Apple Arcade review #74: Operator 41

The opening credits for this game reminded me of Catch Me if You Can, sporting a 1960s spy thriller vibe. It’s great!

The game, however, looks nothing like that, which feels a missed opportunity. Operator 41 is a grid-based 3D stealth game featuring an agent (the “Operator”, I assume) sneaking past patrolling guards and security installations. The moment you’ve been spotted, the level restarts: there’s no grace period, and you can’t run away. It’s punishing.

The stealth mechanic, at least in the opening levels, is quite basic and too-often frustrating. Stealth is a challenging game mechanic to pull off, and this game doesn’t. One wrong tap, and it’s back to start. Patient players may find that the game improves over time, but I didn’t get that far. I have a low tolerance for stealth games, and Operator 41 didn’t do it for me at all.

(And they should have stuck with the 60s aesthetic in the actual game.)

Link: https://apps.apple.com/no/app/operator-41/id1475042637