In the 2020s, we don’t have many new giga anime franchises akin to Bleach, Naruto or One Piece which have their animated works complemented by an extensive suite of video game adaptations, the only relatively recent example being Sword Art Online. But whether being adapted from a video game or vice versa, there are a lot more once-off experiences that are thriving on the market – such as the still Japan-exclusive Umamusume: Pretty Derby. The latest example is a video game adaptation of the TV anime Spy x Family, a Spy Action-Comedy x Slice of Life series based on the original manga works of Tatsuya Endo. Published by Bandai Namco Entertainment and developed by Groove Box Japan, SPYxANYA: Operation Memories may elicit an initial groan as being a simple tie-in game around a compilation of mini-games but with its focus on the youngest member of the Forger family, a popular character within the anime community, there is surprisingly a lot to enjoy.
The narrative behind SPYxANYA: Operation Memories isn’t particularly memorable. Players step into the shoes of Anya Forger as she navigates her day-to-day life at Eden Academy, engaging in activities and family “ootings” outings to fill her photo diary with memories. While the writing lacks the tightness of the main series, the game offers an endearing, a’daawable experience where players can live Anya’s life, complemented by new interactions with other main and secondary characters. This game isn’t an entry point for those unfamiliar with Spy x Family, but fans looking for more slice-of-life moments between characters might find it enjoyable. Even so, the overarching narrative isn’t remarkable or has much presence other than breaking up the games and photo sessions, making it a game best enjoyed in short bursts rather than extended play sessions.
The gameplay of SPYxANYA: Operation Memories is divided into three main components: Socialisation, Photography, and Mini-Games. Each day in Anya’s life integrates all three in various stages. On school days, events typically start with Anya attending class, where she has opportunities to socialize with fellow students and her teacher, including characters like Becky and Damien. These interactions are designed to raise her social rank with these characters and focus more on character development than anything else.
Anya can also participate in daytime photo activities, where players find various opportunities for her to engage in different tasks. These photography sessions are similar to a simplified version of the experience offered in Pokémon Snap. As the omnipresent photographer, players can take photos of Anya during these activities. Instead of points, players receive ticks based on factors like the image being in focus, the camera’s position, and whether the shot was taken at an optimal moment. These factors are reflected by coloured lines around the frame, and the challenge lies in aligning all three lines within the short time allocated. While this can be tricky due to the specific positioning required, and arguably better shots could be possible, these sessions shine in capturing Anya’s cuteness. As a whole, it’s nothing special and a time waster. However, the photos perfectly encapsulate the cuteness of Anya as a character and run with it.
Upon returning home, much of the gameplay continues in a similar vein: socializing with the Forger family and guests, followed by a photography opportunity. After dinner, the game introduces many of its mini-games. Players can unlock over 15 different mini-games throughout the game, using a special currency called Eurekas, which is collected by taking perfect photos. These mini-games are presented as Anya creatively writing in her journal. Given that similar anime tie-in games often lack depth, my expectations were low. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the variety and creativity of the mini-games, even if none were excessively challenging, with each also having a Spy x Family twist to them. Therefore, they aren’t mini-games for the sake of having more mini-games.
For instance, Yor Forger uses her knife skills in a rapid-response button-pressing game to cut vegetables, while Anya and her classmates engage in a dodgeball battle. Meanwhile, Loid and Yor participate in stealth and 1vMany action games respectively, reflecting their secret activities through the mind of Anya. The mini-games offer surprising uniqueness, each rewarding players with currency and raffle tickets for hitting specific goals. Each mini-game has nine challenges spread across three difficulty levels, providing a genuine sense of fun and accomplishment. It’s refreshing to see the developers go above and beyond, as many tie-in games with mini-games tend to do the bare minimum. Whether the time sink required to unlock these games throughout the main story is worth it can be debated, but the creativity and effort put into them are evident.
Completing the mini-games rewards you with currency, which can be spent on a variety of outfits and accessories for Anya, Loid, Yor, and Bond. Additionally, you can purchase items for use on Anya’s days off when the family goes on outings. There are ten different locales to visit every few days, which are small-scale recreations of areas from the anime. These locations are filled with numerous photo opportunities, and by using all the purchasable items in a given area, you can take special photos. Since it’s impossible to capture all photographs in one outing, you will need to revisit the same locations multiple times. As you progress through SPYxANYA: Operation Memories, more areas and new mini-games become available. On these outing days, you can also participate in a gacha system, where raffle tickets (only obtainable in-game) can be exchanged for potentially rare rewards such as outfits and hats. Each raffle has a limited number of total rewards. Similar to the school day activities, the outings focus on engagement and photography elements. While these features are adorable, enjoyability between players may vary greatly.
From the perspective of replicating the overarching aesthetic of Spy x Family in a 3D game, SPYxANYA: Operation Memories does a solid job. The cel-shaded art style was a smart choice, effectively capturing the style and mannerisms of the characters. However, the world and its environments, with a few exceptions, felt plain, dull, and overall lacking in attention to detail. Given that this is the first opportunity for fans to wander around key locations from Spy x Family, a series renowned for its well-built world, I expected something more special. Fortunately, the music is solid, and while the game only features Japanese voice acting, the original voice actors have been brought in. They continue to do a stellar job of reflecting their respective characters.
SPYxANYA: Operation Memories doesn’t fully escape from the qualms of being a tie-in game, especially being a rather cute and fuzzy experience juxtaposed against the more serious and suspenseful, but granted, also cute themes of the anime and manga it is based on. It has some good elements, surprisingly the biggest one being the variety of mini-games, in addition to some character development to further expand on characters being developed as the series progresses. But with a rudimentary photography system, and a quickly repetitive gameplay loop, I found the game best experienced in short bursts, and lacking in the world-building department. Being very limited in the scope of a possible tie-in game with the Spy x Family narrative still being developed, and not simply able to put the Forger family in a new environment for a standalone experience, I think they did a decent job at delivering a gamified version of Spy x Family, even if it needing one at all is debatable.
SPYxANYA: Operation Memories Final Score
A PlayStation 5 review code for SPYxANYA: Operation Memories was provided by Bandai Namco Entertainment Australia to help facilitate this review you just read.
SPYxANYA: Operation Memories is now available to purchase on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5. and PC via Steam.
