Parents' Guide to

Hidden Agenda

By Marc Saltzman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Compelling, gripping mature social adventure brings chills.

Game PlayStation 4 2017
Hidden Agenda Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

  • Hidden Agenda Screen #1
  • Hidden Agenda Screen #2
  • Hidden Agenda Screen #3

Community Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Sam M.
Sam M. Parent of 2-year-old
October 23, 2021
age 13+

Tame, generic thriller.

Almost no blood, there arent even any bullet wounds when people are shot in clear sight. When there is its very little. Crimes amd anything graphic is kept offscreen. Fairly frequent F words. Content and story is basic network TV stuff. Meh.
Nigel Denning
Nigel Denning Adult
November 11, 2019
age 13+

Predictable, and not worth $5 even

Just like watching a lame video. Doesn't matter what choices you make, Marney is either gonna get convicted or killed. When you've played it through three or four times, you realise that most of the choices lead to the same point, just via a different route! Total waste of money.

This title has:

Easy to play/use
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What’s It About?

Up to six players use their smartphones or tablets (iOS or Android) to help guide the on-screen action in the gripping crime drama HIDDEN AGENDA. The game is about two playable characters -- detective Becky Marnie and district attorney Felicity Graves -- who are attempting to hunt down the infamous "Trapper" killer, who not only catches, torments, and kills his innocent victims, but also lays down traps to inflict even more carnage on the first responders who investigate the crime scenes. Collectively, players must make tough decisions to guide the story in a given direction, having a direct impact on the branching narrative. The game plays out (and looks like) a movie, where you watch events unfold and then interact in some way, such as choosing to be aggressive or cautious interrogating someone, or quickly initiating a "quick time" event to avoid a violent outcome. Along with competing against one another, players must also work together to find clues. This crime thriller is a PS4 exclusive and first requires a free app download to the mobile device before the phone or tablet can be paired with the PS4 console over Wi-Fi.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (4):

While the slower pace and dark, disturbing story won't suit all tastes, this is a very unique multiplayer game for up to six people to decide the fate of its characters. Hidden Agenda might be considered a combination of a crime drama like CSI: Miami, a horror flick (such as Saw), and Supermassive Games' own creepy Until Dawn -- all wrapped in a choose-your-own-adventure narrative, where you can control the path of the story. While a little predictable at times, the story is strong, and it really does feel like it's a movie.

It's unique and fun to use a smartphone or tablet app as a controller to make decisions, initiate action sequences, collect clues, vote on a decision with friends, and interrogate suspects. But sometimes pushing your finger on the screen, which acts as a mouse cursor at times, isn't very responsive. This isn't so bad when you're choosing how to handle a scene, but it could mean instant death if your decision isn't registered in a crucial quick time event. At under $20, Hidden Agenda is a memorable social game that can even hook in non-video game fans. Just take note of the Mature rating, as the subject matter isn't appropriate for kids, tweens, or young teens.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about violence in games. Because this game features near photorealistic graphics, does it make the mature content even more disturbing? Or do players know what they're getting into because they're playing law enforcement officials trying to catch a serial killer?

  • Talk about multiplayer-focused games. Do you think the mix of cell phones and tablets with the PS4 enhances the multiplayer experience?

Game Details

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