Trilby: The Art of Theft

I was quite happy to play the new game release by Yahtzee featuring the Trilby character. In the past I started playing his adventure games created with AGS engine (in the future I plan to write some articles about his adventure games and other AGS games in general) and also his action adventure games (flashback like) that always kept me playing not just for the gameplay but especially for the story/atmosphere he very well plants into his games. When I download a game from Yahtzee I know that I can't be disattisfied.

Art of Theft is an action adventure game similar to his 1213 series but with a stealth based gameplay. Personally these kind of games, while I find them clever, frustrate me a lot because I am too inpatient and have to start all over again. In few words, you must steal some houses without being noticed or tripping onto the laser alarms or zap too many guards with your umbrella. And you get to know that if you are spotted more than e.g. 3 times, Trilby throws a smoke bomb and dissapears. And then you have to play the same stage from the beginning. Someone needs patience with this kind of games and if he doesn't own any he plays more recklessly each time he looses :P

Still, because I was too curious to finish the game and there is also a nice conspiracy story build in the scenario, I did managed to break my nerves and it wasn't as hard as I first thought. Playing the game again from the beginning, I am getting better while I discover that it's not that hard to finish the levels with a perfect mark (which is a Trilby hat :). After finishing the game, there is also a challenge to play all levels non stop with a greater yet limited number of watches and umbrella zaps. I don't know if I'll have the patience for this..

Yet if you learn to play well, it gets quite fun! Finishing a level in less time, without any guard/alarm noticing you, no zaps used and getting as much loot as possible gives you better marks (C,B,A and a hat for the best) which either gives you reputation points or reveals more surprises at the end of the game. Gaining enough reputation points you can buy various moves/tricks, like rolling down, climbing on the ceiling, more zaps/watches, better door/safe unlock abilities and quite more stuff I haven't bought yet. There is even a wardrobe where you can get several new outfits as a bonus :)

You will love it, especially if you are patient enough and enjoy stealth games. I did like it while I am not used to play such games!