If you’ve ever wondered what Thief would look like with a competitive multiplayer twist, Thick as Thieves delivers that fantasy with style and sabotage. During a hands-off gameplay demo, OtherSide Entertainment showed off nearly 30 minutes of real-time match footage from their pre-alpha build, and even in its early form, it’s clear that this stealth-action sandbox is brimming with personality and potential.
The Score is Shared, the Stakes are Personal
Set in a magical, alternative 1910s metropolis, Thick as Thieves drops multiple players into a shared map where everyone’s trying to steal the same high-value loot. In the demo’s case, that meant sneaking into a lavish manor to snatch the fabled “Book of Truth.” The catch? All the other thieves have the same goal, and you never know if they’ll play clean or go full chaos.
You start each match in a safe house with time to adjust your loadout and plan your approach. From there, you’re let loose into the world, where weather effects like rain can help mask your movements, and NPCs go about their routines unaware of the heist brewing around them. You can climb walls, slink through sewers, or disguise yourself as a guard or civilian to slip past obstacles. Each character archetype has a unique ability—one thief scales vines faster, another uses a magical pickpocket fairy to steal keys remotely.
Thieves, Tools, and Total Mayhem
But the real tension comes from the other players. While you’re carefully disabling power boxes or creeping through shadowed hallways, someone else might trip an alarm and send the whole manor into lockdown. You could stash the stolen item in a hiding spot, hoping no one finds it before it “seals,” or you could risk it all with a dash to the exit while other players try to intercept you.
The demo showed off both ends of the spectrum: methodical stealth play and brazen rushes for loot, each with its own risks and rewards. There’s no single “right way” to play, and that freedom of expression—along with randomized clue placements, dynamic patrols, and varying objectives—means no two matches will play the same. Even the loot’s location can shift between games, with some quests taking place in completely different buildings, like a bank.
Progression seems to emphasize breadth over power. Players earn reputation and cash to unlock new tools and playstyle options rather than strict stat boosts. The developers are also experimenting with a badge system to reward different approaches, whether you play as a ghost or a greedy goblin.
Final Thoughts
Even in its early pre-alpha state, Thick as Thieves promises to be a uniquely compelling entry in the multiplayer stealth genre. It blends immersive sim sensibilities with competitive strategy, and its flexible design lets players shape the chaos in clever, emergent ways. No matter your approach, Thick as Thieves is built to let you own your heist on your terms.
