Spy x Anya (Steam)

Okay, given that Spy x Family is an action comedy about spying and assassins, who thought the first game from the franchise would be an Anya simulator? Anyone?

Fair to say, when this was announced it was a bit of a surprise, though if you really think about it, the diminutive orphan is so utterly adorable that being able to experience the world through her eyes is actually quite a clever idea. A sort of family simulator that revolves around organising Anya's school, social and family life, the game is basically one big chill slice of happy life. You can earn outfits for the family so that they can dress appropriately for whatever you have planned, which is more addictive than it has any right to be, and interact with all the characters you know and love from the show. There's no action in the game, so if you're looking to lock and load, then look elsewhere. Spy x Anya is what you play after you've saved the world and sprayed all your bullets.

Play it for the expressions. Anya is never less than adorable.

On a personal note, my own daughter is turning 5 in October, so to see the world through the eyes of a character the same age is just a joy for me. Your mileage may obviously vary on this point, but for me it's a major part of what makes the game so appealing.

Graphically the game is very sharp, the smooth in-game engine renders all the characters in three dimensions without losing any of the charm from the show, the Japanese voice cast reprise their roles and the music is perfectly suited to relaxing to - I do love that the title screen music is so dynamic considering it's so unrepresentative of the game itself! Even Anya's little silhouette on the menu is dancing, it's just so damn charming it's almost lethal!

You'll get some mini-games to play, such as cards, but generally you'll just interact with the world and enjoy the atmosphere. It takes about 10 hours to beat the game, so it's not exactly epic in scope, which leads to the only real issue with the game and that's the price. In a crowded market, £44.99 for a digital game is a lot of money. There's no physical edition, which for a property as beloved as this seems almost negligent, but you can buy add-on outfits for £9.49 each, and there are two of these. That's some serious cash for such a short game.

Ultimately, the value is going to come down to just how much you enjoy the world of Spy x Family and the characters therein. Even then, it's very hard to justify jumping in at the price point, but if you see it on sale then I can heartily recommend this slick and charming child-sim.