Spy X Anya: Operation Memories Review

Introduction:

Reviewing games designed for kids can be difficult. Where is the bar set for family-oriented games? Do we still consider Jack Box and Just Dance the highest tier? Maybe I’m overthinking this, but I had to get into the mindset of a family man while approaching Spy x Anya: Operation Memories. Like Loid Forger, I had to assume a role to conduct an unbiased review. It was a mission I wasn’t sure I could undertake, but after a few hours of Spy x Anya, I must say that being a spy is fun.

Photo-Based Gameplay:

Spy x Anya: Operation Memories can be boiled down to a photo game. However, there’s actually a bit more to it than that. The story is also a highlight as you assume the role of Anya Forger in an attempt to help bring peace to the regions.

As fans will know, Anya has a special power that allows her to read the minds of others, but no one knows her secret. Alternatively, her family, Loid and Yor Forger have their own secrets. Thankfully, this game isn’t a straight retelling of the anime’s events. Instead, Anya is given a special mission of creating a memory book with photographs.

Story and Character Interactions:

The story elements are served across each in-game day, where players can spend time building their relationship with characters, which leads to unique events. As you progress, it’s possible to skip some story elements, but these narrative bits are a great way to build out the world.

Further, Anya can explore environments and speak with NPCs from the anime, making this a great companion to the source material. That said, it’s low-barrier storytelling with minimal tension and only serves as dashes of fanservice for those who want it.

In-Game Currency and Activities:

Outside of the story, players have a few options on how they wish to spend their time. There are several types of in-game currency that players can acquire. Speak with NPCs and complete events, which can provide you with money or Eurika points. Money, or PP, can buy new outfits and special items that unlock special photo opportunities. As you progress the game, you can choose which locations to visit, but there are some light time management systems since you can only have outings on the weekends, with the weekdays forcing you to go to school each day.

Eurika points are used on weekdays, during which Anya can check out her memory book and take on mini-games. Completing mini-games gives you PP and higher difficulties, and new mini-games are unlocked as you progress through the game. The result is a reasonably rewarding experience. Any way you spend your time, you’ll be unlocking new outfits and areas. Then, you can customize the Forger family to set up the cutest family shots imaginable. And that’s what this experience becomes: a cute, normal family experience.

Photographing the Perfect Scene:

Regarding the actual gameplay, the photosystem is pretty self-explanatory. Once you find a nice scene triggered by an area of the house or a special item on an outing, you can switch to camera mode and race against the timer to set up the perfect scene.

First, you must focus on the scene, angle it, and then take the picture. There are colored boxes related to each criterion, so you’ll know if you missed a high-ranked shot. This does remove any semblance of difficulty from the entire experience. You’ll rarely be challenged during these photo scenes, but that’s the point.

Mini-Games and Challenges:

Regardless of the low difficulty, Spy x Anya understands how to be cute, so you can expect plenty of adorable family scenes that flow with the vibes of the source material. Over time, you will need to return to areas to clean up some newly unlocked scenes, but you only have a certain number of actions to take while exploring scenes, so the entire experience paces itself.

This is a game that wants you to take your time, and that’s what I had the most fun. Outside of the photo timer, which graciously gives you up to 3 chances to take a series of photos, there’s really nothing pushing you to progress. So, enjoy the various areas if you want; there’s no rush here.

Visuals and User Interface:

When it comes to the mini-games, don’t expect too much in terms of in-depth systems. Each mini-game is relatively surface-level, but the games at least are related to the series. You can fight waves of enemies as Yor or steal art as Loid; I also enjoyed a dodgeball mini-game. As you play, you unlock higher difficulties of the game, with each tier having objectives to unlock tokens that can be used to acquire special outfits and accessories. So again, everything you do in this game leads to something being unlocked. However, I wouldn’t say these games have lasting appeal. After a few hours, I found myself playing them only for necessity, and some could be shortened to alleviate player exhaustion, but for what they are, it’s fun.

Graphically, I found Spy x Anya to be decent on PS5. The characters looked great, and the voice audio for the scenes was a nice touch. However, I didn’t particularly like the UI, as there’s this huge border around the HUD, with a control key, that cannot be removed. It just makes everything field claustrophobic.

Conclusion:

Spy x Anya: Operation Memories is a charming family game directed towards gamers wanting to hang out with the Forgers a little longer. The writing provides a nice dose of character interactions to satisfy fans, and players can take pictures of plenty of adorable scenes. Further, the constant stream of unlockables makes playing the surface-level mini-games tolerable after exhaustion sets in. I found fun in the overall gameloop, and I consider this a mission accomplished as far as anime games are concerned. I hope to see more games based on this series that present creative ways of telling stories through this medium.