CrimeCrew is an indie stealth strategy game developed by Tripartible and actually has some great ideas. While simple in design and story, it introduces a team-based heist using an unlikely trio of thief archetypes in a top-down real-time strategy to get the job done. However, while a heist can take time to plan and pull off, unless you live in South Korea and have a cardboard box handy, the game is short-lived.

The team is composed of three specialists: an angry Locksmith, a Hacker with carpal tunnel, and a Russian “Spy” that is so smug he can distract guards and pass by them with charm and break dancing skills. All three of them use their skills, by lock picking doors, hacking cameras, and break dancing, to get to the Vault owned by ORB, Inc., short for Old Rich Bastards. While this sounds like a silly plot, I suppose being a group of old farts with the only agenda of being stupid rich while acting like bastards about it is enough cause to be robbed. There are some indications that they resent each other, but honor is among these would-be-thieves for if one gets caught all of them go to the slammer. Sadly, there are only five levels in the entire game to play, including the tutorial levels.

The game design is very simple by using cubed models and generic level graphics. The “heroes”, while their personalities are simple, and each character has his (or her) own design to make them unique and stand out from each other. Their design also might have been based on Internet meme, considering that The Spy’s chin resembles part of the Troll Face. The only other characters in the game, The Guards, are generic and uncomplicated to the point they don’t even get the privilege of having faces. The level designs are fairly planned out, spacing obstacles for each member of the crew to handle so the others could pass by. It doesn’t help. However, that the camera is in a close, fixed position while the resolution is in windowed wide screen, obscuring much of the field.

The art direction for the levels are simplistic featuring bland wall with light fixtures, the occasional furniture, and corridors with velvet carpet. Cut scenes are done in a comic fashion which does a fairly good job of showcasing the tropes the crew are based on, but of course The Spy is the one with enough charm to steal the spotlight. The soundtrack is mostly composed of generic lounge music while the title track gives a bit of hype with an upbeat gangster tune.

Controls are very simple by mainly using the mouse and the first three numbered keys. Characters can be switched between the 1,2, and 3 keys or left clicking on their portraits while right clicking controls their movement and actions. Going through in-game dialogues is done by pressing the spacebar. The only downside to this simple control scheme is that there no method to scroll around the level and check what’s up ahead, and the lack of this feature makes it a bit difficult when trip lasers are introduced in the later levels.

Pros:
+ Gameplay brings a great idea for a stealth strategy game.
+ Characters, while each follows a troupe, are interesting enough to play with.
+ Mechanics are fun enough to want more out of the game.

Cons:
– There are only five levels, including the tutorial levels.
– Resolution is stuck in a windowed widescreen and the camera is in too close.
– The fixed camera makes it difficult to see obstacles and avoid getting caught.

Verdict: 2.5/5
CrimeCrew was in the right direction in gameplay but while it did have some execution it didn’t go so far. Just when the game was getting challenging it was already the final level. It is worth a playthrough to checkout the game mechanic. But despite how short it is you get to keep all the monies, until you exit the game that is.

Title: CrimeCrew
Developer: Tripartible
Format: PC, Unity
Genre: Stealth Strategy
Resolution: Windowed Widescreen
Release date: 2015-10-15
Difficulty: Easy
Spent time: 1+ hours
Age rating (Game Jolt): All Ages
Price: Free
CrimeCrew Official Website [Link]
CrimeCrew on Game Jolt [Link]

David Lucas
The Gaming Ground
Twitter: @GamerFoxem

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Tags: CrimeCrew, PC review, Stealth Strategy, Tripartible, Unity