Thief Simulator

Kleptomaniacs are people that seem to steal with something of a compulsion; there is a thrill that comes with it that compels them to do everything from simple shoplifting to more elaborate acts of larceny in order to feed that thrill. Of course, these things are super illegal, and your average Joe (or average gamer, as it were) isn't looking to go out thieving for thrill, no matter how curious they might be. Those who want to experience the thrill of breaking into various houses and buildings on missions to steal items of varying importance will get a kick out of Thief Simulator, a sandbox simulator.

There are other similar games that allow for elements of thievery to take place, but it doesn't come chock full of storyline and depth of elaborate jobs and heists like you'll find in the Uncharted series. You also won't get to take advantage of the massive open-world style of Grand Theft Auto. Thief Simulator keeps it stripped down to the bare basics of thievery, letting you simply run mission after mission.

Objective of Thief Simulator

The game plays totally in first person as you move through the levels learning different skills to make your next outing more efficient. You start out with rather rudimentary things like smashing open a window with a crowbar to get into a house to steal mundane items like kettles and pans. After a while, you build up to picking locks and more complicated methods of breaking and entering. Every simple job has a purpose, giving you XP that you can then use to purchase higher skill sets to make your jobs more interesting. You can even steal high dollar items and pawn them off for cash, which will help you out—and you can sell certain items on the black market as well.

When you're in a building, you can tag its occupants to keep tabs on them as they move through the buildings, making each job more tense as you track their movements while rifling through their belongings. You can also get the heart pounding rush of tripping an alarm and having to run away, or getting caught stealing and then having to outrun the cops or hide from them until they leave. It's worth noting that the driving model in the game is pretty awful, so you'll usually be doing a lot more hiding from the cops than you will be actively escaping.

Pros of Thief Simulator

• Constant update of skills
• Rewarding planning and strategy opportunity
• Constant offers of enhancing your jobs through missions

Cons of Thief Simulator

• Limited replay value
• Similar mission tactics and goals over and over again

Bottom Line

Those who love all of the theft elements of games like Payday 2, Grand Theft Auto and the Uncharted series but don't want all of the rest that comes with those narrative-driven games will get a kick out of Thief Simulator—a game that puts all of the focus on the act itself and gives you the rush of theft with no real-life risk to you.