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True Lies
The SNES had a spy game. It was better than it had any right to be
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PRESS START
An Introduction To Today’s Game
Before True Lies landed on the SNES in 1995, most gamers had already been burned by LJN. The rainbow logo on the box was practically a warning label.
But here was a game based on one of the biggest action films of the decade, with Arnold Schwarzenegger on the cover, published by the company that had given us years of questionable tie-ins.
The expectations were somewhere between low and nonexistent. And then a funny thing happened. True Lies turned out to be a reasonably solid top-down shooter that did justice to the film, surprised a few critics, and got rented a lot of Friday nights.
It did not change gaming. But it was pretty good.
BEHIND THE PIXELS
Let’s Dive Into The Game
True Lies is a top-down run-and-gun game where you play as Harry Tasker, a secret agent trying to stop a terrorist organization called the Crimson Jihad from detonating nuclear weapons.
If you have seen the 1994 James Cameron film, the game follows it closely, hitting familiar locations including a mansion, a shopping mall, city streets, a subway system, and a submarine.
The whole thing is played from an overhead perspective as you move through each level completing specific objectives while dispatching a steady stream of enemies.
Beam Software built the controls around a clever design choice: Harry can lock his aim in one direction while moving in another, which gives firefights a sense of intentionality that most top-down shooters of the era lacked.
The diving shoulder roll is the other standout mechanic, allowing you to avoid incoming fire entirely for a brief window. Both of these elements give combat a bit more depth than the simple point-and-shoot experience you might expect.
Harry starts each level with an infinite-ammo pistol that requires a brief reload after 15 shots, but pickups throughout each stage add an Uzi, a shotgun, a flamethrower, and grenades to the arsenal.
The game is generous with ammo, so you will rarely feel under-equipped. There are also secret areas and mission-specific objectives layered in, such as destroying equipment on a ship or rerouting trains in a subway tunnel.
These objectives prevent the game from becoming a completely mindless shooting gallery, though the later levels do start to feel repetitive.
The graphics are serviceable for the era. The SNES version features movie stills between stages that help sell the connection to the film, and the action on screen is clean and readable.
The soundtrack was composed to fit the film's tone and holds up adequately, though critics at the time called it unremarkable. Where the game stumbles is in its difficulty.
Enemies can pile on simultaneously, and the absence of invincibility frames when taking hits means your health can evaporate quickly. It is a design quirk that feels punishing rather than challenging.
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WHERE TO PLAY
The original copy or emulation will be your best bet in playing this.
Original Copies of the Game (All prices in USD)
Loose: $44
Complete: $180
New/Sealed: $350
GAME INFORMATION
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GAME OVER
Why You Should Play This
True Lies is not a hidden gem in the traditional sense. It is more like a game that quietly did its job without embarrassing itself, which in the movie tie-in business counts for quite a lot.
If you enjoy top-down shooters from the 16-bit era, it is worth an afternoon. The core shooting mechanics hold up, the level variety is decent, and the diving mechanic adds just enough tactical wrinkle to keep things interesting.
The difficulty can be punishing, especially in the later stages, so temper expectations accordingly. There is a password system, which helps.
The game runs about two to three hours if you know what you are doing, a bit longer if you are figuring it out as you go.
Physical copies are still findable without spending a fortune. No digital re-release exists, so original hardware or emulation is your only option. For a 1995 licensed title, True Lies holds up better than most.
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