Filthy Lucre from Fabric Games is an interesting PlayStation 4 release. It touts itself as an action stealth game where you can either go in guns blazing or play it slow and steady as you hide in the shadows. You can take on each challenge either in solo or co-op modes, securing the help of friends to get out with the loot before it’s too late.

 

The game’s controls are something you’ll need to experiment with before you can get used to them. You move around with the left analog stick and aim with the right one. You can kick doors open with the Square button, interact with the X button, melee with the Circle button and pick things up with the Triangle button. You can reload with the L1 button and fire with the R2 button. You’ll also get to use your gear with the R1 button, or switch stances by pressing the L2 button. Got it?

Before you dive into a mission, you should review the in-game tutorial to learn all the basics. This will teach you about moving, attacking, and using stealth to your advantage. Each mission has targets that mark your objectives – there’s one primary target for each mission along with other secondary targets. Completing each of the targets will reward you with XP the first time you do so, and you don’t have to complete all of them at once since you can leave a level to save the targets you’ve completed to then give it another go for the rest. As you explore each area, you’ll find objects with an outline that you can interact with. You better plan a distraction for any guards in the area – not to mention you should disable the nearby security cameras if you don’t want to get caught during your heist!

Something else you should keep an eye out for is the special Antique item contained in each of the levels. If you manage to secure all the Antiques from a location, you’ll be able to complete the set and proudly display it back at your hideout! Just be careful because they’re usually located in heavily guarded areas where you might make a mistake or two, thus raising your heat level and making the guards call in reinforcements that will aggressively patrol the area.

Once you’re ready to take on a mission, don’t forget to visit the armory to secure your loadout. You can select from a variety of weapons and gear items that can be upgraded at a cost. For example, if you favor the auto-crossbow you can upgrade its fire rate and clip size so that you can fire it more often and faster before it requires you to reload it. As for your gear, you can grab a flashbang grenade that will stun guards or a noisemaker that will make enough noise as to lure nearby guards. You’ll unlock more weapons and gear items as you level up, so be sure to come back to the armory to try a new loadout to take on your missions so that you secure more loot.

I loved Filthy Lucre. The stealth and action mix works thanks to the game’s setting, and the gameplay mechanics work. There’s a lot of content in this release, and with a Platinum trophy, you’ll be replaying all missions as you try to complete every secondary objective, ranking up with every success. There’s a considerable challenge in the game, and every mistake you make will allow you to learn a new strategy or two you’ll be able to use during your next try.

[review
pros=”Great gameplay mechanics.
Plenty of content.
Full trophy count” cons=”Lots of multitasking required.” score=84]

Disclaimer
This Filthy Lucre review is based on a PS4 copy provided by Fabric Games.