Take to the shadows and steal everything or leave a trail of blood and bodies where there once were valuables. Filthy Lucre gives you the choice to do either from a top-down perspective as you rob locations run by London's criminal underworld. It’s a fun and entertaining idea in the beginning but offers little challenge later on.

Coming from the Manchester-based indie developer Fabrik Filthy Lucre has you stealing a fortune of a notorious London gangster. This involves you breaking into penthouse suites, junkyards, drug labs, and of course bank vaults. Each of the 15 levels, separated into 5 areas, have a primary target, secondary target, and minor objectives in the way of valuable items. If optimal objectives are completed extra experience and cash are rewarded.

Each level is littered with guard patrols and security cameras. Cameras can be disabled by finding specific terminals to hack and guards can be avoided or killed with bullets, knives, crossbow bolts, grenades, or stealth takedowns. If a guard or camera happens to see you they can call backup to reinforce security. There are 4 levels of security with the 4th being a strike team whom cannot be defeated, will hunt you restlessly, and force the player must escape from.

Players can choose from 8 characters, all of which are simple offer nothing more than simple cosmetic changes. You can carry up to 2 weapons and 2 pieces of equipment. Items must be equipped in the hideout before each mission. The Hideout serves as your central hub for choosing missions, entering cooperative missions, changing your character, and altering your options.

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The biggest issue in Filthy Lucre is the gear-based progression. At the beginning of the game I was shocked I lacked the ability to move bodies, something that is paramount for stealth, until level 10. What’s more perplexing is that it comes in a gadget that hides bodies.

Stealth is the best option as it yields more experience as oppose to combat. Your targeting system is very sensitive and will tend to lock-off targets easily. Melee in active combat is worthless, with enemies shoving you aside when you get too close. Once you get a powerful arsenal killing your way through enemy encampments becomes a breeze.

Challenges provide some incentive to return back to previous levels. Completing all the challenges will require multiple playthroughs but unless you’re an avid trophy hunter there is little reason to return. Getting new weapons is enticing but once I found a set loadout that worked I never changed.

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Regardless of which path you take the enemy A.I. won’t be much of a challenge. During stealth segments I would simply wait for enemies to walk in a specific spot and knock them out. When I decided to shoot my way through I targeted those calling for help first. Granted my health depletes quickly but since it can regenerate fully after a minor break taking effective cover easily made this issue nonexistent. Unless you reach level 4 security these enemies rarely offer a challenge once fully decked out.

Filthy Lucre attempts to integrate both stealth and action options seems hollow at both ends. Rampaging through the level with powered weapons is entertaining but way too easy. Stealth is much more rewarding but the poor enemy A.I. made navigating the levels boring as I waited for enemies to get into the perfect spot each time. Cooperative missions mix things up and can be fun for a few matches, but quickly wear thin. Filthy Lucre has some grand moments, it's too bad they're short lived.

Adam Siddiqui, NoobFeed
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