Agent Intercept brings deep narrative to an over-the-top arcade game, available now

intercept agents is hitting Xbox at supersonic speeds today, so we wanted to share how we approached narrative design for a game that focuses on arcade action and high-stakes mayhem. There is a very exciting story at the heart of intercept agents, with twists and turns that should put a grin on the face of any spy genre fan. But narrative design is more than writing the plot, so let’s take a closer look at how we brought the plot to life through storytelling.

vision — This one goes until 11

intercept agents started out as an action driving game inspired by counterintelligence (one of the first video games I ever played!), but it had to go beyond that to establish its identity. We’ve been working to create some clear, exciting design pillars — Statements used to align the team on the direction of the game — So everyone was on board with the vision. Phrases like “everyone should feel like a super spy” and “make the most of every chase ever” helped guide us to what was important in every moment of the game.

But a great, over-the-top story also helped elevate the overall concept of the game beyond car chases and into superhero territory. In the early stages, the story served not only as a plot but also as a stepping stone to inspire our team. I didn’t just share a story idea, but a world of possibilities to help people think beyond the initial reference material: imagine the kind of game where you fight bosses bigger than the screen , where you detonate a rocket as you fly it into space, transforming not just the car but the world around you! This helped us push the game beyond genre material, paying homage but also seeing where we could expand, subvert, or just get so much crazier than what we’d seen before.

story — Agency vs. CLAW

I kept the core of the story clear and accessible, letting the frenetic gameplay set pieces take center stage. The evil organization CLAW is back under a new villain with an army of jerks and mad tech, and only you as the elite driver of the transforming spy car agency Scepter can stop them! Leaning on genre tropes and putting the player at the center of the action in every plot point, every section of level design, every set piece helped give the experience a laser focus. The story is full of twists and turns and wild moments, yes, but first and foremost it’s there to bring out the best gameplay.

Narrative design — More than writing

The flow of each level should not only tell an entertaining, self-contained story, but lead the player through the journey of the game. What bosses we had to face, what gadgets were available, what environment we were in, all of these were factored into the narrative decisions. Narration was the starting point for each level. From a flow chart of the action and story beats, we then worked with our film, technical and level designers to develop a full script and storyboards.

Each story had to provide a logical, clear, and compelling reason for the gameplay. For example, in one level the player races up a mountain to scout out super weapon tests, then descends an avalanche to escape another boss and mine the weapon. Hopefully that sounds cool on its own, but it was there to serve gameplay needs: to show off our cool arctic mountain environment, to give a reason to transform into the new sled mode, to show off the boss vehicles to highlight that we had and their mechanics.

Audio – Bring the narration to life

Sound played an essential role in the gaming experience. Energetic original music tracks and bombastic sound effects enhanced the feeling of each moment and gave the story and the game an extra zest.

We also knew we wanted the voice acting, not just to add weight to the characters pushing you forward and fighting by your side through the levels, but to focus your eyes on the chaotic action. You can experience the twists of the plot and the emotions of the characters without being distracted by the tense gameplay.

Our goal was to deliver a funny, knowingly over-the-top spy story worthy of James Bond, Fast & Furious and Spy Hunter. But we also hope that we’ve delivered a holistic experience where the characters, storyline, music and design work together so you can focus on the intense action gameplay and push it to the point of ridiculousness at every moment.

Did we deliver? Did you see the twists coming? Do you really explode a rocket while riding on it as it shoots into space? Buy intercept agents on Xbox and see!