Parents' Guide to Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise

If there's one thing learned from the adventures of James Bond and his ilk, it's that there's just something innately cool about being a secret agent. Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise gives players the chance to step into the role of one of these agents, captured in an elaborate trap and trying to make your escape armed with little more than witty banter, ingenuity, and of course, plenty of style. And style is one thing Agent A has plenty of. The game's artistic flair is bright, colorful, and fits perfectly with its '60s era spy theme. The presentation also helps to inject extra personality into the adventure even when your character is simply left to his or her own devices, which happens more often than not in this point-and-click adventure.

At its core, Agent A is, as the title suggests, a puzzle game. There are plenty of obstacles to overcome while making your escape from Ruby La Rouge's clutches, but nothing ever comes across as insurmountable. For every challenge in your way, a solution is usually somewhere within arm's reach. You might not be able to grab that key stuck in the bottom of an aquarium right now, but maybe that magnet you passed by in the other room could help. In fact, most of the game's puzzles are presented this way, with the pieces to the puzzle staring you right in the face. That doesn't make it easy, though, as you'll need to test your brainpower to put those pieces together in the right way. That's the important thing to remember here. Agent A is more about brains than brawn. And though the game runs a bit on the short side, without any real replay value, and its story begins to fall apart a bit at the end, Agent A is a lot of fun while it lasts.