Need to Know on Kickstarter — Spying has never been so “sexy”

Spies are sexy. They wear tuxes, use cool gadgets, drive fast cars. They drink hard liquor with hot women at exotic places.

They don’t sit behind a computer all day reading emails and text messages.

Or do they…?

The game is Need to Know. And you are a spy, version 2016. You work behind a computer all day, munching on donuts, downing gallons of Costco coffee, and the only women you encounter are the evil HR ladies who are probably spying on you.

The enemy is within and not at the crosshairs of a nuclear arsenal. Anyone you hear and see is a potential threat to national security. It’s up to you, donut-muncher, to stop them.

This isn’t MI6 or the CIA or the KGB. It’s the Department of Liberty.

Australian developer, Monomyth Games’ Need to Know is a surveillance sim currently on Kickstarter. It’s already doubled its goal of $20K with 16 days still remaining. Impressive.

Why is this game so fundable?

First, the game is simply complex. Meaning, the goal and objectives are clear, but to get there involves a masterful juggling act.

There’s been a massive terrorist attack and the newly-formed DOL’s job is to weed out those responsible and prevent further attacks. To do so, the government has apparently torn down the walls of personal privacy.

On a personal level, you’re a broke graduate and your first goal is to make money. You hate the job but the more you advance in your career in the agency, the more benefits. Find bad guys, accomplish assignments, make good decisions, and you’ll move up fast. It’s your choice to do it morally…or not. The rewards could be materialistic – fancy house, nice car – or more intrinsic. But you want to succeed, so you spy on.

Gameplay requires sifting through pages of civilian emails, phone calls, text messages, and other encounters to mine out and piece together an incriminating case against the perpetrators. Sounds like boring work…but that’s the life of the 21^st century spy.

Nope, no 007 here. No helicopter chases or shootouts, but the game still sounds pretty darn exciting. Can’t wait to see it made.