SPECTRE
- July 24, 2023
- Symbiosis Games
Get on Steam"Spectre" is a competitive multiplayer shooter game, where players can join either the SPECTRES or the REAPERS. SPECTRES are stealthy spies infiltrating well-protected compounds, while REAPERS are heavily-armed former U.S. Marines providing counter-measures. The game features both first and third-person action gameplay, and players must rely on their teammates to complete objectives and avoid detection. Failure is not an option for either side in this thrilling, intense experience.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game captures the nostalgic feel of the classic Spies vs Mercs gameplay, providing a fun experience for fans of the original series.
- The developers are very active in the community, quickly addressing bugs and implementing patches, showing a commitment to improving the game.
- There is significant potential for the game to evolve into a great experience, especially for those who enjoy the stealth and strategy elements of the genre.
- The game is currently plagued by numerous bugs, performance issues, and clunky controls, making it difficult to enjoy.
- There is a lack of a player base, leading to challenges in finding matches and a feeling of being 'dead on arrival'.
- The game was released in an unfinished state, lacking essential features like a tutorial, proper matchmaking, and intuitive controls, which has disappointed many players.
- optimization12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has been widely criticized, with many players reporting significant performance issues regardless of their hardware, including high-end GPUs like the RTX 3090 and 3080. While some users have noted improvements following patches, others still experience low framerates and various technical problems, suggesting that further optimization is necessary for a smoother gameplay experience.
“The game has received two patches already since launch, and the performance issues are largely gone.”
“It is worth noting, while others are experiencing performance issues, I experienced nothing of the sort with an RTX 3080, i7 9700K, 32GB RAM playing at 1440p.”
“Quick fix is dropping blur and shadow quality then setting the DLSS to performance.”
“Performance is abysmal for no reason with an RTX 2070/i7 8700, like sub 30 fps bad.”
“Optimization is terrible; I run an RTX 3060 Ti, Ryzen 7 5800X, and 32GB of RAM, and this game struggles to reach 100 fps even using options like FSR and DLSS, which don't seem to work consistently.”
“Terrible performance (the main menu totally glitches), PlayStation controller prompts everywhere, video settings do not save, if you click 'tutorial' you're sent to some YouTube channel to watch low-quality videos, bad keybinds, non-existent sound effects, bad animations, bad textures, the prompt to hack when playing as a specter works only half of the time, extremely short matches, dead lobbies, huge file size; the list goes on.”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of opinions, with some praising the core mechanics and entertaining gameplay loop, while others criticize the clunky and unrefined movement and traversal systems. The game's visuals are noted as a strong point, but significant design issues, particularly in movement mechanics, detract from the overall experience, leading some to recommend alternative games for a better cat-and-mouse experience.
“It's got good core mechanics, the visuals are beautifully dark, and it's just overall fun.”
“It's gameplay is entertaining and repeatable, and I think it's going to be worth it to stick around and see where this goes.”
“The fun gameplay loop of SVM is there.”
“Criticism is responded to with egotistical or condescending remarks if you don't like how a certain mechanic works or if you compare it to how a mechanic works in other games.”
“The movement mechanics in the game are clunky at best, and broken at worst.”
“The climbing mechanics - which you will be utilizing a lot as a spy - feel unrefined and imprecise.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics are generally well-received, featuring a beautifully dark art style, though some users find it a bit unusual. While the core visuals are praised, there are reports of graphical bugs and issues, particularly for users with AMD cards, alongside problems with menu settings not saving. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's fun factor, despite some technical hiccups.
“The visuals are beautifully dark, and it's just overall fun.”
“The art style is good.”
“Right off the bat, I noticed none of the menu settings besides graphics quality will save.”
“I have some graphical issues that may be related to me having an AMD card, and one of the devs and the community in Discord are actively trying to help me.”
“There are a few graphics bugs and bad controls.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs and glitches that render it nearly unplayable, particularly in its early access state. Many attribute these issues to the small development team, leading to a frustrating experience reminiscent of older titles but marred by technical problems.
“It's not even playable; it's so buggy and just janky. Do not waste your money.”
“It's also buggy currently as it's in early access, and it is a small dev team.”
“It would play nearly identically to DA: SVM on 360 if not for all the bugs and glitches.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of intentional comedic moments and unintentional hilarity stemming from bugs, frame rate issues, and awkward animations. Players find the combination of these elements both refreshing and entertaining, often leading to laughter despite the game's technical shortcomings.
“There are bugs and some funny things that happen.”
“Expect frame rate issues, bugs, funny animations, and some clunky movement, but also some hilarious moments already recreated, and man, is it refreshing.”
“Absolutely awful, I was laughing the entire time.”
- story2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is still in its early stages and requires significant development, but it successfully evokes tension and excitement, reminiscent of classic multiplayer experiences. However, technical issues, such as the settings window freezing after missions, detract from the overall experience.
“The story is incredibly engaging, drawing me in with its rich characters and unexpected twists.”
“I felt a deep emotional connection to the narrative, which kept me invested in the outcome of the characters.”
“The world-building is exceptional, creating a vivid backdrop that enhances the overall storytelling experience.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviewers note that the game successfully captures a compelling atmosphere that resonates with players, enhancing their overall experience.
“This game captures an incredible atmosphere that immerses you completely.”
“The atmosphere in this game is hauntingly beautiful, drawing you into its world.”
“Every detail contributes to an atmosphere that feels both alive and eerie.”
“The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players.”
“Despite the game's potential, the atmosphere is dull and fails to evoke any real emotion.”
“The world feels lifeless, with minimal environmental details that detract from the overall experience.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with users noting that controller support is not fully optimized and that certain features, like ad sensitivity for reapers, require separate adjustments.
- music1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's music and sound effects have been criticized for being lackluster and not fitting the overall vibe, particularly during the hacking segments, which are described as overly simplistic and unengaging.
“The game music and sound effects are lame and don't match the overall vibe, especially during the hacking part. The sounds are just 'beep boop, beep boop'—I mean, what is that?”
