Summary
The co-op multiplayer gameSecret Agent Wizard Boy and the International Crime Syndicatehas been making waves during the recentSteamNext Fest event, largely because of its callback to the treasuredHarry Pottergames from the PlayStation 1 era. J.K. Rowling’s seven-partHarry Potterbook series inspired the adored movie adaptations, followed by the PS1 games thatSteamusers remember fondly while playing the new indie title.
Next Fest is a week-long event celebrating hundreds of games with playable demos that users can play for free. Normally, three of these events occur throughout the year, andFebruary 2024’s Steam Next Fest featured several stellar demos, includingTerra Memoria,Pepper Grinder, andDeath Of A Wish. Developer livestreams and chats are also included in the festivities, and October 2024’s Next Fest is scheduled to conclude on October 21.
Secret Agent Wizard Boy and the International Crime Syndicatehas been trending on Steam Next Fest and plays like a good-hearted parody of theHarry PotterPS1 games. The Szymanski brothers helm the indie, including David, who made one of thebest indie first-person shooters of all timeinDusk, and John and Evan, developers of the survival horror gameMy Friendly Neighborhood. Presently,Secret Agent Wizard Boydoes not have an official release date, but Steam users have nothing but praise for the “physics-based mayhem,” saying, “I don’t know what’s going on. I broke my spine and everything is exploding. I’ve never been happier.”
Secret Agent Wizard Boy and the International Crime Syndicate Steam Demo Evokes Harry Potter PS1 Games
Secret Agent Wizard Boysees the titular wizard dive undercover to break antagonist Grumblemort’s dark crime syndicate, which echoes the nefarious motives ofHogwarts Legacy’s Ranrok and Victor Rookwood. Players can choose to infiltrate the enemy’s wizarding school or use their abundance of spells and espionage skills to “wreak havoc and destruction,” as missions can easily be ignored in favor of chaotic fun. The retro-themed, third-person action can be enjoyed between friends using online multiplayer, where the party can decide to unite for missions, blow up the school’s castle, or spend their time with landmines.
TheHarry PotterPS1 releases consist of Argonaut Games’Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stonefrom 2001 and 2002’sHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, both based on the films of the same name. One of the more beloved features of these games was the polygon characters, and certain faces were so comical they became memes further down the line. ThePS1 polygon of Hagrid joinedHarry Potter: Quidditch Championsrecently, which highlights fans’ undying love for the nostalgic gameplay with iconic, low-resolution graphics.
Steam
Steam is a digital video game storefront and program developed by Valve that allows gamers to purchase, play, and mod their titles all through one convenient program.
