First announced in 2009 at the Experimental Games Workshop during the Game Developer's Conference, Chris Hecker's SpyParty has had a long road to get to where it is - and though it still has a way to go before it's official released, it's more accessible now than it ever has been. SpyParty is now on Steam Early Access.
SpyParty is a competitive espionage game, with one player acting as a spy at, well, a party, trying to blend in with the NPCs while accomplishing certain tasks. Their opponent is a sniper, given one mission: assassinate the spy. They get one bullet, one shot - so that they have to choose carefully. If they hit an NPC, the spy wins. If they spy is shot, well... the spy is shot.
Inevitably, the game breaks down into a lot of bluffing and double-bluffing and triple-bluffing. The spy can see the sniper's little red dot, indicating which character the sniper is currently focused on. Would a spy with a little red dot of death over their head really go shake hands with the diplomat? No, of course not - only a clueless NPC would do that. Or would they.
In the past few years, the game's gone through tremendous upgrades. People who bought the game directly from SpyParty.com not only got a deal (the price has gone from 14.99 to 24.99 since moving to Steam), but they gained access to the beta builds. SpyParty has only made it to Steam because Chris Hecker finally believes it's ready to be shown to the public.
Among the most visible upgrades to the game is, of course, the art.
Way back in 2012, the new art style was revealed, taking inspiration from a number of periods and styles in order to give it a timeless look.
Beta users of the game have yet to receive their Steam keys, but once they do, the Steam version of the game will inherit a massive, experienced player base. Veterans of the game are welcoming of newcomers, though, which is fantastically helpful for a game with such a low learning curve, but a very high skill cap.
This game may well become a staple of esports in the future - though it may not be fast, its simplicity makes it an ideal spectactor's game. Give it a shot!