as well, but the Game Boy was the most popular. When something is limited by the hardware, it makes you get creative to work around it. That is the case here of making a game under the impression that the hardware is going to be limited. The result is a unique experience that gamers can appreciate while also being rich in replay value.

Tools of an Agent

You might have some questions since the game launches only a month after the launch of Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2. Luckily, I have played both, and I am here to share my thoughts. This might come off as odd or blasphemous, but I enjoyed Spy Drops Gaiden far more than Metal Gear: Ghost Babel. The reason is that Ghost Babel as a game was held back by the limitations of the Game Boy Color, and it shows in how the game functions at times and the limitations it had to overcome. Gaiden wants to recreate the experience of playing a stealth action title on modern hardware while understanding what those limitations are without embracing them as a feature.

Right away, I have to commend Spy Drops Gaiden for avoiding the mistake that most games make when bringing a handheld title to the PC or console. I know it is technically not a handheld game, but I still have to give credit where credit is due. Dadako is not treating those flaws like a feature but instead knowing they are going to be an issue and not embracing them. At the same time, the sluggish movement, poor optimization, and janky control setup are also absent in favor of a retro-style game that plays like a modern game.

Going a little deeper into this, it really captures the sound and music quality of a Game Boy title. It really embraces that chiptune soundtrack that knows exactly how to set the tone from when you are being sneaky to when you are caught and must avoid detection. The audio, while also embracing that 8-bit style, also works to bring the world to life while also allowing you to utilize it when navigating through the world.

Mission Failure

The monochrome green and black color palette is a unique novelty, but it is also a curse at times. This is due to some shortcomings when it comes to the level design. What I mean by this is you have to be very careful about how you design levels with such visuals because players are not going to notice pathways. This results in players becoming easily confused. For example, if there is supposed to be a hole in the fence or a path under a truck, and it is not properly designed, then players are going to miss it. This did happen to me a few times, and it does get annoying when it should have been clear.

Then there is the HUD that can get in the way of the map. It will get in the way at times, and this can get annoying when it is blocking your view. You can adjust its position throughout the game, but this is more of a bandage than an actual solution. I feel like if the game were presented in a widescreen format with the HUD outside the screen boundaries, then this would have been a much better permanent solution.

Mission is a Go

Spy Drops Gaiden is an improvement over its predecessor while also successfully recreating the experience of playing a Game Boy title. It avoids the mistake of the last game and that of handheld titles coming over to a console or PC. Its visual design choices and use of chiptune music take you back to playing the original Game Boy, minus most of the shortcomings. Plus, it is a short game in all the right ways but also rich in replay value, making you come back for more.

Disclaimer: The publisher, through a PR representative, provided the game used for this review.

This review of Spy Drops Gaiden is the thoughts of one critic. If you want to see how other critics felt, check it out on OpenCritic.

8Bit/Digi is an independent news outlet that provides insightful reviews for Bay Area Gamers.

Spy Drops Gaiden (PC)

9

Excellent

9.0/10

Pros

• An improvement over its predecessor in every way possible.
• Recreates the experience of a Game Boy title with little of the flaws.
• Short game time in the right ways but also rich in replay value.
• Solid chiptune soundtrack that knows how to set the moment.

Cons

• Use of a monochrome green and black color palette is a double-edged sword.
• HUD gets in the way while the solution is temporary.