Best Open-World Games To Play As A Thief

Best Open-World Games To Play As A Thief

Key Takeaways

  • Few open-world games focus entirely on crime and robberies, providing unique gameplay opportunities.
  • Thief Simulator offers a detailed sandbox crime simulation experience with heists to plan and execute.
  • Red Dead Redemption 2 allows players the freedom to be a law-abiding citizen or an immoral outlaw, engaging in various levels of theft.

As a seasoned gamer with a soft spot for open-world games that let me unleash my inner criminal, I must say these selections are right up my alley! The list is a delightful mix of stealth, strategy, and good old-fashioned robbery, all set against the backdrop of captivating open worlds.


Most open-world video games primarily utilize mechanics like combat and exploration to engage players, with many exceptional titles adhering to this structure. Others, however, opt for a sandbox setting as the canvas for their narrative, often not urging the player to venture out independently. Yet, there are open-world games that deviate from the norm, allowing players a high degree of freedom, which can even involve activities like theft and criminal behavior.

As a gaming enthusiast, I must say, it’s rare to find open-world games solely centered around criminal activities. Yet, there are some exceptional titles that allow players to engage in illicit activities, like burglaries or even piracy, as integral parts of their gameplay experience.

6 Assassin’s Creed Syndicate

Explore Victorian London

Nestled within the bustling metropolis of Victorian-era London, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate barely qualifies for this roundup, finding itself at the bottom. This is due to the fact that while there are opportunities for theft in the game, such as pickpocketing, these activities do not form the core gameplay experience as they do in other titles on this list, since crime plays a lesser role in this installment compared to others.

In contrast, “Assassin’s Creed Syndicate” earned its spot on the list due to its skillful incorporation of stealth during theft opportunities, which the developers executed exceptionally well. Additionally, the game’s open-world map, meticulously crafted to resemble Victorian London, is nothing short of stunning in its detail.

5 Thief

Become A Burglar In A Steampunk Setting

The burglar crafted this list, albeit its open-world elements aren’t as expansive as other games listed. While players enjoy unrestricted navigation and exploration of the gaming map, specific zones remain inaccessible until a particular point in the main narrative. Nonetheless, even with these limited aspects of open-world gameplay, the atmosphere and allure of the environment remain captivating.

In the game named “Thief“, stealth plays a crucial role throughout, reflecting its title. When feasible, engaging in combat should be avoided, and it’s usually better to avoid using force when encountering obstacles within the game. As a burglar in “Thief“, success often comes from completing a heist undetected.

4 Thief Simulator

Sandbox Crime Simulation

As I compose this text, Thief Simulator stands alone in its genre. No other game comes close to replicating the lifestyle of a professional criminal as accurately as it does. Beyond simple theft, Thief Simulator demands meticulous planning for each heist. This involves gathering information, scrutinizing the surroundings of potential targets on an expansive open-world map, and evading the authorities at every turn.

At every spot selected by the player for a heist, whether it’s a residence or an establishment, there are unique challenges that need to be overcome to successfully execute the robbery. These challenges involve solving puzzles discreetly, ensuring no alarms are tripped and avoiding detection so as not to attract the attention of the police.

3 Dishonored 2

Both Stealth And Violence Are Viable Options

In other words, the game “Dishonored 2” presents an unusual experience at times due to its unique blend of elements. It’s a stealth game set in a Steampunk world, but it also incorporates supernatural abilities into the open-world setting. This combination can sometimes be hard for players to grasp, and might necessitate a considerable amount of willingness to suspend disbelief to overlook.

Despite its unusual plotline, give it a try and set aside your doubts since the gameplay is top-notch. In this game, you can choose between two main characters, and you’ll employ burglary and stealth tactics to accomplish missions and advance in the story. Initially, theft is quite straightforward, but as the game progresses, many businesses will have security guards that you must evade to gain entry.

2 Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag

Pillage As A Pirate

In this list, the second “Assassin’s Creed” game is called “Black Flag.” Unlike other games in the series, where playing as an assassin involved stealthy and cunning theft, this game allows you to play as a pirate, Edward Kenway, who is more of a thief by nature. However, the game doesn’t require stealth for committing crimes; instead, it encourages players to loot and plunder as much as they desire.

Robbery encompasses sea battles between pirates and ships, along with land operations that necessitate a certain degree of sneakiness. These activities unfold on an impressive open-world setting, which is characteristic of games within the Assassin’s Creed series.

1 Red Dead Redemption 2

Wanted: Deal Or Alive

In many games, players have limited choices, but Red Dead Redemption 2 grants an exceptional degree of freedom for the player’s actions. Interestingly, despite Arthur Morgan being part of an outlaw gang, he doesn’t strictly have to play as a villain. He can adopt a more ambiguous role effectively. However, it’s hard to deny that the true enjoyment in Red Dead Redemption 2 often lies in embracing unapologetically immoral actions.

In Red Dead Redemption 2, there’s an endless array of opportunities for thievery, ranging from casual pickpocketing to grand schemes like train or stagecoach robberies, all the way up to executing a daring bank heist. If the game had a tagline, it might as well have been ‘Meet many characters from the Wild West, then rob and kill them.’ Definitely!

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2024-10-14 06:33