Crime Simulator

About

Crime Simulator is a single player and multiplayer shooter game. It was developed by CookieDev and was released on June 17, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

Crime Simulator is not a stealth-focused simulation like Thief Simulator. Instead, it's a fast-paced, roguelite grind character game, designed around risk, reward, and replayability. You’re out of jail, but the debt isn’t gone. Sneak, steal, and break into houses solo or in 4-player co-op. Use lockpicks, sleeping gas, and brute force to complete jobs, outsmart security, and make enough money befo…

+13

Skip User Reviews

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,117 reviews

gameplay58 positive mentions

grinding30 negative mentions

Fun and engaging co-op gameplay that is especially entertaining when played with friends.
Satisfying progression system with permanent upgrades and a variety of unlockable skills and tools.
Active developer support with frequent updates and improvements, showing commitment to the game's growth.

Steep difficulty curve and punishing gameplay for solo players, making progress slow and frustrating.
NPC AI and police behavior are often unrealistic, with overly sensitive detection and quick police response that can feel unfair.
Limited content and maps lead to repetition, and inventory constraints cause tedious back-and-forth trips during heists.

gameplay
197 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
61%
10%
The gameplay offers a fun, engaging core loop with skill progression, cooperative play, and diverse mechanics that cater well to multiplayer experiences. However, it suffers from clunky controls, repetitive and sometimes unrealistic AI behaviors, limited maps, and grindy progression that can hinder solo play and overall polish. While the game appeals to fans of stealth and crime simulators seeking a social and evolving challenge, some feel it lacks the depth, smoothness, and innovation to surpass predecessors like Thief Simulator.
- “You can unlock new skills and abilities that actually improve your gameplay — from getting better equipment to moving more efficiently, like jumping fences and pulling off more advanced robberies.”
- “The core mechanics are solid, the missions are engaging, and the sandbox potential is strong.”
- “Co-op gameplay is surprisingly satisfying — even simple tasks become fun because everything requires coordination, communication, and a bit of creative problem-solving.”
- “At the current state of the game, I wouldn't buy it because it's just thief sim but you can knockout civilians and cops and it has co-op; co-op is kinda fun but it's just repetitive gameplay after like 3 hours.”
- “The climbing and running mechanics are terrible, making it impossible to escape the police at the start, and the random movements of NPCs make it difficult to go unnoticed.”
- “Very bad gameplay loop, purchased this game on accident thinking that it would have the gameplay of thief simulator; found out that the gameplay is less like a simulator and more like a constantly resetting loop of getting to day 5-6 and then failing the quota due to a bug or unrealistic AI that finds you as soon as you are able to see them.”
story
93 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
81%
8%
The game features a minimal and repetitive story centered on repaying debt via timed theft missions, lacking depth, narrative development, or immersive world-building. While the debt-driven plot provides some context and challenge, many players find it punishing, limited, and less engaging compared to previous series entries, with few story elements woven into gameplay. Overall, the story is often seen as an underdeveloped backdrop rather than a compelling or integral part of the experience.
- “It’s a familiar setup that fans of Thief Simulator will instantly recognize, but this game adds its own touches with a debt-driven story and customization options.”
- “For example, you have to pay off your debt as part of the story.”
- “This game can be better with more content, stuff to complete and maybe a bit more story aspect to explain how you ended up in that situation in the first place.”
- “No real storyline or campaign — unlike Thief Simulator 2, which had an intricate narrative, this feels more like DLC with a few new locations than a full standalone game.”
- “Missed storytelling opportunity — the game sets up your character as someone bailed out of prison, yet never builds on it.”
- “The only saving grace is you keep your XP and skills, so your character slowly powers up — but it feels pointless and repetitive because winning missions doesn't achieve anything other than paying down your debt which starts from 0 again the moment you fail a mission.”
humor
77 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The game is widely praised for its humor, especially when played cooperatively with friends, offering numerous hilarious and chaotic moments that enhance the fun. While some mechanics and bugs contribute to its goofy charm, the overall comedic experience, quirky interactions, and funny voice lines make it an engaging and amusing game. Many players find the humor a key part of the game's appeal, leading to laughter-filled sessions despite occasional frustrations.
- “There are a lot of funny moments, and working together makes everything way more enjoyable.”
- “Spent more time laughing than I did stealing; too much fun with friends.”
- “Co-op gives it personality and makes every session unpredictable, funny, and genuinely enjoyable.”
grinding
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
88%
Grinding in the game is often described as tedious and repetitive, especially when playing solo, with slow progression and difficulty without cooperative play. However, many find the grind enjoyable due to strategic gameplay, roguelite progression, and the adrenaline rush of successful runs, making it more bearable and rewarding with friends. While some view it as overly patience-testing and frustrating, others appreciate the challenge and find the grind addictive and satisfying.
- “I've been putting in hours and days of grinding to get anywhere, and I can't get anywhere near unlocking bed, hacking tools. Leaflets hardly spawn and when they do, it's basic and you already have it.”
- “Solo play is very grindy and difficult without dying several times.”
- “Game is a disappointment, way too grindy, worse than thief simulator.”
stability
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from widespread stability issues, including numerous bugs, glitches, and inconsistent AI behavior that negatively impact gameplay. While some players find it enjoyable despite these flaws, the prevailing sentiment is that the game feels rushed and buggy, detracting significantly from the overall experience.
- “The game is really buggy and I don't understand why lots of people like this game. It is not worth paying more than 1 dollar; even Roblox Jailbreak or Prison Life is way better than this piece of crap.”
- “NPCs can see and shoot you through walls, cameras can see you through walls (they shouldn't be able to, just an amateur dev team so sometimes they do). About 25% of the time NPCs just so happen to know exactly where you are hiding and path straight to you. You as the thief have to lockpick doors yet every NPC can just open them to find and attack you, even if it's not their house. All kinds of buggy, annoying bugs like that.”
- “The game has great foundations, but it's buggy as hell. One minute I'm standing on the pavement next to the garages, the next I'm running for my life and getting one-tapped by cops because the guard has seen me through the garage door.”
replayability
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
48%
12%
The game is widely praised for its high replayability, offering extensive freedom, diverse tools, and dynamic missions that encourage experimentation and strategic adaptation. Players enjoy the longevity and variety of content, especially in multiplayer, though some note a desire for more randomization to prevent repetitiveness. Overall, the gameplay loop and progression system strongly support multiple playthroughs and sustained interest.
- “Its progression system encourages experimentation, and the variety of tools available (eventually) makes each mission feel dynamic and replayable.”
- “This variety not only challenges you to adapt your strategies but also makes the gameplay loop highly replayable, encouraging experimentation and creativity on every heist.”
- “Gives the game infinitely more replayability and keeps me interested in leveling up to see what I can do with this next tool or ability.”
- “The only thing I'd hope for is they add more randomization elements, whether unique NPCs, random events, procedural generation with house security, or something along those lines to keep it fresh. Otherwise, the game has limited replay value before it becomes repetitive.”
- “Hoping there's more added to the hideout in the future to increase replayability.”
- “Is it replayable?”
graphics
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
60%
12%
The game's graphics are generally above average with a gritty, grounded aesthetic that enhances immersion, though they are not highly polished or realistic. Some users find the visuals decent but note issues with graphical settings resetting and inconsistent art styles that detract from the experience. Overall, while the graphics support the game's tone, optimization problems and a lack of cohesive art direction limit its visual appeal.
- “Visual aesthetics - stunning graphics.”
- “Graphically, the game looks good and sits above average overall.”
- “Visually, the game adopts a gritty, grounded aesthetic that enhances immersion.”
- “Every time I start the game I get a grey screen and have to change graphic settings before it goes normal. However, starting a mission resets my graphic settings. This needs fixing and saveable settings, otherwise your settings will just reset every time. I can't even properly play the game without getting fed up by this.”
- “Optimization is a 6.5/10. The game isn't unstable and doesn't stutter at all, but it requires lots of VRAM even for lower graphical settings.”
- “The graphics are not impressive and don't have an art style to speak of.”
optimization
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
Optimization for the game is inconsistent, with users reporting frequent performance issues, connectivity errors, and high VRAM usage even at low settings. While it generally runs without stuttering, the game struggles to maintain stable frame rates above 70fps and can feel unpolished in multiplayer and gameplay mechanics. Recent updates and mods have improved optimization, but there's still significant room for enhancement.
- “Optimization is a 6.5/10. The game isn't unstable and doesn't stutter at all but requires lots of VRAM even for lower graphical settings.”
- “With some updates, better optimization, and more depth in progression, Crime Simulator could turn into a hidden gem for fans of open-world crime games who want something a bit different.”
- “Mods have been released and the game has been optimized better than at release.”
- “Runs like garbage, unoptimized. I can't join any online servers because it constantly says the rooms don't exist!”
- “There are lots of performance issues, and quite often I can’t even get into the game because of the “connection lost: customauthenticationfailed” error.”
- “Made weirder when you realize that sometimes when trying to place an item the game will say 'this can't be placed here,' so there is some system running in the background that should be optimized better to actually work and stop making me lose money for nothing.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The music in the game is praised for its immersive stealth vibe and catchy, funky intro that sets the tone well, though some find the intro music a bit loud. While the stealth tracks receive positive remarks, a few players feel the overall soundtrack leans too much toward an action style and hope for more varied music additions in future updates.
- “The stealth music is so good, giving me the vibe of a SWAT team.”
- “I experienced other people’s happiness, saw the fruits of my labor, and relaxed to the music long enough to realize: I’m going to be okay.”
- “The music on the home page is addictive and funky—setting the tone before you even start a job.”
- “The intro music is a little loud and annoying.”
- “I miss the car music from Thief Sim 2.”
- “The music in general seems a bit too actiony.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The atmosphere in Crime Simulator is immersive and captivating, effectively portraying a dark, tense, and sometimes comedic depiction of small-scale crime. Its detailed environment and focus on careful planning and execution create a unique, engaging experience that keeps players invested.
- “Ultimately, Crime Simulator succeeds in delivering a focused, atmospheric, and sometimes nerve-racking depiction of small-scale criminal life.”
- “Players who appreciate measured pacing, careful execution, and the thrill of a clean escape will find Crime Simulator an engaging and atmospheric dive into the world of high-stakes burglary.”
- “Planning heists together, splitting roles, and dealing with the inevitable chaos after one tiny mistake creates a unique, almost comedic atmosphere.”
monetization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game features microtransactions and in-game purchases but maintains reasonable pricing without feeling like an exploitative cash grab. Developers actively update the game and address community feedback, though some users criticize gameplay issues and perceive it as lacking quality.
- “Microtransactions - in-game purchases.”
- “Microtransactions - in-game purchases.”
- “Seems like another lazy cash grab / asset flip, wasn't even fun for 15 minutes.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express mixed emotions, noting artistic efforts feel limited to minor edits and highlighting frustrating glitches that disrupt immersion. The high stakes of failure evoke intense pressure, while the game lacks guidance on managing the emotional impact of its challenging crime scenarios.
- “Every heist feels like a performance review where failure means literal death instead of just emotional death.”
- “Crime is harder than it looks, and the tutorial didn't cover emotional trauma management.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game’s roguelite design effectively conveys a strong sense of character development through continuous progression and resets, encouraging players to strategically rebuild and grow over time.
- “With its roguelite elements, the game captures a sense of progression and character development and resets to work back toward.”