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0 Ever imagined yourself as a thief, breaking into homes and stealing people’s valuables? I certainly hope not, but if so, then developer CookieDev has you covered! In Crime Simulator, you’ll need to take anything that isn’t nailed down as you try to repay a debt. These poor, unsuspecting NPCs won’t know what hit ’em…
The game was originally released for PC and Xbox Series X|S in 2025, with a Nintendo Switch port in February of this year. Now, PlayStation 5 players can finally get their hands on the loot! But, is it even worth stealing?
Turns Out, Crime Does Pay!
An unknown benefactor recently bailed our nameless protagonist out of prison, and now they owe a big debt. What’s the best way for a newly free criminal to earn some quick cash? Crime, of course! Right off the bat, Crime Simulator will feel rather familiar to anyone that has played Thief Simulator or its sequel. Seeing as CookieDev developed Thief Simulator 2, that shouldn’t be all too surprising! But what sets this game apart from these previous titles, and does it do enough to be a true successor?
Well… surprisingly, it doesn’t exactly have the same flow as those other games. Instead, it plays more like Lethal Company. You’re tasked with raising enough funds within a certain amount of time in order to slowly pay off your debt. Players must meet quotas in order to progress through the game, with plenty of tools and upgrades to unlock along the way. Inventory space is limited, large objects will need to be carried, and so on. Controls are simple, with no overly complex button inputs required. It plays like a typical FPS, albeit it with less weapon swapping and more hotwiring cars for profit!
Perhaps the standout feature is the fact that Crime Simulator is playable in co-op for up to four players. Whilst it’s fun to work together to pull off daring heists, there’s nothing stopping you from stabbing your friends in the back and fleeing with all the profits. Of course, they can also do the same to you… It makes the game that much more enjoyable to play with friends; however, as I mostly played solo, this review is mainly focused on the single player component.
Ransacking Roguelite
Each “run” begins in your hideout. Here you can sharpen your skills, prep for new heists, or even earn some cash on the side by starting a weed farm. Selecting which map to venture out to allows the choice of either a town or a heist. Town maps are small suburban areas with homes that you can fairly easily pick clean. These are open zones that allow you to go from house to house, taking as much as you can to quickly earn some money. Heists, on the other hand, provide much bigger rewards, at the cost of a larger police presence. These take place in larger buildings, such as a mansion, and can only be unlocked when discovering their maps in the town areas.
Of course, a thief is only as good as their tools. Thankfully, we have plenty of them! You’ve got items like lockpicks and blowtorches to help with infiltration. Several of these even have their own minigames, which made the game feel more like a simulator! For when you need no witnesses, though, then weapons such as bats or pistols will do the job. Just be wary that using these usually results in an increased police presence for a set number of days! Stealth isn’t a huge factor here, but being cautious is often the best way to play to ensure the cops aren’t breathing down your neck.
It’s likely that your first few runs will end in failure. With Crime Simulator being a roguelite, though, permanent upgrades, new items, and new starting locations make things progressively easier. It’s still no walk in the park, especially solo, so learning map layouts, item placements, and so on, will be essential in making off with a hefty score.
Graphics & Audio
Despite some stiff animations and character models that don’t look quite right, Crime Simulator isn’t a terrible-looking game. Environments and lighting in particular are rather impressive. Skulking around dimly lit buildings with only light shining through the windows can be very atmospheric. The audio is standard for the simulator genre, that being rather generic and forgettable.
It’s also worth noting that, at least for the PS5 version, Crime Simulator runs very well. There were a few frame drops, but nothing often enough to become an issue. Loading times were short and infrequent, which, for a game all about quick runs, meant I spent much less time in loading screens than anticipated.
Longevity
There’s a decent amount to see and do throughout the game. From side missions, new areas to loot, and new tools to put to use, 100% completion won’t come easy. The progression system and earning skill points by finding randomised “skill leaflets” was a bit of a slog, though. This, plus some truly frustrating difficulty spikes, meant that, whilst Crime Simulator lasted me a good while, there were a few points where I wanted to just give up and move on to playing something else.
Final Thoughts
I enjoyed my time with Crime Simulator. Mostly… Whilst it’s undeniably better with friends, the solo experience grew tiresome after around 10 hours. If you can grab three other people, then this is absolutely a game worth looking into for some chaotic fun. If you’re strictly single player, then it’s harder to recommend. It can be satisfying to learn from your mistakes and pull off flawless heists, but as I said, it can get repetitive after a while.
For those reasons, I’ll be awarding Crime Simulator the Thumb Culture Silver Award!
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
Looking for a co-op game with a less crime and more thyme? Then why not check out Olivia’s review of Cooking Simulator 2: Better Together!
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