Corr blimey gov’ner!
Never cross a gangster, that’s the theme behind Filthy Lucre; a new stealth based indie game on Playstation 4.
After having all of his valuables stolen by a rival, a London crime lord is seeking help in getting back his belongings and seeking revenge on those responsible. This is where you will come in, as you are tasked with stealing back money and goods, as well as causing a more than a little mayhem.
Platform: Playstation 4
Price: $17.99
Multiplayer: Online Co-op
Filthy Lucre is broken down in to missions; each mission has its own main objective, along with several side missions to complete. The main objectives will range from retrieving high value items, planting bugs and destroying the rival’s property, while the side objectives will involve cracking safes, stealing documents and looting cash boxes. Standing in players’ way will be an army of henchmen, all equipped with guns and a mean attitude. But Filthy Lucre does not encourage gun play, in fact, at the start of the game the arsenal will be so pitiful, guns aren’t really an option. It’s all about stealth; sneaking around, learning patrol routes and causing distractions. Each mission is designed to be played carefully, with a focus on taking time and surveying the surroundings. There are shortcuts to be found and environmental distractions to help fool the guards, and these all have to be employed if players want to get away scot-free.
With each mission comes new threats and challenges, but it’s not as bad as it may seem. Completing the main mission will progress the game and open up the next mission, but completing side missions will net extra XP. Gaining XP will add extra weapons and gadgets to the armory, all of which will not only help with future missions, but also open up new possibilities in older missions, giving players a reason to go back and replay them.
Before each mission players will be given the option to select their loadout of two weapons and two gadgets. These can help getting out of a tight spot or distracting guards. They can also be upgraded with the money that has been previously looted. Deciding between the weapons is a tactical decision; picking a gun will deal more damage to foes, but selecting the crossbow will allow for silent kills, although it has far fewer bolts. Ammo can be found during the mission, and players can also pick up guns from downed enemies, meaning all is not lost when they run out.
Each mission has its own map, and for the most part they are all well designed for the style of gameplay. Dark corners, multiple rooms and places to find cover are all in abundance here. Certain areas will be locked off, either requiring lock picking (which takes time), or key cards dropped by killed enemies to get through. There are also security cameras to contend with; find a way around them or find a way to shut them off. Add all of these things together and you get a largely enjoyable experience with each level. However, most levels take place in dimly lit areas, and with each level littered with many things to hide behind or navigate around, I often found myself getting caught on the scenery and this can get annoying, especially if it caused me to be seen by a guard or security device.
Filthy Lucre also supports online co-op play. However, at the time of writing this I was unable to find someone to start a game with, so I am unable to comment on how well this online feature works.
Not knowing what to expect with Filthy Lucre and also having some trouble with the game in the first hour caused me to write this game off when I first fired it up. However, after a little play time it turns out that this game isn’t so filthy at all. Filled with cockney rhyming slang and cheeky chappies, Filthy Lucre could be a nice little distraction from all of these big triple-A games that are currently banging on our doors. However, I still don’t know what a Filthy Lucre is!
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
