Summary
Heists are all about expertly planning an elaborate series of events and executing them on time. It’s often the case that planning the heist takes significantly more time than carrying it out unless things go drastically wrong. While things can go wrong and descend into chaos, the hallmark of a good heist is a quick exit with as little interference as possible.
Games that are primarily aboutpulling off heiststend to feature a series of missions that lead up to pulling off one final score, these missions might be smaller robberies or simply a way to gather the equipment and information necessary to complete the final heist.
Updated on July 31, 2025 by Ritwik Mitra:Seeing a heist in action is like poetry, with a well-enacted plan flowing like butter as participants take out threats, break into the area that houses something important, and accomplish their mission without kicking up too much of a fuss. The medium of gaming lets players immerse themselves in whatever they’re doing, making it clear why good games that let players carry out heists end up becoming such major phenomenons.
The firstThiefgame was one of gaming’s first immersive sims that felt great to tinker with. The atmosphere of this title coupled with Garrett’s smooth tones made things quite engaging. No one expected the sequel to be such a massive step up, but Looking Glass proved everyone wrong.
Thief 2: The Metal Ageushered in the early adoption of technology in a steampunk setting that improved on everything from the previous game. The stealth gameplay was as tight and engaging as ever, with the levels being a blast to explore and figure out.
Dishonoredis a popular stealth series that marked Arkane’s rise to success. The studio is enduring a rather rocky time right now, so fans are more than happy to go back to a time when the studio was reputed for the quality that poured out of these games.
Death of the Outsiderwas a standalone expansion with one level that captured how engaging a heist could be. It may just be one segment of a rather brief experience, butDeath of the Outsidercaptures the ecstasy of watching a plan fall into place as the player’s heist ends up being a massive success.
Indie gaming has allowed developers to release titles with unique concepts that will let players have a hilarious time with their friends.One-Armed Robberis a game where players control a group of thieves who can only use one arm to perform a myriad of functions.
The concept is simple and well-executed, making it clear whyOne-Armed Robberis a simple recommendation for players who want a less serious heist game to mess about it. Many hours of ridiculous shenanigans can be enjoyed with a friend in this game.
Sly Cooper is one of themost iconic video game raccoons, and the legendary thief headed up a team of criminal animals. He burst onto the scene in 2002 inSly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus, the game that kickstarted one of the mosthighly-rated PlayStation franchises.
Players took control of the eponymous master thief and were assisted by his gang throughout the game. Using cel-shading to create a film noir vibe, it perfectly captured the feeling of a classic heist caper with a family-friendly setting.
11The Greatest Penguin Heist Of All Time
Steam Rating: 9/10
The Greatest Penguin Heist of All Timekeeps things fun and light throughout, allowing players to conduct a variety of heists with a band of cute little penguins. The titular penguins undertake several different open-ended missions, all the way from stealing fish to kidnapping chefs.
It’s down to the player to choose how they complete each heist, with different items and weapons available for use.The Greatest Penguin Heist of All Timeis the ideal game for someone looking for in-depth heist gameplay with a fun skin on top.
Grand Theft Autois one of thebiggest video game franchises, butGrand Theft Auto 5reached new heights when it was released in 2013. It followed the same format as the previous entries in the series, having players travel through an open world completing missions for different NPCs.
WhereGrand Theft Auto 5differed from previous installments was that it gave players the ability to switch between three different characters at any time, and the main story featured a much heavier focus on completing heists with the trio.
Payday 2is a multiplayer first-person shooter that is literally all about heists, it’s the primary plot device and the whole focus of the game. The skills that players can unlock as their character levels up are an incredibly useful aspect ofPayday 2, and some of them are key tomaking heists easier.
Up to four players can work together to complete the game’s heists and each one is different from the last. The heists are often chaotic rather than slick and players will often find themselves having to shoot their way out of a bad position. WhilstPayday 3introduces new mechanics,Payday 2still beats it due to the amount of heists available, modding community, and because players are not restricted by online-only servers.
Thief Simulatoris an open-world game with afocus on stealth, where players engage in smaller burglaries as a solo effort. Rather than stealing priceless works of art from a museum or drilling through a bank vault,Thief Simulatorsees players breaking into houses to steal whatever valuables they come across.
It’s a pretty straightforward game at its heart, butThief Simulatordoes what it sets out to do very well. As the game progresses, the skill tree opens up and new tools are available for the player to change the way they approach each house.
7Late Shift
Metascore: 72
Late Shiftis an interesting game that blends movies with games in the most immersive way possible. The stakes are high as the player is forced into robbing an auction house. The main character is Matt, a math genius who must prove his innocence concerning the heist.
It’s a game all about choices and consequences are felt from the very first decision the player makes, and there are seven different conclusions. Never has a game felt so much like a movie, with the difference being that the players influence the decisions. It’s well worth a watch and a play, especially if heists are of interest to the player.
6Crookz: The Big Heist
Metascore: 74
Crookz: The Big Heistis set in the 1970s, giving it a fun and stylish feel as a result of the era. It has all the classic elements of a heist game, although it does allow players to come up with more detailed plans for their robberies than most other heist games do.
Crookz: The Big Heistgives players a full single-player campaign with six different crew members to choose from and a decent amount of content, alongside a challenge mode that drastically ramps up the difficulty level.
