Spy Wars

In this connected age of computers, tablets, and smartphones, more and more wars are being fought with code, not weapons.

Spy Wars by Hothead Games takes place in a future where the typical solider picks locks, hacks computers, and disarms digital security.

It's an interesting variation of Clash of Clans - although, being a free-to-play game, it contains its share of less than interesting waiting around.

The world of Spy Wars is populated by massive corporations that are busily stabbing each other in the back. Information is the most desirable loot in this cold war, and it's up to you and your spies to grab as much of it as possible for your clients. No information, no payment. No payment, no spy agency.

Spy Wars's closest relative is Clash of Clans. It's a real-time strategy game that divides your time between plundering rivals' resources and doing whatever is necessary to beef up your own headquarters' defences.

You can take on pre-written cases if you follow the game's story, or you can break into other players' headquarters, mess up their joints, and increase your ranking.

Either way, Spy Wars's basic gameplay is easy enough to learn, though forging your spy agency into a powerhouse will take time (and maybe some money).

There are several class-based agents in Spy Wars, and each one has its own speciality. Hackers are excellent at hacking computers and collecting intel. Locksmiths can crack safes and net you tons of cash. Brawlers make quick work of security guards. And Scouts have an eye for mirages and traps.

Interestingly, agent classes can cross over to complete jobs they don't specialise in. So a thief can technically hack into a terminal, but he has a lower chance of succeeding.

Since every character is only allowed to complete a certain number of moves per mission (marked by a bar next to their profiles), taking a risk and then failing can be disastrous. On the flip side, succeeding against abysmal odds is ever-so sweet.

If you're not a fan of ordering around tiny troops in strategy games, the small teams and quick action offered by Spy Wars should appeal to you. Managing a few unique characters feels more personal than pushing around a bunch of barbarians.

In fact, Spy Wars exudes a lot of personality through its graphics. Each agent has his own set of animations that are amusing to watch. When a thief pulls off a heist, he performs a self-satisfied waltz. When a hacker fails to break into a terminal, he drop-kicks his laptop. Not a recommended action in real life, but still pretty funny.

But as you might expect from a game in its genre, Spy Wars asks you to do a lot of waiting around. Agents' energy is refilled from a pool that likewise refills over time, and construction projects can take a long time to complete. Hiring on extra agents is prohibitively expensive. Be prepared to grind for resources - or pay some cash.

Reaching the top in Spy Wars requires time and/or money. If you want a cool take on Clash of Clans, however, you might find Spy Wars worth spending time and cash on.