Quick, start humming the Mission: Impossible theme song as you read the intro to this preview. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to join the ranks of a covert espionage organization tasked with eliminating threats to the world. A new weapon of mass destruction has been found and deployed, and it’s up to you to stop it at any cost. Granted, this sounds like just about any other stealth action title on the market from the past few years, but there’s more than meets the eye with Sammy’s latest game. Grab your gadgets and get ready as we infiltrate Spy Fiction. This message will self destruct in 5…4…3… Ok, miniature explosions aside, the comparisons between Spy Fiction and the IMF squad aren’t too far from the truth. Players choose to play either Billy Bishop or Sheila Crawford, members of an elite counterterrorism group called Phantom (most probably because of their stealth and infiltration “talents” - more on that later). Phantom’s latest target is a mysterious organization known as Enigma, seemingly led by a bombastic figure known as Dietrich Troy. Enigma’s discovered a new doomsday weapon called Lahder that it’s threatening to unleash on the world. Supposedly the weapon is so incredibly powerful that millions of people would immediately die within seconds of detonation. Obviously, this outcome is unacceptable, so Billy and Sheila, along with the rest of their squad, are sent to eliminate Enigma and stop Lahder in its tracks. Billy and Sheila aren’t like other operatives that you’d find it typical stealth action titles. Sure, they have plenty of guns and explosives: Either one is as comfortable packing silenced pistols and automatic rifles as they are hurling grenades. However, what spy movie (or game, for that matter) would be complete without gadgets? Spy Fiction is packed with a myriad of items that you’ll use, ranging from spider grips to climb up walls to stun guns in shavers and flares in cigarettes. No matter how cool these devices are, Billy and Sheila will come to rely on their uniform for their stealth and infiltration work. The camouflage suit allows them to blend into their surroundings completely with an effect similar to that seen in the Predator movies. There is a danger, however, because if a guard sees the agents triggering the technology, they’ll continually be able to detect their presence. The uniform can also be used to provide new outfits and disguises for Billy and Sheila to wear that completely mask their outside identity to other people. The 3DA camera that both agents pack can be used to take clothing only or whole body pictures of anyone. What’s cool about this is that you can hide in a barrel or closet, and your suit will replicate an exact copy of the picture, giving you a new wardrobe or identity. Remember the pull away facial masks used by Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible? Now you can extend that to your entire body, allowing you to stroll through secure areas as guards, nameless workers, even the heads of the terrorist organization itself. Again, there is a catch: if you wind up doing something out of the ordinary for your disguise, such as attacking another guard or coming too close to someone’s personal space, they may search you or even blow your cover. Spy Fiction’s anime-influenced style, coupled with some smooth animation, is a creative twist on the stealth genre, which is often more realistically presented. What’s more, some of the visual effects, particularly disappearing via cloaking into the background and forcibly ripping off a disguise, look awesome. While the voice acting does seem a little overdramatic, it does feel somewhat appropriate to the plot, which seems larger than life. We’ll be keeping our eyes out for Spy Fiction when it infiltrates stores later this month, so check back soon for a full review! Questions or comments about the upcoming release of Spy Fiction for the PlayStation 2? Talk to us! [ E-Mail Jeff 'Linkphreak' Haynes ] [ Comment in our Forums ]

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