Thick as Thieves launched on Steam this week for $5, emerging from a turbulent development cycle that saw its core design pivot from a PvPvE extraction heist title to a co-op stealth experience. Produced by OtherSide Entertainment under the creative direction of industry veterans Warren Spector and Paul Neurath, the game is currently available for purchase but displays significant friction born from its structural metamorphosis.
Technical Performance and Scope
The software is noted for its brevity, with a campaign duration of approximately 4 hours. Despite this limited scale, critics highlight specific technical hurdles and gameplay quirks:
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Pricing | $5.00 USD |
| Hardware | Optimized for Steam Deck (40 FPS, requires Visual C Redist) |
| Battery Life | 2.5 hours (OLED) / 1.5 hours (LCD) |
| Persistence | Features safe-room respawns and loot banking mechanics |
Design and Mechanical Observations
While the game seeks to channel the spirit of legacy titles like Thief and Deus Ex, reviews suggest the execution remains uneven.
Traversal: Players are encouraged to bypass guards through verticality or evasion rather than combat, as direct confrontation leads to swift character incapacitation.
AI Behavior: The guard intelligence is described as inconsistent, with instances of enemies standing after being "downed."
Systems: The game features reactive environmental hazards, such as floor plates and security systems, though some critics argue that the lack of deep systemic risks—such as the inability to hack devices against enemies—limits the potential for complex, emergent planning.
Co-op Utility: The game allows players to split up to cover ground, effectively accelerating the mission pace.
Contextual Background
The game’s current state is framed heavily by its pivot away from the PvPvE (Player vs. Player vs. Environment) model. Originally intended as a competitive multiplayer experience where thieves would sabotage one another, the final product reflects a hybrid of its original competitive architecture and a cooperative narrative structure.
Read More: Old Batman Games Before Arkham Were Hard to Make
Industry observers point to the game's foundation—designed by architects of foundational stealth classics—as a point of initial interest. However, the legacy of its "extraction heist past" persists in the current build, creating a tension between its original vision and the finalized 16-contract story mode. Whether these leftover mechanics offer a meaningful challenge or merely signal a fragmented design intent remains a subject of critique.
Stealth mechanics in Thick as Thieves rely heavily on distraction items and environment management, though the mechanical depth is viewed by some as an intentional nod to older, rigid gameplay loops, while others perceive it as a lack of refinement.
Read More: Lords of the Fallen 2 PC Release Now Open, Not Just on Epic
