Stealth is optional; it’s always a funny line to most when playing a stealth-based game, especially to those who choose to charge right in like a bull in a glass shop, but in this game, it is not only necessary but also prudent to do so.

Published by Megabit Publishing and developed by Otherside Entertainment, Thick as Thieves is a stealth-heist adventure game. Back in 2024, we were told this was an extraction game, PvEvP. What we got is a single-player cooperative PvE game with a short, anticlimactic story.

The city is Kilcairn, where you play 1 of 2 characters, “The Spider” or “Chameleon”, a master thief in 1910s Scotland, a time of significant technological and magical advancements. We are given access to two maps. Constables’ Guild Hall and Elway Manor give us about 4 hours’ worth of gameplay.

In this short introduction to a game, you will have to prove yourself to the Thieves guild under the guidance of Tristain, a blue spirit guide, taking on the challenge of contracts and a money system that will fill your pockets.

Playing Thick As Thieves, I felt the direction in which it was trying to go, giving us buildings of riches to loot and guards to avoid. Offering us an abundance of tools such as zipwires and smoke grenades, all used to avoid/navigate the security systems and guards. Given that this offers only a small amount of content, it comes across as short and easy; the world itself feels empty and mostly repetitive.

Unlock, pickpocket, turn off light – all predictable patterns for guards/lights all on repeat. All while under the thumb of the clock, certain goals/contracts must be met to get out with the maximum amount of loot while taking everything but what you can get your hands on. You are offered stashes during your run to store valuables in case you get caught, and an extraction-style exit where you must wait a certain amount of time before leaving.

Visually, the game is beautiful; dark, stormy nights with old-style street lighting and Gothic aesthetics really help set the mood of the 1900s and make you want to crouch and sneak around. I enjoy this style of artwork and what it offers, but it can feel lacklustre in this day and age.

Working in tandem with the art style, the music you’ll find suits well, from thrilling chase music to the sounds you give off while trying to be sneaky. Thick As Thieves did alright with no overbearing audio sounds or sharp sounds to strike fear when being caught.

Besides the obviously short intro, I would say reconsider the PvPvE element.

One of the first things that got my attention in this game was the idea of competing against the others for the loot, tracking them via footprints, or resetting traps that you previously disabled to expose them. It generated actual excitement for the game.

‘Introductory’ is what this was called, a cheap $7 game to introduce you to what is to come. Miss the mark, falling short is what comes to mind.

The genuine excitement of playing a stealth-type game against other players, amassing massive loot piles, and testing how fast you can get all the loot without being seen is not what we got.

An easy, short intro to something that feels like a shell of what it could have been. The potential is there for more, and I look forward to seeing what comes next: more maps, better gear, and perhaps even better co-op. I hope we get to see it.

Written by: Matiyus