Need to Know

About

"Need to Know is a single-player simulation game with an intriguing story, set in a modern intelligence agency. Players must spy on civilians, make moral choices, and can choose to aid underground groups or use classified information for personal gain. However, the game is reported to have lots of grinding and bugs, affecting the overall gameplay experience."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

66%

Audience ScoreBased on 262 reviews

story66 positive mentions

stability16 negative mentions

Engaging storyline that explores themes of surveillance and morality.
Interesting gameplay mechanics that require players to analyze and connect evidence.
Active developer support with regular updates addressing bugs and gameplay issues.

Clunky and unintuitive user interface that makes navigation and gameplay frustrating.
Lack of clear tutorials and instructions, leading to confusion about game mechanics.
Bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay and lead to frustrating experiences.

story
248 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
68%
6%
The game's story is generally engaging and well-written, exploring themes of surveillance and moral dilemmas, but it suffers from a linear structure that often gives the illusion of choice without meaningful consequences. While some players appreciate the depth and character development, many criticize the repetitive missions and unclear objectives that detract from the overall narrative experience. Despite its flaws, the story's intriguing premise and connection to real-world issues keep players invested, with some expressing a desire for a sequel that offers a more non-linear approach.
- “The story is very compelling, also the music lets you dive into the game.”
- “I love how detailed and rich the story is and how many choices you get to make as a player.”
- “The core gameplay loop is pretty nice when you get different mission types or advancements in the story, but when you spread it over so many hours it becomes boring anyway.”
- “The story is completely linear and you only have an illusion of choice with the dialogue.”
- “Presents itself as a game with choices but railroads you, doesn't allow you to choose your stance in the story and ultimately doesn't give you real freedom.”
- “The story progresses with no input on your part, if you don't count one or two inconsequential lines of dialogue being different.”
gameplay
114 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
59%
11%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its repetitive nature and occasional bugs that hinder the experience. While some appreciate the core mechanics and find enjoyment in the investigative aspects reminiscent of games like "Papers, Please," others criticize the lack of variety and clarity in gameplay, leading to feelings of tedium over extended play sessions. Overall, the game offers a unique premise and engaging story, but its execution leaves room for improvement, particularly in terms of gameplay depth and user interface.
- “The hacking/surveillance gameplay is trickier and more exacting than similar games, and the material for which you're looking and the type of people you're investigating varies from day to day.”
- “Great gameplay concept and the profiling aspects are really interesting - a lot of thought has been put into these elements and I enjoyed seeing what I'd get access to next.”
- “The gameplay is involving, and I like the time-trial aspect of it.”
- “The gameplay is repetitive, and some of the mechanics were a bit frustrating; it's definitely not for everyone.”
- “The gameplay at the beginning of the game is fairly dull, a strange mix of taking it easy on you while also explaining nothing about what you're meant to be doing.”
- “Extremely slow and boring gameplay.”
graphics
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
57%
14%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the unique art style and high-quality visuals that enhance gameplay mechanics. However, some users report technical issues, such as glitches and a lack of clarity in certain missions, which detracts from the overall experience. Overall, while the art direction is generally well-received, there are concerns about the balance between visual appeal and gameplay functionality.
- “The game is beautiful - I loved the interface and the art style.”
- “Graphically, this game is unique in the way it focuses on the mechanics and uses the art direction to enhance them.”
- “The graphic art style of this game is great.”
- “I'm less a fan of the graphics, but the story may also be more developed.”
- “Seems like a weird style choice along with half-hiding the graphics for home/office/etc. There are a couple of missions where I had to write down data or take pictures of the screen to correlate data between people because there wasn’t a good way of doing this in-game.”
- “I think the developers put more money into the visuals than actually programming the game!”
music
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
26%
16%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising the soundtrack as beautiful and well-composed, enhancing the overall experience. However, some players find certain sound effects repetitive and annoying, particularly during specific missions. Overall, while the soundtrack is generally appreciated, there are notable criticisms regarding its execution and volume levels.
- “The soundtrack was beautiful, truly well composed.”
- “Monomyth games have presented a strong stylized experience with some of the best music I have heard in an indie production for a long time!”
- “The quality writing and soundtrack combined with good formula make this a fun and immersive game.”
- “Music isn't as great though.”
- “Play it with other background music; the repetitive sound effects are rough.”
- “The music was bad, the dialogue was worse, and the story ruins any fun that could be had from the 'searching for bad guys' aspect of it.”
stability
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has been a significant concern among users, with many reporting frequent bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay and user experience. While some players note that minor issues have improved over time, the overall interface remains problematic and unintuitive, detracting from the game's potential enjoyment. Despite these challenges, there is hope that ongoing updates will address these stability issues in the future.
- “The UI elements are buggy and in the way almost every day.”
- “I'd love to recommend this game, but the UI is beyond buggy and non-functional in some areas.”
- “Great concept, but the game is a buggy mess right now.”
grinding
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
91%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and repetitive, often requiring significant time investment without meaningful progression. Many reviewers express frustration with the lack of engaging mechanics and the cumbersome nature of certain missions, leading to a generally negative perception of the grinding experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “At first they were alright but it got really tedious once you had to balance between 3 sellers.”
- “The after work missions get extremely tedious.”
- “I had to restart multiple levels because the data I was pulling wasn’t right and this is already a very lengthy game where there isn’t a meaningful change in mechanics, so it was feeling really tedious by this point.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
50%
Overall, users report that the game's optimization is solid, with a well-designed UI that has improved significantly since the beta. Regular updates from the developers have led to noticeable enhancements in performance and interface, although some players feel that the scripted progression detracts from the experience.
- “I saw in a couple of cases I could just approve everyone very quickly and my performance would still be good.”
- “Also, for now, Monomyth is updating things pretty regularly and making noticeable differences to the performance and interface for what you need to know.”
- “The UI is well-optimized (especially when compared to the beta).”
- “The UI is well-optimized, especially when compared to the beta.”
- “Initially, I thought you moved through the levels according to your performance, but unfortunately, it's all scripted.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating its witty moments, such as amusing character names and clever codex entries. Despite some flaws, the humor contributes to a rewarding experience, suggesting that a shorter game length might have enhanced overall enjoyment.
- “Good humor, a rewarding experience!”
- “The codex facts are kind of funny sometimes, and the little Easter egg info bits are a nice touch.”
- “Although it is pretty funny when a woman with long blonde hair comes up with the name Rick (or something to that effect).”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, contributing significantly to its overall computerized feel and enhancing the enjoyment of both the environment and storyline. Reviewers find it immersive and engaging, adding depth to the gaming experience.
- “The game contributes well to the overall computerized atmosphere.”
- “It has a wonderful atmosphere.”
- “I'm really enjoying the atmosphere and storyline.”
- “The atmosphere feels overly sterile and lacks any real emotional depth.”
- “Despite the game's setting, the atmosphere is surprisingly bland and uninspired.”
- “The ambiance is inconsistent, making it hard to immerse myself in the game world.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game is noted for its low replayability value, suggesting that players may not find enough incentive to revisit it after completing the main content.
- “The game has a low replayability value, making it hard to justify multiple playthroughs.”
- “Once you complete the game, there's little incentive to go back and play it again.”
- “The lack of varied outcomes and choices significantly reduces the replayability.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game effectively evokes strong emotions and conflicts, showcasing its quality as a piece of media or art. It resonates particularly well with players interested in themes of surveillance, politics, culture, and RPGs.
- “The game made me feel conflict and emotion, which is indicative of an excellent work of media or art. If you are interested in surveillance, politics, culture, RPGs, or conflict, this game is for you.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Character development is criticized for its lack of depth, with only two characters available and poor design limiting player engagement and investment in their stories.
- “Character design is poor, offering only two different characters.”
- “The lack of depth in character development makes it hard to connect with the story.”
- “There are minimal options for character customization, which limits player expression.”