Thief Simulator

Pros

• Positive sense of progression which sees a smooth increase in the difficulty level.
• The game's various mechanics are strong and require you to move stealthily and slowly in order to actually succeed in your mission. This game requires thought, pacing, and deliberate movements.
• The open-world nature of this game fills you with a sense of possibilities, allowing you the chance to explore what is out there as your missions evolve.
• The game's various mechanics flow nicely together and require forethought.

Cons

• The sense of characterization of characters like Vinnie is stereotypical and cliché. It detracts from what could have been a much more powerful narrative.
• While many of the game's mechanics operate nicely, not everything is so smooth. The Thief's car, for instance, is awful, and many reviewers noted that you should avoid this feature at all costs.

Thief Simulator is the most honest name possible for this open-world game, in which you play as "The Thief" and must attempt to essentially rob everything in sight while working for Vinnie, an evil Mafia boss.

The game has an interesting sense of progression. You begin making small robberies as ordered by Vinnie, but gradually move up and begin stealing more and more important and expensive items. Of course, it's not that simple, as you also have to also obtain upgrades to your equipment and skills as you play. In that sense, the game comes with a real sense of progression. There are skill trees that have to be fulfilled, experience that must be garnered, and lessons that have to be learned for you to advance along the way.

The world is richly detailed and surprisingly realistic for this relatively inexpensive title. Little details have been finely crafted. You have to move with stealth and grace, and the game requires that you actually play like a real thief would or you risk getting caught and failing your mission.

The characters of the game detract from the story. You play as "The Thief," a character not even worth naming, apparently. There is no backstory - the character is just the vehicle for the action, and in an open-world game like this, that's a missed opportunity. It harkens back to games like Grand Theft Auto 3, where you play as the silent protagonist. Thief Simulator is good, but it's not that good, and in GTA 3, you knew what your character was trying to achieve as you fought and killed your way to the endgame.

It is also worth noting that this game is completely open. As such, you decide what to steal and when. Furthermore, there's no real requirement for how missions get done. Yes, you steal stuff, but you decide what, when, and how. This enables a huge degree of customization and allows you to really explore your skill tree and equipment. You also have to utilize the game's surveillance system, requiring that you take notes on your targets before determining your next move.

The game has also been updated at least once, with developers adding content, thus proving its success and potentially setting the stage for future updates or sequels.

The game is currently available for download on Steam, the Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4. The price is around $19.99, not including any sales or discounts.

Pros

• Positive sense of progression which sees a smooth increase in the difficulty level.
• The game's various mechanics are strong and require you to move stealthily and slowly in order to actually succeed in your mission. This game requires thought, pacing, and deliberate movements.
• The open-world nature of this game fills you with a sense of possibilities, allowing you the chance to explore what is out there as your missions evolve.
• The game's various mechanics flow nicely together and require forethought.

Cons

• The sense of characterization of characters like Vinnie is stereotypical and cliché. It detracts from what could have been a much more powerful narrative.
• While many of the game's mechanics operate nicely, not everything is so smooth. The Thief's car, for instance, is awful, and many reviewers noted that you should avoid this feature at all costs.