Central Intelligence

Central Intelligence is a game strategy developed by Really Interesting Software Company (RISC) and published by Ocean of America, Inc.. Originally released in United States in 1994. Currently you can buy the game for DOS.

Central Intelligence is a detailed role-playing game covering the revolution in South America.

Despite the great espionage/strategy premise, the game is marred by a very 'dry' presentation. The game is set in the Caribbean. The fictional island of Sao Madrigal, off the coast of Brazil, has fallen under the control of a fascist dictator following a bloody military coup. Recent discoveries make the island the largest producer of oil and chemicals in the area. Following the coup, all Western assets were confiscated and all agreements revoked; the new president denounced Western involvement as imperialism, and is currently negotiating new trade agreements with China, which is believed to have aided the new president in the coup.

An overt operation to restore democracy and regain our interests is politically dangerous, as the new president seems to enjoy great public support for standing up to the West. A covert operation to dislodge the new military junta from power has been approved. In it we will work with the leader of the previous democratic government, who is currently trying to coordinate and garner support for a counter-revolution.

He may use propaganda, political action or direct military action to achieve this; he will have to decide on the most appropriate approach in relation to the developing conditions. Public support for the democratic faction will be vital for the opposition leader to succeed.

The gameplay will be familiar to fans of Mike Singleton's early espionage classics, Midwinter and Ashes of Empire, except that this is not a mix of elements between genres, but a straightforward strategy game in the vein of Shadow President. Your main tasks are to recruit spies, assign them to strategic locations on the island and give them both subversive (propaganda) and politically correct (e. g. diplomacy) orders. Although you can plan military invasions, they are not fundamental to winning the game, and only serve as one more option.

Despite the great premise and variety of options, Central Intelligence is, unfortunately, a lesson in wasted potential. Filled with mostly static screens full of rows and rows of stats, Central Intelligence, is strictly for those who like slow-paced, stat-based gameplay. Action screens, like those in Paragon's classic Twilight 2000 and Sid Meier's Covert Action, are sparse, and reading about the outcome of your orders rather than watching it happen makes a big difference in the fun factor.

The game definitely won't win over new fans of espionage games, though anyone who can look past this weakness to the deeper gameplay itself will find a pleasant surprise lurking. Good concept, poor execution.

Central Intelligence is available for a reduced price at the following websites, and is no longer abandonware.