An exciting spy extraction shooter

On the heels of an unsuspecting rival spy, gunfire echoes in the distance. The package we all tried to steal under tight security is now gone, sparking ruthless scuffles over the underwater hotel. These players didn’t know that I’ve been keeping tabs on the owner since they took him out of the vault.

Play aggressively cheat inc is a viable strategy; Deliberately turning the tables at the finish line, however, is deadly – albeit sweeter than messily spraying bullets to squeeze out a win. I nailed the parcel carrier into the dome with my sniper rifle as they called the getaway vehicle, snatched what was rightfully mine and left the scene unscathed.

I found cheat inc Challenging, immersive and quirky at every turn, although the limited launch supply leaves hope for further growth as it has huge potential. Here is our rating:

Released March 21st cheat inc is a sophisticated extraction shooter fused with spy trick by developer Sweet Bandits Studios and published under Tripwire Interactive. Players can disguise themselves as NPCs through multi-level maps to breach a seemingly impregnable vault behind layers of security, and hop between different disguises to maneuver around discreetly.

Throw in up to nine rival players with the same skills and goal, and the stakes will naturally increase.

The game offers a remarkable twist on the extraction shooter recipe through its map phases, spy beats, and tasteful playable characters. There are hardly any boring moments cheat inc Once you get going, the background music swells as the heat builds.

Chavez, a spy who wants to leave his undercover lifestyle behind, is one of the eight playable characters. Bursting with personality with relaxed quotes, he uses a gold locket with an image of his daughters to trigger his unique ability and become invincible for a short time at the sight of his family.

The personalities and little snippets of history about the spies manage to string together a narrative beyond the games and reveal that the characters have lives not unlike that in Brave or surveillance 2.

Each spy plays differently enough to justify unlocking more with in-game currency earned in games, but you can stick with your favorites for powerful rewards.

The progression loop on cheat inc is commonplace for multiplayer live service games: take part in matches, earn experience points and climb a meter to get random loot boxes with cosmetics and upgrades.

Almost every level on the narrow character rewards track was transformative, granting new versions of spy abilities and weapon variants. Increasing my account level gave me gadgets like a mimic scanner to transform into potted plants and a bulletproof umbrella to provide cover.

Mastering the layout of the four zones in the game is equally engrossing. Pathways across the maps range from winding hallways, secret passages triggered by framed paintings, and hotel rooms with windows you can jump out of for a hasty retreat.

cheat inc. is fantastic, but starts to tear at the seams as players push through games. Aggressive play is fair game, but it can negate the title’s spy identity.

Within the first minute of a new game, I was stopped by an enemy spy, engaging others who were just as trigger-happy in a massive gunfight that reduced the player count to three. Deaths this way ultimately feel frustrating and disappointing.

There is no way to get back into the game after an early death, so I was forced to start over and try my luck again. Newer players are likely to fall into this annoying pattern as they learn the ropes, and this may put some off.

The game is also missing some core features that would make it more user-friendly: private matchmaking, toggleable loadout presets, and a better UI showing what players have unlocked after leveling up.

But the worst is that cheat inc starts to feel naked once you’ve experienced it all.

There are no other game modes to spice up the formula between maps, meaning players will go through identical matches until they get bored with the progression. The lack of compelling replayability is a massive issue that will hurt its longevity.

Play exclusively cheat inc For a few weeks to master it, you may have nothing substantial to unlock and the gameplay may feel stale.

Understandably, cheat inc is still a young title but could definitely use more content, balance updates and events. At its core, it’s insanely fun and any player willing to take the plunge could become addicted once everything clicks, but hopefully it’s progressing at a good pace.

cheat inc is available now for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC (via Steam).