The Swindle Reviews
The Swindle is a good game on the cusp of greatness, but falters from a structural identity crisis that is hard to ignore.
Size Five's The Swindle has come to Nintendo Switch but a new console can't fix the same old frustrating controls
While the game is indeed varied and its visual environment is very well designed, it can often become very repetitive as it compels the player to repeat missions again and again.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
The uncompromisingly brutal difficulty of The Swindle will turn many off, but for those up to the challenge, the reward of thrilling thievery could very well be worth the effort.
The Swindle has some really cool ideas, and the sound and visuals make for one of the prettiest games out there. But, for players looking for something new or intrigued by the steampunk aesthetic, the randomized barrier to entry may be a bit too much.
Well, I'm still ambivalent, even after working through things in what has maybe become a longer review than planned. For the moments where the procedural stuff just works perfectly, creating a bastard-hard but ultimately memorable level, and for the world itself, which is lovely, The Swindle is worth dedicating a couple evenings to. It won't steal your heart though.
So should you buy The Swindle? Absolutely; the game is, quite simply, fun. It has real stakes, and that makes every jump, every break in, every move all the more intense. With great gameplay, great visuals, and great music, it's hard not to suggest The Swindle; just keep in mind that it has got some issues, and it is not for the faint of heart.
It's a different take on the stealth genre, one that really impresses the player with an interesting environment. Sadly, the controls lack precision, and that's a real shame for a game that requires so much rigor on the gamepad.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The Swindle is frustrating at first glance, but smooths out to spread its steampunk wings thanks to some good depth, variety and quick gameplay style.
The Swindle is an excellent combination of platformer and stealth game, with a gorgeous steampunk aesthetic that absorbs you completely into the game.
When it comes down to it, The Swindle is the perfect kind of game for the Nintendo Switch. It never would have found a home in my PC library but I find myself picking up and playing it on the Switch quite frequently. It's the exact kind of platformer that can thrive in the Switch ecosystem: easy to understand mechanics, difficult to beat in its entirety, but engaging gameplay that keeps you coming back out of pure enjoyment for every level played.
The Swindle is not immediately satisfying, but this seems to be a deliberate choice. The randomness of the level generation means that there's every chance the first heist lacks the £100 needed to buy hacking—or the passages are blocked off and inaccessible—which can be a little deflating. But the constant, continual escalation is what keeps The Swindle gripping and satisfying—even when it feels unfair. Which is often, because I am terrible.
Give it a few patches and hopefully we'll have a must-have game on our hands, but even right now you shouldn't regret a purchase. Jolly good burglary, old chap.
Thrilling when it works, incensing when it doesn't
The Swindle is a very fun game, and I would certainly recommend it at its small price point.
To that end, The Swindle is a usually enjoyable jaunt that's equal parts familiar and refreshing. It's by no means an easy game. The 100-day time limit can prove a huge frustration, but it does succeed in adding a significant portion of tension. Like anything irritating you'll eventually feel the urge to hit back - what's critical is whether that's enough for you to close the game forever, or the impetus you need for just one more shot.
It's a huge shame that The Swindle misses the mark so hard on its execution. The tools, upgrades, and challenges are all really fun to experiment with. There's a great game somewhere within the mess, but you'll probably stop having fun way before you manage to pull off the heist of a lifetime.
The Swindle is a fun romp through Victorian London, and the feeling of getting away with the heists is one that never gets old, but the game is brought down by some questionable design choices and some technical issues. If it's a decent roguelike you seek, you won't regret taking a look, but if you're craving for the next Spelunky, take your thievery skills elsewhere.
The Swindle is superb: a truly original entry to stand beside Spelunky and a great opportunity to test the player's ability not to snap their controller in half. The stealth combat is an interesting new take on the rogue-like genre, the gadgets and abilities are fun and interesting to experiment with, and - most importantly - there is a quality to the game that makes the player want to come back to play again and again. A trait system and an infinite mode would simply serve to make an already fantastic game even better.