The Swindle Reviews
A stylish new take on the indie stealth genre, The Swindle doesn't have the chops to compete with the very best, but manages to be addictive and likable enough to succeed on its own merit.
The story laid within the game doesn't drive the game, but that's okay because there's plenty of rogue-like goodness waiting to be found inside of Size Five Games procedurally generated steampunk heist simulator.
They say that crime never pays, but in The Swindle you can come out ahead if you play your cards right. In this madcap steampunk rendition London, a city of ludicrous buildings filled with robots and traps, the key is learning how to quit while you're ahead. It's all too easy to slip up and foolishly get spotted – and yes, the occasional glitch or quirk of procedural generation can feel unfair – but it makes each success all the more tense and rewarding.
The Swindle is nowhere near an entirely negative experience. It's a festival of moments, of anecdotes filled with failures and smiles. I found myself holding my breath as I hacked a computer with just enough time to dodge three heavy guards coming my way, jumped over two electricity traps, clung to a wall to let a patrol pass, and bombed myself a new escape route. These pockets of perfection kept me hooked, and made me boot up The Swindle again and again in order to preserve this world of rogues. That, and my dedication to you guys. Now, the Devil's Basilisk is for all of us to share. You're goddamned welcome.
A clever spin on the Spelunky style of randomly-generated platformer, and although it asks a lot of its players its rewards are worth the effort.
Fast-paced stealth set to a ticking clock makes this a procedural platformer to savour.
An immensely satisfying mix of platforming, stealth, action, and resource management, with character.