Crookz: The Big Heist

69%
Game Brain Score Based on 209 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Crookz: The Big Heist Game Cover
This is an excellent and well-made title which does a lot more right than it does wrong. Strategy enthusiasts looking for something new and fun away from a battlefield will find little to complain about in this game. The execution of the 70’s atmosphere and time spent outside the core gameplay is a bit lackluster, and deserving of more care and attention, but that’s still not enough to deprive yourself of some truly enjoyable hours playing the part of a criminal mastermind.
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In Crookz: The Big Heist, players lead a team of 1970s thieves in tactical heists, using each crook's unique skills to steal valuable items and enact revenge on a traitorous ex-comrade. With a focus on style and strategy, the game features stylish visuals and atmospheric music to complement its groovy setting. Plan and execute heists with precision and flair, but watch out for unexpected obstacles and security measures.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

69%
Audience ScoreBased on 209 reviews
story16 positive mentions
replayability3 negative mentions
  • The game features solid optimization, allowing it to run smoothly on various systems.
  • It offers a unique 70s setting with a fun atmosphere, complemented by a funky soundtrack that enhances the experience.
  • The gameplay rewards tactical planning and allows for multiple approaches to missions, providing a good level of challenge and replayability.
  • The tutorial is poorly designed, leaving players with many unanswered questions and a lack of clarity on mechanics.
  • Controls can be clunky and inconvenient, making it difficult to manage items and character interactions effectively.
  • The plot and character development are weak, with murky storylines and poorly designed characters that detract from the overall experience.
  • story177 mentions

    The game's story is a whimsical blend of 70s heist themes and unexpected twists, featuring a gang of thieves navigating complex missions filled with humor and style. While the narrative starts off straightforward, it evolves into a more layered experience, with characters and plot developments that add depth, though some players find the transitions a bit jarring. Overall, the engaging cutscenes and character interactions enhance the gameplay, making it a fun and strategic experience, despite occasional pacing issues and a somewhat unrealistic storyline.

    • “The story and characters seem obvious at first, but like the game, they open up with more layers of complexity.”
    • “It does everything right: has a very classy 70's/funky vibe and style, excellent arts and music, great characters (plus great voice acting) and an enjoyable storyline.”
    • “The story is about a heist gang in the '60s being betrayed by one of their own and taking revenge a few years later.”
    • “The story is silly and nonsensical; heroes are not equally useful, and it might feel a bit samey at the end.”
    • “I write this because it is one of two things I did not like that much... it is not really bad but feels like losing the plot or changing to something completely different.”
    • “Heists are linked together by a fairly decent story, although they tried to make too many jokes with the dialogue that I didn't really find very funny.”
  • gameplay51 mentions

    The gameplay in Crookz is characterized by its engaging real-time stealth mechanics, allowing players to control multiple characters and utilize a pause feature for strategic planning. While the game starts off accessible and gradually increases in complexity, some players find the later levels overly simplified. Overall, it offers a solid blend of tactical gameplay and puzzle-solving, though some users noted occasional bugs and a lack of depth in certain aspects.

    • “The gameplay itself is mostly pretty intuitive, and as you progress through the story you gain more characters with different skillsets.”
    • “Gameplay-wise it's a real thinking man's title, an excellent blend of puzzle and strategic approach: you have to carefully plan your mission ahead during the appropriate phase and choose your team/tools accordingly.”
    • “Gameplay is fun, engaging, mind-boggling with many different solutions and paths to victory, the levels are very well balanced, doing my play, I felt challenged, inspired but never lost or stuck, which is quite an achievement.”
    • “Crookz has some decent art and workable voice acting, but the gameplay is far too shallow to warrant playing.”
    • “I found the gameplay tedious, and the banter between the characters unamusing.”
    • “That said, towards the end is when these gameplay expansions start becoming less about opening up new ways to proceed through the level and more about outright making it easier to beat.”
  • music47 mentions

    The music in the game is a standout feature, characterized by a vibrant 70s funk vibe that complements its colorful and stylized visuals. Many players appreciate the infectious beats and thematic consistency, likening the experience to classic films like "Austin Powers" and "Jackie Brown." However, some critiques highlight that the music can be forgettable at times, detracting from the overall atmosphere the game aims to create.

    • “While the music bops along with an infectious beat.”
    • “The developers put a lot of fun and heart into the 70's-style artwork, soundtrack, characters, and speech.”
    • “Playing Crookz is like being in an Austin Powers and Shaft movie, full of funky tunes and clever remarks; graphics and audio are great and match the 70's funky style very well.”
    • “The voice acting, however, is quite sub-par, but the background music and sound effects are very fitting for the period the game is based on.”
    • “The game is starting, but the screen keeps black... music is starting but nothing else...”
    • “The music is largely non-present and forgettable for a title that promotes its soundtrack.”
  • graphics24 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their vibrant 70's pop-art style, colorful character models, and smooth performance, effectively capturing a groovy atmosphere reminiscent of classic films. While some reviewers noted that the visuals are not groundbreaking, they appreciated the clean interface and the attention to detail that enhances gameplay. Overall, the graphics, combined with a solid soundtrack, contribute significantly to the game's charm and immersive experience.

    • “The developers put a lot of fun and heart into the 70's-style artwork, soundtrack, characters, and speech.”
    • “Playing Crookz is like being in an Austin Powers and Shaft movie, full of funky tunes and clever remarks. The graphics and audio are great and match the 70's funky style very well. You really feel the countless hours art directors, musicians, designers, artists, and animators have put into this game.”
    • “In-game graphics are great, smooth, and well balanced with a groovy atmosphere. The artists even made sure you can distinguish active and passive objects from each other, which is often down-prioritized or forgotten altogether.”
  • humor12 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of engaging cut scenes and quirky characters, contributing to a fun and funky atmosphere. However, some players find the humor to be corny and overly reliant on jokes that may not land, with clunky controls adding to the outdated feel. Overall, while the game offers a humorous experience, opinions on its effectiveness vary.

    • “Really good flow and funny characters.”
    • “Hilariously funky puzzle game with high production value and replayability.”
    • “Cut scenes are great, funny, and engaging; if cut scenes are not your thing, you may skip them without getting lost in your mission.”
  • replayability10 mentions

    Replayability in the game is somewhat limited due to the lack of randomly generated levels, but players can still enjoy revisiting missions to explore different strategies and improve their scores. With 50-100 hours of gameplay, the ability to replay heists and utilize unlocked skills adds a layer of depth, allowing for varied approaches and personal bests. Overall, while the core levels may not encourage extensive replay, the mission structure offers enough variety to keep players engaged.

    • “Missions have decent replayability as well with lots of options and approaches to how you get the job done.”
    • “The levels are well designed and have plenty of detail in them, but since it's not randomly generated, replayability is very low.”
    • “This game probably has 50-100 hours of play, and you can redo heists to get a higher score/faster time, so there is some replayability.”
    • “The missions have some replayability as you can go back to them later when you have access to other team members and skills at your disposal (each character has multiple skills that unlock as the story progresses) and try to beat your previous best score.”
  • optimization8 mentions

    The optimization aspect of the game is polarizing; while some players enjoy the strategic planning and execution it offers, others report significant performance issues, including overheating and stuttering after extended play sessions.

    • “Particularly fun for planners who like lots of optimization followed by watching perfect plans unfold. A hardcore challenge is to run an entire map just off of a pre-planned route.”
    • “Optimization is a key aspect that adds depth to the gameplay, allowing players to strategize and execute their plans with precision.”
    • “The satisfaction of fine-tuning every detail for optimal performance makes the game incredibly rewarding for those who enjoy a challenge.”
    • “It literally boils my rig after playing continuously for 2 hours, and then the game starts stuttering.”
    • “- optimization.”
    • “- optimization.”
  • grinding6 mentions

    Players consistently find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with many noting that the tasks lack variety and become monotonous over time. The gameplay is described as unchallenging and uninspired, contributing to an overall sense of frustration.

    • “They are tedious and all look the same.”
    • “An hour of switches, regardless of whether you can speed them up through memorization, isn't difficult, it's just tedious.”
    • “I found the gameplay tedious, and the banter between the characters unamusing.”
  • monetization6 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for its aggressive and misleading advertisements, which prominently feature irrelevant games before players can even start. Users have expressed frustration over the confusing login requirements and the overwhelming presence of ads, leading to a negative perception of the publisher, Kalypso. Overall, the monetization strategy detracts significantly from the gaming experience.

    • “Be aware that this game has an extra layer of very misleading advertisements before you are allowed to play.”
    • “It just shows you completely different and irrelevant games as advertisements.”
    • “In my version of the game, Crookz launched is basically one giant and confusing advertisement for 'Grand Ages: Medieval'. At first, I thought Steam had installed the wrong game. On top of that, they ask you to log in or sign up for something you don't have a clue about. It's very aggressive and confusing.”
  • atmosphere6 mentions

    The game's atmosphere effectively captures the essence of the 1970s with smooth graphics and a groovy vibe, appealing to fans of that era. However, some reviewers noted that the execution outside of core gameplay feels underdeveloped, with bland cutscenes and a forgettable soundtrack detracting from the overall experience. Despite these shortcomings, the immersive setting still provides enjoyable gameplay for players.

    • “If you want to be immersed in an atmosphere reminiscent of the 70s, then you will really love the game.”
    • “The in-game graphics are great, smooth, and well-balanced with a groovy atmosphere. The artists even made sure you can distinguish active and passive objects from each other, which is often overlooked in other games.”
    • “The execution of the 70s atmosphere is enjoyable, and despite some lackluster elements, it still provides some truly enjoyable hours playing the part of a criminal mastermind.”
    • “The execution of the 70’s atmosphere and time spent outside the core gameplay is a bit lackluster, and deserving of more care and attention, but that’s still not enough to deprive yourself of some truly enjoyable hours playing the part of a criminal mastermind.”
    • “In-game graphics are great, smooth, well balanced with a groovy atmosphere, but the execution of the atmosphere feels somewhat lacking, as it often prioritizes style over substance.”
    • “If you want to be immersed in a 70's atmosphere, you might find it appealing, but it ultimately falls short in delivering a truly engaging experience.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Users report that the game exhibits excellent stability, with no bugs or glitches encountered during gameplay.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

80% average critic score

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Play time

74hMedian play time
74hAverage play time
74-74hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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