Smersh is Russian for "Death to Spies" and was the name of a set of counterintelligence departments in the Soviet Union formed during World War II. Their mission was to secure the rear of the active Red Army by arresting traitors, deserters, spies and criminals, as well as perform intelligence operations including stealing important documents, eliminating different enemy officers or high-ranking officials, kidnapping and sabotage. During the war these agents became the main force combating the German intelligence service. Game missions are based on historical events and operations executed by the Russian military intelligence and counterintelligence during the war.

Death to Spies is a third-person stealth-action game which immerses the player into the atmosphere of World War II military intelligence operations. The player is given complete freedom to choose the way a mission is completed as they battle and sneak through real-life indoor and outdoor locations. A variety of different spy skills are at the player's disposal such as sneaking, hiding, carrying dead bodies, stealing enemy uniforms, looking through keyholes, throwing knives, sniping, picking locks, setting traps and many others. The player has access to enemy vehicles including cars and motorcycles as well as authentic weapons of World War II. The advanced graphics and physics engine brings the war to life as agents go about their assignments.