Death to Spies

About

"Death to Spies" is a stealth-based tactical shooter game set in World War II. As a Red Army intelligence officer, players infiltrate enemy territories, complete assassination missions, and gather intel behind enemy lines. The game features a variety of weapons, realistic stealth and combat mechanics, and a range of customizable skills for the protagonist, Captain Semion Strogov.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

71%

Audience ScoreBased on 578 reviews

story40 positive mentions

stability49 negative mentions

The game offers a unique WW2 setting with a focus on stealth gameplay, reminiscent of the Hitman series.
Players appreciate the level design and the variety of ways to complete missions, allowing for creative approaches.
The game provides a challenging experience for stealth enthusiasts, with a rewarding sense of accomplishment when missions are successfully completed.

The game is plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, including issues with camera control and character movement, making it frustrating to play.
Many players find the AI behavior inconsistent, leading to unfair detection and difficulty spikes that can detract from the experience.
The graphics and overall polish feel dated, which can impact immersion and enjoyment for modern gamers.

story
268 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
82%
3%
The game's story revolves around Semion Strogov, a Soviet spy reliving his missions during World War II, but it is often described as fragmented and lacking depth, serving primarily as a backdrop for the gameplay. While some players appreciate the historical context and the standalone nature of each mission, many criticize the plot for being basic and the voice acting for being subpar. Overall, the narrative does not significantly enhance the experience, with most players focusing more on the challenging and varied mission gameplay rather than the story itself.
- “The story is a bit fragmented as you are reliving the memories of a SMERSH operative called Semion Strogov who can pass himself off as either a Russian, German, British, or American; he is truly the ultimate spy.”
- “We learn something about real SMERSH and you will get a good story with flashbacks that make sense. The missions are amazing, there are many ways to complete them, and I love that you can pick your own gear in most missions.”
- “The game is set in the context of an interrogation by a Russian intelligence officer of the protagonist, Semion Strogov, as he recalls several missions he was involved in during WWII, in various different countries and with different goals.”
- “The plot is basically nonexistent, the voice acting is garbage and the gameplay (although funny at times) is mediocre at best.”
- “That isn't a spoiler, as the story is completely worthless and adds virtually nothing to the experience, it's just there to provide context.”
- “The story and characters aren't really as interesting sadly as it's a very basic interview but the missions themselves are either historically adapted or based upon making it a treat for fellow historians.”
gameplay
90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
69%
9%
The gameplay of "Death to Spies" is a mix of traditional and social stealth mechanics, drawing comparisons to the Hitman series, with a focus on improvisation and strategic use of disguises. While some players appreciate its challenging and engaging mechanics, others criticize the game for its clunky controls, numerous bugs, and lack of polish, which can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the gameplay is seen as niche, appealing primarily to fans of hardcore stealth games, but may not resonate with a broader audience due to its dated mechanics and technical issues.
- “Gameplay is really great, it's easy to understand especially when you play the tutorial which is worth playing since there are some mechanics that you may not know at first.”
- “Death to Spy plays like the original Hitman: Codename 47, which is a bit hard in terms of the mechanics and gameplay, but that's the charm of it.”
- “Gameplay is a mix of traditional stealth and social stealth with a threat meter to indicate how quickly foes and civilians detect you depending on what you're doing, what you're wearing, what is equipped, and if you have the right papers.”
- “The plot is basically nonexistent, the voice acting is garbage and the gameplay (although funny at times) is mediocre at best.”
- “Couple all of that with the numerous gameplay issues such as crashes, keyboard commands deciding not to work, the game simply not starting on some systems, and to cap it all the cheats don't even work.”
- “What makes the game so frustrating at times is its restrictive gameplay elements.”
graphics
69 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
62%
12%
The graphics of the game are generally considered dated, reflecting its 2007 release, with many users noting that they have not aged well and can appear primitive or glitchy. Despite this, some players find the visuals acceptable for an older title, appreciating the game's performance and atmosphere, while others express a desire for graphical improvements in potential remakes or updates. Overall, while the graphics may not impress, they do not significantly detract from the gameplay experience.
- “Classic, crash free, no need for an additional launcher, beautiful graphics, and performs very well.”
- “The open world and visuals are fantastic, with military stealth missions where you can swap clothing and weapons on the spot.”
- “The graphics can be convincing at times, and are above average for a small-studio game from 2009.”
- “The graphics were the biggest turn off for me at first.”
- “The graphics are glitchy and primitive.”
- “It is true, that its graphics aren't that impressive since this is an old game which released back in 2007.”
stability
49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is widely criticized for its numerous bugs and glitches, which many players find to be game-breaking, particularly during the tutorial and early missions. While some users report that certain glitches can be amusing or even beneficial, the overall consensus is that the stability issues significantly detract from the gameplay experience, rendering it unplayable for many. Despite potential improvements through settings adjustments, the game's stability remains a major concern for players.
- “Potentially great game destroyed completely by terrible bugs and glitches.”
- “What a buggy mess of a game, could not even get past the training, kept getting stuck and the targets were invisible.”
- “As much as I really want to play this game, it is simply too unplayable thanks to horrendous glitches and bugs.”
replayability
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
56%
19%
The game's replayability is mixed, with some players appreciating the variety of tactics and loadouts available for each mission, allowing for multiple playstyles. However, others feel that it lacks the depth and longevity found in similar titles like Hitman, leading to a perception of lower overall replay value. Overall, while there are opportunities for varied gameplay, the game's relatively short length and mission design may limit long-term engagement.
- “Each mission seems to have a lot of replay value; there are many ways to go about things.”
- “At the time of me typing this, I have run-and-gunned my way through 3 missions in 9 hours (though I did make it my mission to kill all the Nazis on all of those maps, even the ones that were out of the way). Plus, these levels are highly replayable, as you can choose your loadout at the start.”
- “Open spaces and infinite replayability with different tactics, stealth or bloodbath; you can do it all, but being silent is the best.”
- “Gonna say that Death to Spies has less replayability than Hitman, but if you want something Hitman-like while waiting for the new one to come out, you should have bought it during the stealth sale; it was pretty damn cheap.”
- “Replayability: low”
- “My only complaints are that it's relatively short (especially Moment of Truth) and that missions don't seem to have as much replayability as in Hitman.”
humor
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is often highlighted as a standout feature, with players finding it both broken and hilarious, particularly when mastering the controls leads to amusing gameplay moments. While the plot and voice acting are criticized, the unpredictable AI adds to the comedic experience, making it enjoyable for fans of the Hitman series. Overall, the game is recommended for its funny moments, despite its mediocre gameplay.
- “It's like Hitman, but broken and hilarious.”
- “In any case, the game is very funny if you can master the controls and complete some levels.”
- “This game is very well done and funny at times, providing a different approach to the mission every time because the AI is unpredictable in a very funny and good way. I would recommend it any time of the week for those who love Hitman 1 and 2.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with many users noting its beauty and immersive quality reminiscent of classic stealth games. Reviewers appreciate the significant improvements made to the overall ambiance, enhancing the gaming experience and expressing a desire for further graphical enhancements through DLC.
- “Levels' atmosphere is great, and the game mechanics will remind you of some of the most iconic old-school stealth games.”
- “This game is worth playing, with a beautiful in-game atmosphere. I also want DLC for graphic improvement!”
- “I especially like the overall atmosphere.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find that the grinding aspect of the game becomes tedious and unfun after the initial missions, leading to a loss of charm and enjoyment as they progress. Many reviewers express frustration with the repetitive nature of gameplay, particularly beyond the third mission.
- “This game loses its charm after the 3rd mission; from then on, it's tedious and unfun.”
- “I had a lot of fun in the first few levels, but it just gets too tedious towards the end.”
- “Simply put - awful and tedious!!!”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
17%
33%
The music in the game is described as limited and generally acceptable, with some users noting that the intro music is excessively loud. While the audio quality is decent, it serves better as background for other content, such as Slavic music or podcasts. Overall, the soundtrack does not stand out significantly but complements the gameplay adequately.
- “It's also good for listening to Slavic music or podcasts in the background.”
- “Graphics are dated but still look nice and run smoothly while the audio and soundtrack are alright too, but are very limited.”
- “Oh yeah, and the music in the intros is incredibly loud, so you've got that to enjoy whenever you launch the game.”
- “The audio and soundtrack are alright too but are very limited.”
- “The music in the intros is incredibly loud, so you've got that to enjoy whenever you launch the game.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is well-optimized, running smoothly on older and weaker hardware, making it accessible to a wider range of players.
- “The game is undemanding and runs smoothly even on older or weaker rigs.”