Thick As Thieves Review Summary

Last updated: 2026-05-21
  • Great value for money
  • Fun and solid gameplay
  • Good level and map design
  • Insufficient mouse sensitivity settings
  • Lack of key rebinding options
  • Game is janky and buggy
Thick As Thieves header

Emotions

Archetypes

Hardware

Windows <8GB VRAMnegativeWindows 12-15GB VRAMnegative

What players like:

Common complaints:

Gameplay feedback:

Performance notes:

Recommendations:

Other player notes:

Review evidence

Why players say this

What players like

Great value for money: Many players highlight that the game is worth its price, often mentioning the $5 price point as a great deal and excellent value for the content provided.

Fun and solid gameplay: The gameplay is frequently described as fun, solid, and enjoyable. Players appreciate the engaging mechanics and overall smooth experience.

Good level and map design: The game features well-designed levels and maps that are interesting and offer a variety of objectives. The verticality and randomized loot locations add to the depth and replayability.

Enjoyable co-op stealth mechanics: The co-op stealth gameplay is a standout feature, offering a unique and fun experience that players enjoy. The stealth mechanics are solid and add a layer of depth to the game.

Appeals to Thief/Dishonored fans: Fans of the Thief and Dishonored series will find this game appealing due to its similar gameplay mechanics and atmosphere. It blends elements from both series effectively.

Common complaints

Insufficient mouse sensitivity settings: There are limited or no options to adjust mouse sensitivity, with some players finding the sensitivity too high even at the lowest settings.

Lack of key rebinding options: Players are frustrated by the inability to rebind keys or customize controls, which limits accessibility and personal preference adjustments.

Game is janky and buggy: The game is described as unpolished, janky, and buggy, indicating a need for further optimization and bug fixes.

Poor control and settings management: The game lacks comprehensive settings management, including control settings, which players find restrictive and poorly designed.

Optimization issues: There are numerous reports of poor optimization, leading to performance issues and high GPU usage.

Gameplay and performance

Thief-like gameplay mechanics: The game features gameplay mechanics similar to the Thief series, including stealth, thievery, and the use of various tools and abilities to complete missions.

Map design and variety: The game features map design with a focus on variety in mission objectives and pathways, although some players have noted issues with map variety and confusing pathways.

Co-op gameplay focus: The game emphasizes cooperative gameplay, allowing players to team up and complete missions together, adding excitement and variety to the experience.

Immersive sim elements: The game incorporates elements of immersive sims, providing players with a sense of being in the game world and offering multiple ways to approach missions.

Time pressure and limits: Missions in the game are often time-limited, adding a sense of urgency and challenge to the gameplay.

Poor optimization issues: Many players report that the game suffers from significant optimization problems, leading to a subpar gaming experience.

Mouse sensitivity settings needed: There is a notable lack of mouse sensitivity settings, which affects the gameplay experience for many users.

Blurry and grainy graphics: The game's graphics are described as blurry and grainy, detracting from the visual experience.

GPU heating and usage issues: Some players experience high GPU usage and heating issues, which can impact performance and hardware longevity.

Motion sickness issues: Some players experience motion sickness, which is exacerbated by the lack of adjustable settings to mitigate this issue.

Recommendations

Customization and settings: There are multiple requests for customization options such as custom keybinds, FOV slider, decoupling motion blur, and mouse sensitivity adjustments.

Recommendations for fans of stealth: The game is highly recommended for fans of stealth games, particularly those who enjoy titles like Thief and Dishonored.

Needs more content: Players suggest that the game needs more time to develop into a full game, with requests for more maps and an overarching storyline.

Gameplay improvements needed: Players have noted specific gameplay issues that need fixing, such as guards not opening doors after stealing keys and the addition of more treasures to steal.

Missing features and assets: There are requests for additional features like voice chat and the addition of missing assets from the PvPvE portion.

Buying context

Community fair range: $4.00 - $6.00.

Game completion: 7.5h.

Story completion: 4.0h.

The game starts to become fun after completing the tutorial, especially when playing in co-op mode. The tutorial itself can be a barrier to immediate enjoyment due to its complexity and potential bugs.

Reported time to anchor: 30m.

Friction: Tutorial complexity; Initial bugs; Confusing instructions.

Unlock drivers: Completing the tutorial; Playing with friends.

Player profiles

PvP Strategist: Focuses on outsmarting opponents and utilizing game mechanics to gain an advantage. Motivation: Competitive gameplay and strategic depth. Stance: sale.

Co-op Enthusiast: Enjoys teamwork and coordination with friends to achieve in-game goals. Motivation: Social interaction and cooperative gameplay. Stance: buy.

Stealth Classic Fan: Prefers slow-paced, methodical gameplay with a focus on stealth and strategy. Motivation: Nostalgia and appreciation for classic stealth gameplay. Stance: buy.

Platform notes

Performance varies significantly across hardware cohorts, with lower VRAM configurations struggling the most. Higher VRAM setups generally fare better but still report specific issues.

Windows <8GB VRAM: negative. Users report frequent FPS drops and performance issues, with some mentioning the need for better optimization.

Windows 12-15GB VRAM: negative. Users indicate that the game lacks optimization and interesting mechanics.

Windows 8-11GB VRAM: positive. Despite high GPU temperatures, the game is reported to run well.

Extra review signals

Monetization: Users generally express a willingness to pay for additional content through traditional DLC or expansions rather than microtransactions. There are some concerns about potential future monetization, but currently, users find the pricing acceptable and are open to purchasing more content if it is released as true DLC or expansions.

Other review notes

Game in early access: Multiple reviews mention that the game is currently in early access, indicating that it is still under development and may have unfinished features or bugs.

Preference for keyboard and mouse: Some players express a preference for using keyboard and mouse controls, suggesting that this control scheme might be more popular or effective for this game.