Master Spy

About

Master Spy is a single player arcade platformer game. It was developed by TURBOGUN and was released on September 8, 2015. It received positive reviews from both critics and players.

Throw on your invisibility cloak and put your reflexes to the test in this brutal precision platformer brimming with espionage, intrigue, and betrayal! Featuring an Original Soundtrack by Grammy Award Winner RAC.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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80%

Audience ScoreBased on 348 reviews

music155 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

The game features beautiful pixel art and well-made cutscenes that enhance the overall experience.
The soundtrack is fantastic, with many players praising its quality and how it complements the gameplay.
Master Spy offers a challenging yet fair gameplay experience, appealing to fans of precision platformers.

The game is extremely difficult, often requiring pixel-perfect precision, which can lead to frustration for many players.
Some players have reported issues with unresponsive controls, making the challenging gameplay feel unfair at times.
The level design can become tedious, with some levels feeling overly punishing and lacking in variety.

music
227 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
31%
1%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its energetic and catchy soundtrack that complements the gameplay and enhances the overall experience. The chiptune and electronic tracks are noted for their nostalgic appeal, reminiscent of classic 80s and 90s gaming, and are considered a major draw for players. While some found the music slightly repetitive over time, the majority agree that it significantly elevates the game's atmosphere and is worth purchasing as a standalone soundtrack.
- “The music alone is worth the full price of this game!”
- “The soundtrack is a stunner all of its own and eases a lot of the frustration, and is worth springing for at any price.”
- “The game cultivates the feel of being an expert espionage agent, not through in-depth stealth mechanics, but through the act of fluidly breezing through deadly security setups with speed and finesse, where one misstep will spell failure and you're constantly under pressure, all set to the background of a smooth and cool spy soundtrack.”
- “The music and graphics are just okay, nothing really interesting in the art style, and the music consists of rip-offs of the Mission Impossible theme.”
- “The music and sound effects are annoying after a couple of levels, and the missions are far too same old same.”
- “My only complaint is there's no way to lower sound effect volume to hear the soundtrack louder; the only audio option is enable/disable.”
gameplay
148 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
64%
5%
The gameplay of "Master Spy" is characterized by its simple mechanics—primarily jumping and cloaking—yet it offers a fresh experience through well-designed levels that introduce new challenges. While some players appreciate the precision platforming and stealth elements, others find the difficulty frustrating and the gameplay can feel repetitive. Overall, it appeals to those who enjoy trial-and-error gameplay and nostalgic aesthetics, though it may not be suitable for everyone due to its challenging nature.
- “Master Spy will charm you with its beautiful pixel art along with its great soundtracks, then hook you in with its fun and unique gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is challenging but not punishing, and winning can feel rewarding as hell.”
- “Master Spy captures the essence of old platformers perfectly, while adding a stealth element to the gameplay, resulting in a unique blend of platforming and puzzle solving.”
- “To me, those trailers are really misleading since they show such short, quick clips of gameplay that don't convey what playing the game is like on a moment-to-moment basis.”
- “The very cool ambiance of the cutscenes doesn't carry over to the gameplay where you spend most of your time watching pixel people walk left and right until you can finally succeed that jump...on the 200th attempt.”
- “The gameplay would have been considered archaic on a ZX Spectrum.”
story
136 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
62%
7%
The game's story is often described as a captivating yet cliché 80s espionage narrative, enhanced by well-crafted cutscenes and retro pixel art that evoke a nostalgic feel. While some players found the plot engaging and entertaining, others criticized it for being simplistic or anticlimactic, with gameplay frustrations overshadowing the storytelling experience. Overall, the combination of a fun, cheesy plot and stylish presentation keeps many players invested, even if the gameplay can be punishingly difficult.
- “It tells a decently intriguing story to keep you interested while kicking your ass with its incredibly challenging levels.”
- “The presentation of this game is absolutely top-notch, with some clean and detailed retro graphics, upbeat and catchy music, varied environments with immense background detail, and a very simple yet engaging plot portrayed through fluidly animated cutscenes.”
- “Finally, props to them for giving this game a really awesome story with around 30 minutes or so of actual story scenes.”
- “The gameplay is acceptable but the story was... terrible.”
- “There is no story to speak of that could keep you interested in-game, and the level design is too boring.”
- “Great story can make a game, boring story can be passable, but when the story just wants you to say '...what' '...why' or '...ok' constantly you just keep asking yourself 'well hopefully it will explain.'”
graphics
118 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
36%
3%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their retro pixel art style, effectively capturing the aesthetic of late '80s and early '90s Japanese animation. Many reviewers highlight the beautiful cutscenes and detailed environments, which enhance the overall experience, while some note that the visuals align well with the game's narrative and theme. However, a few critiques mention that despite the appealing graphics, the gameplay can detract from the overall enjoyment.
- “The graphics, artwork suited the game, OST was spot on and the whole package lends to the badass spy story rather well.”
- “The presentation of this game is absolutely top-notch, with some clean and detailed retro graphics, upbeat and catchy music, varied environments with immense background detail, and a very simple yet engaging plot portrayed through fluidly animated cutscenes.”
- “The graphics and soundtrack are phenomenal and a real pleasure for anyone looking for a genuine retro gaming experience.”
- “Mechanically and in graphical style, this game could have been on the NES and would have been a great game back then too, even with the limitations of that platform.”
- “Everything from the character movement, levels, mechanics, enemies, and graphics could be better, in my opinion.”
- “These developers clearly went for an ‘80s aesthetic so that they could be excused for working only within ‘80s limitations; deliberately gimping themselves and preventing the title from doing anything more impressive than the arcades did in the first place.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
20%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised, characterized by a perfect blend of retro graphics, an excellent soundtrack, and well-executed cutscenes that create a mysterious and immersive experience. Reviewers highlight the atmosphere as a standout feature, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the brutal yet fair precision platforming gameplay.
- “The story, stages, and atmosphere are all done perfectly.”
- “Brutal but fun and fair precision platformer with great atmosphere and dedicated developers worth supporting.”
- “The cutscenes, music, and sound effects work together very well to set a mysterious atmosphere.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game increasingly tedious as they progress, with levels becoming more challenging in a way that shifts the experience from a fast-paced platformer to a frustrating puzzle game. Many users report losing motivation to continue due to the repetitive nature of the gameplay, leading to a sense of annoyance rather than enjoyment. Despite this, some players persist through the grind, noting that there are harder modes and additional content available.
- “I went in expecting a skill/reflex based, fast paced platformer and what I got was a tedious, and honestly annoying puzzle game.”
- “But most players will have already quit by then, because it's really difficult to stay motivated to play that very tedious game.”
- “It took me probably a little long to beat novice mode at 5.7 hours, as I kept grinding through levels even when my execution was slacking badly.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game has mixed opinions on replayability; while some users note that it is short but offers replayable levels and good value for its price, others feel that it lacks significant replayability. Overall, it seems to provide some replay value, but it may not be enough to sustain long-term interest.
- “Not much replayability.”
- “It is a rather short game, but it's also pretty cheap and I feel it warrants the price tag, and all the levels are replayable.”
- “A lot of replay value.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed, with some players appreciating the unique pacifist gameplay and stealth mechanics, while others find the story confusing and lacking clarity, leading to a sense of frustration rather than emotional engagement. Overall, the narrative leaves players questioning and hoping for better explanations, which detracts from the emotional experience.
- “A great story can make a game, a boring story can be passable, but when the story just wants you to say '...what' '...why' or '...ok' constantly, you just keep asking yourself, 'well hopefully it will explain.'”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally perceived as lacking, with many users noting that while the jokes may not land effectively, the overall concept is still understood.
- “Okay, not funny, but you get the idea.”
- “Okay, not funny, but you get the idea.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews do not provide any specific insights on the game's optimization, focusing instead on the soundtrack's appeal to fans of musical performances.