Deceive Inc. press preview - Being a secret agent has never been so fun

Although I’m usually not into stealth games, Deceive Inc. is an incredibly charming, fun multiplayer experience. In fact, I’ve previewed this before for Sportskeeda. Last year, I took a dive into this game, but I was only able to experience two of the maps. However, this latest build is much closer to what the game will look like at launch.

Last week, I joined a few other journalists, the team at Sweet Bandits, and Tripwire Interactive to get my hands on Deceive Inc. for a second time. Boasting several improvements over the previous build, this version had reliable controller support, more maps, and more characters. Here’s what I thought of spending some time as a secret agent.

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Deceive Inc. combines a brilliant esthetic with sharp, intuitive gameplay

I played matches with the Sweet Bandits and Tripwire Interactive teams in both the team and solo modes, exploring Deceive Inc.. As mentioned earlier, this is a multiplayer stealth game, where players must try to sneak into hidden areas, make away with confidential information, and escape with no one being the wiser.

Although entering hidden areas is easy enough, getting away is the hard part. To escape, players must either kill all of the other players or hop into the getaway car with no one stopping you. As such, the game features several phases, where players will all be working towards the same goal, but in different parts of the map.

You can either play in groups of three or go solo, with every agent capable of being incredibly strong depending on the situation. While playing on maps, you can revive each party member once, so you really have to exercise caution. Whether you're solo or in a group, the gameplay stays the same.

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How does Deceive Inc.’s gameplay work?

Phase 1 is the Insertion Phase. Players must work together to disable the three terminals that are scattered across the map. Each map has five possible locations that these could be located in. You’ll have to gather intel, steal keycards, and upgrade your kit. Furthermore, you'll need specific disguises for each area of the map.

Thankfully, Deceive Inc. has a color-coded system - Guards wear blue and can get into the blue room, Technicians are purple, et cetera. You can go in without them, but if anyone’s in that room, it could spell disaster. As players hack into terminals, all the other players will receive a notification.

Phase 2 is the Infiltration Phase. The package can now be stolen from the Vault, but there will be plenty of guards and technicians lurking about. It’s highly likely that other spies will be present as well. Thankfully, you can press Q on your keyboard to see where the entrance is, as well as the other Terminals.

Phase 3 is the Extraction Phase. The player who has the package in Deceive Inc. will be revealed to everyone, and the longer they have it, the more frequently the game will notify the other players. From here on out, it’s simply a matter of survival. You’ll need all your tricks and bullets to get out safely.

Whether as a team or solo, it’s simply a matter of getting to the getaway car. Furthermore, the fact that every agent has their own movesets makes this far more interesting. What I think is great is that each character gets to select a few options to further customize their kit for whatever that particular stage requires.

Additionally, each player will have tools they can equip before going into the map. Perhaps the most powerful, in my experience, was the tripwire. Players who don’t notice these are immediately exposed, and in the right place, it can completely end their spy adventures. In general, the game is quite fun, and it can be incredibly tense, no matter what phase you’re in.

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How players act creates tension in Deceive Inc.

Here’s what makes this game so interesting to me - mastering the art of deception. In Deceive Inc., you’ll spend almost your entire session disguised as another person. Each NPC type has certain patterns that they follow, i.e. things that they do or don't do. This is exactly why other players will be on the lookout for suspicious behavior.

If you’re going around looting everything you see, gathering information, or setting traps, it’s going to be noticeable. As a civilian, you can try and sit down in spots and look casual, or walk in specific patterns. Guards have posts that they can stand at as well.

Even the way you move or where you move is of great importance in Deceive Inc.. Experienced players can determine which NPC is real, and who's just another player in disguise. It’s something that I noticed quite clearly while playing in these sessions.

It’s more than just knowing what tools and abilities are useful in Deceive Inc. matches. Knowing how to move and how to act, and when to be bold, that’s going to show who is truly a superspy.

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In conclusion

I still love how the game looks and sounds. The retro design of the characters and all of the bright visuals really stand out to me. With so many multiplayer games being serious and dark in tone, it’s exciting and refreshing to see Deceive Inc. go in a different direction.

Deceive Inc. is genuinely fun to play. While it was definitely not a game that I’d normally seek, I had a great time playing it, even when I didn’t do so well. It’s quite fun to see the many ways you can sneak around and be successful.

Fortunately, the game is set to be released very soon. It will officially launch on March 21, 2023, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam and Epic Games Store). If you love stealth and multiplayer games, you definitely shouldn't skip this one.