2004 | Access Games | Playstation 2
After a conversation with a good friend about the work of Swery, he recommended I’d try out a little game by the name of Spy Fiction, as it was supposedly a good game. And well, I honestly wasn’t prepared for the absolute joy that it would turn out to be, as well as a massive obsession to explore the differences between the versions.
After Deadly Premonition and Extermination (Swery’s debut) I felt like the quality presented throughout these games was what represented his body of work. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a negative thing. The so called jank of the Deadly Premonition games as well as Extermination are slathered in a few caked on layers of charm that is undeniable; the kind of experience to play through, where the way the game functions is just as much part of the fun as the playing of the game itself.
Spy Fiction presents itself as a tribute to everything… well… spy fiction, with references to the Metal Gear series and Mission Impossible permeating throughout it like a sweet scent of flowers in a flower shop. Not entirely unlike the way that Deadly Premonition is a “Twin Peaks” game.
It has Swery dripping off of it, minus some of the oddities that you see in his other body of work. The game still has a ton of things that are questionable to say the least, but at least the entire product feels cohesive and playable.
During my on stream playthrough of the game, a viewer mentioned that the Japanese version of Spy Fiction was supposed to have some differences. Little did I know how different the two versions would actually present themselves. I became so enamored with Spy Fiction that I decided to make a video on the subject, exploring the differences in the localization in comparison to its Japanese counterpart. It might surprise you to hear that both versions have spoken English dialogue so the games are readily accessible. For now though, please enjoy the video!
TanookiChickenAttack 