Mini-review of Thief Simulator 2

Not wholly deceptive.

Thief Simulator 2
Platform: PlayStation 5, also on PC
Developers: CookieDev, Ultimate Games S.A.
Publisher: Ultimate Games
Release date: July 12th, 2024
Price: $19.99 via digital download
Availability: PlayStation Store

You can choose to be evil in some games. However, thieves in Thief Simulator 2 are required to act immorally since they pilfer anything of value from the suburban sandbox. The latest PlayStation 5 port takes you inside a tiny house for the first part of its interactive instruction. A strange voice says you have one minute to leave the property before a group comes seeking for you when your cell phone buzzes.

What comes next is a somewhat frustrating diversion that aims to impart the fundamentals of larcenous stealth. Yes, the basic skills of hiding, running, ducking, and turning off lights are taught. However, when you learn when to use each skill, be prepared for a few demoralizing mission restarts. However, Thief Simulator 2 gives you free rein in its expansive universe as payment for finishing a meticulously planned mini-heist. Here, you have the option to play the game in free mode or to follow a somewhat predetermined campaign.

Two of Thief Simulator 2’s strongest features are the sense of autonomy and growth. When you inelegantly break open any locked doors with a crowbar, you’ll initially feel like a clumsy beginner. But if you stick with it as a prowler, you’ll be able to upgrade your equipment. The game offers everything a would-be thief needs, from necessities like lock picks and glass cutters to additional gadgets that allow you access computers, phones, and home security systems. Even consumables like meat can be used to divert security dogs.

Furthermore, even though Thief Simulator 2 has an amazing toolkit, the AI in the game isn’t always realistic. Without a doubt, Thief Simulator 2 is among the greatest examples of Eurojank, with a great deal of ambition mixed with fairly excuseable gameplay. Because of this, NPCs have a defined routine that you may observe by keeping an eye on them or by placing a micro-camera to secretly record their actions. But there’s a potential that if you walk into an occupied house, the occupants will be able to see through the walls. Having said that, there is a certain satisfaction in carrying out a theft covertly by locking doors and making sure that inquisitive neighbors don’t become suspicious and alert the authorities.

The setting of Thief Simulator 2, which runs on Unity, is constructed from passably beautiful assets, and mercifully, the framerate is consistent. However, animations aren’t always up to par, so don’t count on the kind of fluid movement that comes from expensive motion capture sessions. In a similar vein, the majority of NPCs have good voice acting, save a few glaringly unprofessional dialogue passages.

Thief Simulator 2 fills a nice small gap on the PlayStation 5 until a better urban burglary game comes out. Of course, there’s pleasure in organizing and carrying out your heists. But sometimes, as trial-and-error shows the behaviors that can trip up your larcenous actions, the title feels a little forced.

I used a PlayStation 5 to play Thief Simulator 2.
using a review code that the publisher sent.

Review Overview

Gameplay – 65%

Controls – 60%

Aesthetics – 55%

Performance – 60%

Accessibility – 60%

Value – 65%

61%

Approach with Caution!

Summary : As you explore its suburban neighborhoods, Thief Simulator 2 occasionally gives you liberty thanks to its tech trees and extensive burglary toolkit. That freedom, though, can disappear during heists since the term implies that you should take a very rigid approach to stealing.