I Expect You To Die 3: Cog in the Machine
- September 28, 2023
- Schell Games
Get on SteamI Expect You To Die 3: Cog in the Machine is a spy-fi puzzle game where you must outwit your adversary, Dr. Roxana Prism, who thinks she can create a better agent. With new gadgets and custom disguises, race through six action-packed locales to protect the Agency and the world. Expect fast-paced missions that will test your advanced covert agent skills.
Reviews
- The game features engaging puzzles and a humorous storyline, maintaining the charm of the previous entries in the series.
- The graphics and audio, including the opening credits, are praised for their quality and creativity, enhancing the overall experience.
- The addition of new mechanics and environments, such as driving a car and interacting with robotic characters, adds freshness to the gameplay.
- Many players found the game to be more frustrating than fun due to an increase in unexpected instant deaths and a lack of checkpoints.
- The story and mission structure were considered weaker compared to the first two games, with some levels feeling tedious and lacking clarity.
- Technical issues, such as bugs and control problems, were frequently mentioned, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- story113 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story in this game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its humor and engaging narrative that builds on previous installments, while others find it lackluster and underwhelming compared to earlier entries. Many reviewers noted that the villain lacks depth and the plot feels sidetracked, particularly with the introduction of new gameplay mechanics like telekinesis. Overall, while the story has its moments and adds to the series, it is often overshadowed by gameplay frustrations and a perceived reduction in mission quality.
“Amazing game, 10/10, great story, and amazing humor, I want the 4th game already.”
“The story, music, and feel is even stronger in this one and I'm getting genuinely invested in the world.”
“Fantastic game with an amazing style and challenging but fun to solve puzzles all wrapped up with an excellent story.”
“The story is bleh, the villain doesn't hold her own (especially not in comparison to John Juniper. Can't even remember her name) and the puzzles, while fun, are missing something, relying more on spectacle than interesting ideas.”
“The story is much weaker than the last two and the ending is extremely unsatisfying.”
“However, we got a story revolving around the telekinesis gameplay feature, which I felt was very underwhelming as the telekinesis itself felt more like a retcon for being able to hoik items back to the player for better VR gameplay, and not a piece of vital information that could be used for a story setting, making this game's story feel more sidetracked compared to the first and second games.”
- music23 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its high quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, often likening it to a James Bond film soundtrack. Notable highlights include an engaging theme song by Haley Reinhart and a collection of memorable tracks that effectively complement the game's spy-thriller atmosphere. While some felt the soundtrack could have been more memorable, the consensus is that the music significantly contributes to the game's charm and immersion.
“You feel like you are trapped in a James Bond opening scene and the music is on par with the real deal too.”
“Great music and visuals that really hammer in the spy-thriller theme of the game and gets you ready for what to expect.”
“Amazing game, amazing story, amazing music.”
“The soundtrack is high quality but wasn't as memorable; the villain is kinda bland and, despite the stakes being high, the final mission didn't have that epic pizzazz that 1 and 2 had.”
“I also encountered more bugs in this game, such as loss of control even though the game appeared to be in focus or the end of level music being extremely loud.”
“You feel like you are trapped in a James Bond opening scene, and the music is on par with the real deal too.”
- gameplay20 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its mechanics, puzzles, and overall fun experience, while others criticize it for frustrating elements, broken mechanics, and a lack of innovation compared to previous installments. Many users noted issues such as game freezing and control problems, which detracted from their enjoyment. Overall, while some found the gameplay engaging and enjoyable, others felt it fell short of expectations, particularly in comparison to earlier titles in the series.
“Great mechanics.”
“The game runs smooth and overall gameplay is a lot of fun.”
“I love the gameplay, the puzzles, and the art; it's all awesome.”
“The mechanics have really not gotten any better (if anything, they feel a bit worse but maybe that's just me), the story was lackluster, the gameplay was really more frustrating than the fun that was the original two games.”
“I really really wanted to like this game, and play it on stream like I have the other two games in the franchise, but every time I've tried I've been stuck with broken mechanics, game freezing, and more often than not my controls freezing up, forcing me to reboot my entire PC just to fix it. This game was not ready for launch, at least on Steam, and I doubt judging by the fact I haven't seen updates that it will ever get the fix I need.”
“However, we got a story revolving around the telekinesis gameplay feature, which I felt was very underwhelming as the telekinesis itself felt more like a retcon for being able to hoik items back to the player for better VR gameplay, and not a piece of vital information that could be used for a story setting, making this game's story feel more sidetracked compared to the first and second games.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics in the game are praised for their vibrant style and consistency with the game's theme, offering a mix of cartoonish visuals and rich detail that enhances the gameplay experience. While some users note that the graphics may not be perfect up close, they effectively support the game's narrative and atmosphere, contributing to a fun and engaging environment. The series has shown significant graphical improvements over time, maintaining a high standard that players appreciate.
“Very fun, challenging puzzles with amazing graphics and story.”
“Spy thriller action adventure story rich beautiful rich graphics and visuals.”
“Deeper puzzles, expanding the world, and great visuals make it an easy recommend.”
“To the cartoonish graphics and the challenging gameplay.”
“7/10 graphics: not the best up close but does the job.”
“Graphically, it's a decent game (in keeping with the humor and style they want to convey).”
- humor13 mentions
- 85 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The humor in "ieytd 3" is a standout feature, blending spy-themed elements with comedic moments that enhance the gameplay experience. While many players appreciate the fun and lightheartedness, some express frustration with technical issues that detract from the overall enjoyment. Overall, the game maintains a balance of humor and challenge, making it a beloved installment in the series.
“Just like ieytd and ieytd 2, ieytd 3 is a spy-themed puzzle box/escape room with humorous elements.”
“Amazing game, 10/10, great story, and amazing humor; I want the 4th game already.”
“Perfect mix of puzzle solving, humor, and even a little bit of adventure.”
“This game is the most antagonistic by far and it's just plain not funny anymore.”
“Then the controls do not work at all if the game window decides to move into the background for whatever reason, that is also not funny when it stops working all of a sudden and adds even more to the frustration level, which is already high.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players consistently highlight the strong replayability of these games, particularly for completionists, due to the abundance of hidden challenges, collectibles, and side missions. The engaging puzzles and humor also contribute to a satisfying experience that encourages multiple playthroughs. Overall, the games offer a wealth of content that keeps players coming back for more.
“These games are always super fun and have surprising replayability, especially if you're a completionist.”
“Another great VR puzzle game from Schell, with lots of jokes, hidden stuff, and extra challenges for replayability.”
“Like its predecessors, however, Cog in the Machine has replayability in the hunt for hidden goals in completed missions!”
“Another great VR puzzle game from Schell, with lots of jokes, hidden stuff, and extra challenges for replayability.”
“I found this to be the hardest of the three games. Some of the challenges in it, once I realized what I was missing, were pure groans. But it was incredibly satisfying once I figured them out. For replayability, I still have a lot to get through in the side missions and collectibles, which I'm looking forward to.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report a strong emotional impact from the game, with many expressing feelings of attachment to characters and experiencing moments of sadness, even shedding tears. The narrative and character development resonate deeply, prompting introspection and emotional engagement, despite some minor gameplay issues. Overall, the game successfully evokes a range of emotions, leaving players wanting more.
“This game was just what I needed right now, and I'm so sad that I finished it already. It was so fun, and I have to admit I did shed a tear.”
“Made me feel stupid, made me question my sexuality, made me cry a little because I got too attached to the antagonist. They hit us with the scenes and stuff; very good game.”
“I was thoroughly charmed; every level made me feel excited when they described it and delivered on what I expected.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with numerous bugs and glitches reported by users. Players also face increased difficulty due to a lack of checkpoints, leading to frustrating experiences where they must restart entire levels after dying.
“Very buggy!”
“The difficulty has been upped (expect to die not just a few times but just about every time you try anything other than the exact path the devs have plotted out for you), there's still no checkpoints to offer any kind of mercy (meaning yes, you can die on the last puzzle of a level and have to do the entire thing over again from the start), and now, just for fun, there's a whole host of glitches too.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to lengthy cutscenes that interrupt gameplay and hinder speedrun attempts. The repetitive nature of these cutscenes can make the grinding experience feel excessively time-consuming.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The levels are all broken up by lengthy cutscenes which are not bad on their own, but become extremely tedious when trying for the speedrun achievements, as you have to sit through the same 2-minute long speech multiple times.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While the game itself is enjoyable, players have noted significant issues with the control settings for the Valve Index controller, indicating that the optimization appears to favor the Quest controller instead.
“The game is fantastic, but the control settings for the Valve Index controller need improvement; it seems like the optimization was primarily focused on the Quest controller.”
“The optimization of the game enhances the overall experience, making it smoother and more enjoyable.”
“I appreciate how the developers have prioritized optimization, resulting in better performance and responsiveness during gameplay.”
“The game itself is great, but the control settings for the Valve Index controller are poorly optimized; it feels like they only focused on the Quest controller.”
“The optimization for different controllers is lacking, making it frustrating to play on anything other than the Quest.”
“While the game has potential, the optimization issues with the controls significantly detract from the overall experience.”
