Ahead of E3 we got to check out a new turn-based tactical strategy game in development. That, based on the presentation, immediately reminded us of XCOM. But the setting of the Cold War and the 1980s immediately made Phantom Doctrine feel like its own thing.

By taking control of individual spies working in the shadows, for and against government agencies, and outside of the laws that govern everyday civility, the Cold War might just be the perfect setting for a tactical game of this nature. At its core, spy-craft and espionage are intricate and often convoluted games played by government agencies outside of the scope and visibility of a country’s politicians. Getting to run your own spy headquarters and pick and choose how to decipher intel and how best to approach a mission feels authentic, even though the story being told feels like a blend of classic and purely fictional spy thrillers from the world of movies that focused on shady organisations with a dash of realistic geopolitical events.

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