The Swindle

 PC
Metascore
70

Mixed or average reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 25
  3. Negative: 2 out of 25
  1. games(TM)
    Oct 3, 2015
    70
    At times, it can be too clunky and a little finicky, but while The Swindle is undoubtedly a great idea, games of this ilk can’t suffer missteps like infuriating controls – and sadly that does hold this game back.
  2. Games Master UK
    Sep 1, 2015
    70
    If you can forgive its vicious streak, then this fast-paced and frantic crime caper will steal your heart. [Sept 2015, p.71]
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  3. Game Rant
    Aug 17, 2015
    70
    The Swindle is a visually beautiful and enjoyable rogue-like game for the experienced, but may not be the best choice for players who’ve never tried games like Spelunky or Rogue Legacy before.
  5. Edge Magazine
    Aug 14, 2015
    70
    Rarely has something so uneven and intermittently frustrating stolen our hearts this brazenly. [Sept 2015, p.116]
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  6. Hardcore Gamer
    Aug 12, 2015
    70
    Even an infrequent control failure is maddening when the difficulty is cranked up and every inch of the level is covered in cameras and patrol-bots, though, so until The Swindle sorts out its issues, it’s going to have to be merely decent rather than the excellent it could have been.
  7. 4P.de
    Aug 21, 2015
    69
    The initial grind can be annoying, but once you get past that phase and start carrying out the big money loads, the fun to be had with this platforming crime caper is surprising.
  8. Power Unlimited
    Oct 7, 2015
    60
    We tried really hard to enjoy The Swindle but it just wouldn’t click. The game seems off-balance and the lack of abilities in the early stages make it a cumbersome experience. [Sept. 2015, p. 069]
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  9. Gamer.nl
    Aug 17, 2015
    60
    With the pressure of the 100 days time and the randomly generated levels, The Swindle has quite some content to offer. The strong idea however, gets crossed by the unforgivingly high difficulty level and the lose controls that do not fit the quick skills a master thief should have.
  10. PCGamesN
    Jul 31, 2015
    60
    For the moments where the procedural stuff just works perfectly, creating a bastard-hard but ultimately memorable level, and for the world itself, which is lovely, The Swindle is worth dedicating a couple evenings to. It won’t steal your heart though.
  11. Digital Spy
    Jul 27, 2015
    60
    The Swindle is a good game on the cusp of greatness, but falters from a structural identity crisis that is hard to ignore.
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In Progress & Unscored

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  1. Rock, Paper, Shotgun
    Jan 19, 2016
    A minor diversion at best, without the comic timing or cunning to turn anyone to a life of crime. A weekend of crime, perhaps, at most.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
5.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 20 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 20
  3. Negative: 8 out of 20
  1. xephnid
    Oct 23, 2015
    5
    The concept is amazing. The graphics are amazing and so is the music. This would be an amazing game were it not for the sloppy controls. IfThe concept is amazing. The graphics are amazing and so is the music. This would be an amazing game were it not for the sloppy controls. If you've seen gameplay footage and consider a buy, wait for the developer to rework the controls. If the developer doesn't invest more time, you shouldn't invest in the game. It's infuriating and frustrating to stumble upon a game that could have been great but doesn't live up to its potential. This game is a nice example what happens when a single person tries to make a big game. Yes, it's a very coherent mix and all the elements click, but he clearly didn't test enough. Maybe all the critique and bug reports will help him fix the game. We'll see. I'd love to increase my rating :(… Full Review »
  2. WagleUnagi
    Sep 19, 2015
    2
    I really want to love this. Great visuals, music and sound. But it is way too difficult. Starting the entire game over with absolutelyI really want to love this. Great visuals, music and sound. But it is way too difficult. Starting the entire game over with absolutely nothing isn't fun.… Full Review »
  3. martscht
    Aug 5, 2015
    7
    I like a lot of what this game is trying to do, but much of the realization of the ideas behind it are somewhere between a bit and sorelyI like a lot of what this game is trying to do, but much of the realization of the ideas behind it are somewhere between a bit and sorely lacking. The plus-minus:

    + The design and setting are beautiful
    + Long-term game and single levels are well balanced
    + A real sense of progression that keeps pulling you back in

    - Very steep difficulty curve
    - Loose controls are frustrating at times
    - Excruciating loading times on Vita

    I mainly got this game for Pass-the-Controller (or Vita) co-op after we got bored of Rogue Legacy. And just like Legacy the game strikes a very nice balance between the single levels (taking somewhere between 5 and 20 minutes) and the overarching leveling game. The latter is limited to exactly 100 levels, creating a sense of urgency at each level start. At the same time this limit often means that your run can be ruined after the start-up phase. What this means is that it is a game that is made for you to actually beat it - you will fail often. To add to this, the game is separated into several different subsections of escalating difficulty.

    This all seems like sound rogue-lite game design. But one of the core concepts is that you should keep your thief alive as long as possible because he gets a multiplier for each successful heist. Again, this sounds great - it creates the dilemma between keeping your thief alive to keep your multiplier and collecting more money each level to get more perks. But the truth of the matter is that this decision is often not up to you. The procedural level generation means that you quite often encounter levels that you cannot complete successfully. Additionally the reason for my thieves demise was most often not my greed - or pure panic after being detected - but the floatiness of the control scheme. Most often you will find yourself dead because you came up short on a jump you would normally make or because it seems somewhat arbitrary whether your thief will stick to a wall or simply fall to his death - and with him your multiplier. This ruins not just your level but can potentially ruin your entire run. Something that is already frustrating when it is your own fault but is just downright infuriating when it happens because of imprecise controls.

    To the game's credit: despite my frustrations with this I keep coming back to it because it enrages me in such a way that I want to beat it. I want to show it that despite all the curveballs it throws at me I can beat it - something that is a must for any successful rogue-lite in my opinion. Also, does not hurt that it's easy on the eyes with its beautifully hand-drawn steam punk art. At 14.99€ with PS4/Vita Cross-Buy it think you might want to give it a try if you're very resistant to frustrations and can adapt your play-style to floaty controls.    … Full Review »
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