Crime and Heist games

Recommendations by MathBrush

I've played a lot of these recently, so I'm making a list. A contrast to my Detective and Mystery games list and similar to my Espionage and Spy game list, where I put Spider and Web, for instance.

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1. Alias 'The Magpie'
by J. J. Guest
(2018)
Average member rating: (68 ratings)

MathBrush says:

IFComp-winning game about stealing valuable treasures as the world-famous thief known only as the Magpie. Madcap adventures, parser game.

2. The Martian Job
by M. Darusha Wehm
(2018)
Average member rating: (2 ratings)

MathBrush says:

Beautiful writing, nominated for a Nebula award. Explore Mars while casing a casino. Lots of side stories and twists, fun blackjack simulator.

3. Treasure Seekers of Lady Luck
by Christopher Brendel
(2013)
Average member rating: (2 ratings)

MathBrush says:

Wacky Choicescript space adventure with a diverse cast of aliens (like a living shadow and a shapeshifter who always looks like the nearest person). Multiple heists and thefts.

4. Thieves' Gambit: The Curse of the Black Cat
by Dana Duffield
(2014)
Average member rating: (8 ratings)

MathBrush says:

Straightforward Choicescript heist game involving the Black Cat, the world's unluckiest gem.

5. Taco Fiction
by Ryan Veeder
(2011)
Average member rating: (121 ratings)

MathBrush says:

As Ryan Veeder says, 'A game about crime'. Excellent short game about a petty criminal, where nothing is as it seems. Charming and enjoyable.

6. The Prongleman Job
by Arthur DiBianca
(2020)
Average member rating: (13 ratings)

MathBrush says:

Limited parser game with an unusual twist. Hunt for treasures with limited time.

7. Captain Verdeterre's Plunder
by Ryan Veeder
(2013)
Average member rating: (52 ratings)

MathBrush says:

Time-limited adventure where you have to grab as much treasure as you can.

8. Limerick Heist
by Pace Smith
(2019)
Average member rating: (28 ratings)

MathBrush says:

A heist game composed entirely in Limerick's. Pretty dang funny.

9. LET'S ROB A BANK
by Bethany Nolan
(2018)
Average member rating: (14 ratings)

MathBrush says:

A shortish CYOA that branches wildly, including (I believe) destroying the entire universe in one branch.

10. A Matter of Importance, by Valentine Kopteltsev (2007)
Average member rating: (8 ratings)
MathBrush says:

A hard but fairly fun parser heist game whose big idea is that none of the scenery is important, but it's not important in an important way. A riff on default parser messages.

11. Lord Bellwater's Secret
by Sam Gordon
(2007)
Average member rating: (71 ratings)

MathBrush says:

A top-3 IFComp finisher, this is a tight parser puzzle game in one room with some telescopic examinations required.

12. Second Story
by Fred Snyder
(2015)
Average member rating: (9 ratings)

MathBrush says:

A homebrew parser game with an interesting visual format. Story has some good motivation, and there are some nice twists.

13. Byzantine Perspective
by Lea Albaugh
(2009)
Average member rating: (59 ratings)

MathBrush says:

A game famous for its bizarre central puzzle. Steal a chalice. Short and sweet parser game.

14. Escape to New York, by Richard Otter (2005)
Average member rating: (4 ratings)
MathBrush says:

Somewhat fussy Adrift theft game set on the Titanic.

15. Heist, by Andy Phillips (1997)
Average member rating: (10 ratings)
MathBrush says:

If you've played Andy Phillips games, you know what this is like. If not, expect a huge parser game with action-movie style storytelling, femme fatales, and a lot of fiddly puzzles.

16. Heroes, by Sean Barrett (2001)
Average member rating: (25 ratings)
MathBrush says:

One of my first IF favorites, when I started playing on Frotz on the iPad. Play any of 4 traditional RPG classes to steal a staff and a gem. Most heist-like is thief, least heist-like is Royal/Dragon.

17. The Hobbit
by Philip Mitchell and Veronika Megler
(1983)
Average member rating: (29 ratings)

MathBrush says:

I mean, technically it's a heist, right? You even assemble the team and all...

18. Infidel
by Michael Berlyn
(1983)
Average member rating: (63 ratings)

MathBrush says:

Infocom classic. Rob a pyramid. Controversial (at the time) ending.

19. Just Get the Treasure v0.9.1
by Ray B.
(2017)
Average member rating: (6 ratings)

MathBrush says:

A wildly branching Twine game focused on the last second of a heist.

20. Scroll Thief
by Daniel M. Stelzer
(2015)
Average member rating: (14 ratings)

MathBrush says:

A pretty big and polished Infocom tribute using scrolls à la Enchanter, which you have to steal to progress.

21. Speculative Fiction
by Diane Christoforo and Thomas Mack
(2012)
Average member rating: (13 ratings)

MathBrush says:

Another big Infocom tribute, also polished, involving committing crimes (as a wizard controlling a crow) to make up for an earlier heist.

22. Tally Ho
by Kreg Segall
(2017)
Average member rating: (23 ratings)

MathBrush says:

Contains an optional but sizeable heist scene and, depending on play, can involve quite a bit of theft. Huge, magnificent Choicescript game.

23. The Magpie Takes the Train
by Mathbrush
(2020)
Average member rating: (42 ratings)

MathBrush says:

My game. Steal a jewel in a one-room game inspired by Alias the Magpie.

24. Lady Thalia and the Seraskier Sapphires
by Emery Joyce and N. Cormier
(2021)
Average member rating: (22 ratings)

MathBrush says:

Clever Twine game in 3 acts where you steal a variety of works of art.

25. The Golden Heist
by George Lockett and Rob Thorman
(2021)
Average member rating: (21 ratings)

MathBrush says:

Pull of a heist in ancient Rome in time of Nero. Did fairly well in IFComp.

26. Alchemist's Gold
by Garry Francis
(2022)
Average member rating: (12 ratings)

MathBrush says:

A brief, traditional puzzler where you rob an alchemist of his gold.

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