Title: Agent 64: Spies Never Die
Developer: Replicant D6
Publisher: Replicant D6
Release Date: August 11th, 2026
Platforms: PC (Steam)
Reviewed On:  Steam Machine

Many video games seek to capture nostalgia in a bottle for the species known as the Ageing Millennial. Few succeed. Solo developer Replicant D6 recently released their homage to the N64 spy shooters, namely Goldeneye 007 (with a touch of Perfect Dark), via Agent 64: Spies Never Die. The title itself makes its identity and intent clear as day, but what makes it stand out from the crowd? Read on to find out!

Author’s Note: This review focuses on the single player campaign, although multi-player gameplay is explained for completeness. A game review key was provided to make this review possible. Thank you.

SYNOPSIS

You control John Walter, an elite operative secret agent, who gets dragged into harrowing missions thanks to his arch-nemesis that he thought was long gone, Dominic Pulp. Seriously, this poor guy was trying to play a very familiar game on a very familiar 90s console minding his own business…Throughout these 14 missions, shoot your way through henchmen, complete your tasks, and even do some father-daughter bonding with Dana in the form of an escort mission.

ANALYSIS

Gameplay

Agent 64 offers both a single-player and multi-player mode as well as different gameplay options. For example, there’s Story Mode, which has the aforementioned 14 missions that you can play alone or with a friend (online and couch co-op). I primarily focused my time here as a solo player and thoroughly enjoyed how well Agent 64 reflected 90s spy shooters. Each level is self-contained and mirrors several tropes such as skyscrapers, castles, frigid bases, and posh nightclubs. You navigate room to room in first-person, shooting enemies…and inanimate objects if you so wish. Each enemy will drop a weapon that will either replenish bullets or give you a new tool for your arsenal. You can traverse the level with guns blazing or stealthily with a silencer…or karate-chop with your bare hands.

Character movement was smooth, aiming and shooting felt natural, and level designs were fun. There is no map, which can be disorienting to those comfortable with modern gaming; however, the layouts of each level are well-crafted. They are big enough to have you question whether you’re lost but small enough to not actually yourself get lost. In fact, it straddles that balance well as the game is meant for high replay value.

In Story Mode you have three difficulty levels–Agent, Special Agent, and 64 Agent. Agent is a great place to get started because the difficulty does ramp up at Special Agent, which is why the level designs are brilliant and do a good job when trying to familiarize yourself with the locations. Also, it’s important to note that you do need to beat a certain number of levels and a certain number of times to unlock and progress to later levels (via obtaining ciphers). Mileage can vary on that design choice, but honestly, Agent 64 was so fun that I didn’t mind re-playing a few more levels in order to progress.

Next, you have Arena Mode, and as the name suggests, you fight against friends and/or bots in local split-screen multiplayer combat or online with up to eight players. In the lobby, there are a silly amount of customization offerings and up to ten pre-sets. In Arena Mode you have your classic Death Match, a capture the flag type game but with a briefcase or entire zones, as well as various challenges for you to achieve.

Lastly, you can also unlock several effects to add to Paradox Mode. No reloads, Big Heads, and slow bullet speeds are only a small sampling of over 70 cheats and modifiers.

Art Style and Sound Design

What else can I say other than the character models and environments look like they’ve been ripped right from the N64 era? It’s incredibly endearing and fairly accurate. There’s even a certain level of “fog” that I swear was in every N64 title. That being said, it didn’t feel like an eyesore either. Colors popped and the environments were well lit. The soundtrack is a heart-pumping banger, and I wouldn’t expect any less for a game paying homage to Goldeneye 007.

FINAL SCORE

Agent 64: Spies Never Die is an absolute treasure. It’s clearly a love letter to the era of spy-themed first-person shooters, striking the balance between impressive quality while not taking itself so seriously. There are numerous references for nostalgic gamers to appreciate, and moreover, the game delivers nostalgia with a little dusting of modern sensibility. This results in experiencing the thrill and joy of revisiting an older-style game without griding your teeth at the painful parts. For example, the escort mission with Dana ended up being one of my favorite segments because the character could actually fend for themselves. While I can’t speak to the multiplayer portion of the game, I can speak to the quality Agent 64: Spies Never Die, and I highly recommend anyone who wants to feel like a badass polygonal spy once more. I applaud Replicant D6 on making a game that is fun, fuels nostalgia, and offers endless replayability.

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Featured Image Source: Replicant D6