Sneaky Sneaky Review (PC)

If you like the idea of a casual Assassin's Creed with cutesy chibi artwork, Sneaky Sneaky might just be the game you didn't know you were looking for.

Many games making the jump from mobile to PC are met with skepticism, and rightly so, as oftentimes they scream at you that you should touch them all over their overgrown buttons so loudly that you can't help but close then send them packing.

Some games, however, manage to make a more graceful transition, and even though they clearly show their mobile origins, and the touchscreen interface isn't fully optimized for mouse and keyboard input, they get a pass.

Such is the case of Sneaky Sneaky, a cute little gem of a game with colorful, adorable visuals and some interesting mechanics.

It has no story. You're a thief, the bad guys stole the gems you stole from someone else, so get out there and get them back, preferably before zee Germans get here.

This is what the game is all about

Gameplay

Sneaky Sneaky works pretty much like a stealth boardgame, and is in fact an intriguing blend between an action and puzzle game.

It takes place on a grid, which makes it easier to figure out how to approach different situations, and it's about rhythm and opportunity as much as it is about proper positioning and strategy.

You're basically navigating through a series of locales, one screen at a time, and each and every one is an action-puzzle for you to decipher and complete, provided you can also nail the execution.

Things start off pretty basic, you can sneak into bushes and hay stacks when nobody's looking, and you'll be protected from the vigilant gaze of the guards if you do. Then, at just the right time, you'll be able to strike from the shadows and take down your enemies, collect the treasures, and advance to the next screen.

The game slowly progresses from a walk in the forest to scenarios where you have to find the precise moment when several enemies look away from you and the window of opportunity enables you to snag a crystal or make your way from one bush to the next.

The title is deceivingly complex but maintains its lighthearted feeling even when things don't go exactly according to plan, as you restart from the same screen upon dying, and you also have the option to begin the level anew, in case you botch things up.

In addition to sneakily stabbing critters and monsters, you can also fire arrows at unsuspecting enemies, and the game also has a pretty interesting take on the element of surprise. Whenever you attack someone from stealth, you inflict bonus damage and you get initiative, but if an enemy catches you with your pants down, they will get to make the first move, which will most often result in a few health points knocked from your total.

Simplistic RPG elements

You can also use this against some monsters, as when they spot you, they will automatically go to your last known location, if they're not within engagement range, so you can run around them or simply distract their attention with a well-timed peek-a-boo and then move to a better position and snipe them from the safety of the shadows.

There are a bunch of items you can buy with the gold you find, available in the store between missions, ranging from health potions to pieces of meat you can distract your opponents with, and even mighty pickaxes that you can put to work towards clearing the way whenever your progression is hindered by rocks.

Figuring out the different patterns your enemies exhibit is the game's main challenge, and finding the right way to approach each situation is not always easy, especially when several enemy types, each with its own strengths and weaknesses, are huddled on the same screen.

However, the lighthearted approach to stealth-based combat and the charming visuals are counterbalanced by the rather disappointing control scheme.

This is where Sneaky Sneaky shows its roots the most, in the mouse-only, click-based interactions that mar its gameplay and make it frustrating at times.

The annoying controls don't always line up with the game's need for mechanical precision, also making it rather difficult to properly position the character, especially evident while attempting to dodge the vision range of patrolling monsters or when trying to take advantage of movement speed patterns in order to sneak up on a dude.

This leads to many frustrating instances where you feel as if the shoddy controls are at fault for your downfall, and not poor planning or execution on your part.

Another aspect that might prove disappointing to many is the game's short length, as it won't take more than a few hours to complete its campaign, and then go back and tie all the loose ends, like stages where you did not get a perfect score.

That being said, the overall atmosphere is pretty sunny most of the time, and the simplistic role-playing game elements such as the ability to upgrade your health and damage when you level up add another layer of engagement.

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Visuals and sound

The first thing that pops out is the adorably colorful visual style, making the game look like a more modern take on 16-bit grid-based role-playing games. Unfortunately, that resemblance is just skin-deep.

Developer Naiad put a lot of care into assembling Sneaky Sneaky. All the sprites are neatly drawn, clean and cute, and all the animations look great. The colorful presentation exudes positive vibes and there are a ton of visual effects to embellish the experience.

The game looks good in the same manner other high-quality hand-drawn 2D games look good on tablets and smartphones. It doesn't have any striking or daring visual direction, but it's pleasant to stare at.

The transition to a much bigger screen is seamless, and apart from the bulky interface buttons, the game looks every bit as good as on iOS, if only a bit more simplistic.

The music and sound design is of a similar nature, albeit a tad repetitive. The background score is very fitting and just what you would expect from such a game.

The Good

The Bad

Conclusion