101) Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise (2015)

Originally released for iOS and Android in 2015 and 2016 respectively, Agent A made its way to consoles in 2019. Featuring artwork inspired by the works of Shag and Kevin Dart, Agent A is a relatively short point and click style puzzle game that puts us in the role of the titular Agent A. The game has a distinct 60's retro style that, combined with clear inspiration from classic Bond films, gives it a style and flair all its own. Originally released in an episodic manner, the console release features all five episodes which blend rather seamlessly together.

The story begins as our boss puts on the trail of renowned spy killer, Ruby La Rogue. We get a brief introduction of her handiwork as we watch her scheme unfold, leading to the explosive demise of our beloved chief. From here, we begin our infiltration of her cliff side home which is filled with puzzles and secrets. We come to learn that once she's finished with us, she plans to go after Agent B, so it becomes a race against the clock to not only survive and solve the puzzles and traps in her home, but to prevent her from causing any more harm to our fellow agents.

The story is serviceable enough, though the game fails to truly sell the urgency of our mission. There are no timers and no penalties for taking our time. As is often the case with games of this nature, there can be no simple solutions, with even the most basic of tasks involving solving a puzzle or going about things in the most roundabout of ways. This isn't a knock against the game, as it is a standard of the genre, though it does lessen the stakes quite a bit.

While there are few puzzles I would classify as being especially difficult, there are a number of them that rely on a bit of esoteric moon logic that will require more than a bit of backtracking and trial and error. Most of the odder puzzles in the game will have hints sprinkled throughout the world, with a select few being hammered in with generous clues and from our character thinking out loud. Again, none of this is necessarily bad, though it does dumb down the experience just a bit.

I was pleasantly surprised by the writing, which is equal parts charming and self aware. While the overall plot is pretty cookie cutter, a lot of the observations made by our protagonist are genuinely funny. Filled with references to other games and works within the genre, there's also a hefty dose of dumb, silly humor as well. It's nice when some of the more blatant clues are specifically called out, and some of the optional interactions have an unexpected charm to them.

Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise is a lighthearted and beginner friendly experience that does a good job of displaying what there is to love about the genre. While rarely hard or taxing, the game doesn't pull its punches on some of the harder puzzles. While the writing is lighthearted and silly, it serves as a family friendly introduction to both the point and click and retro super spy genres.