A heist story excites us so much because we can root for a colorful cast of characters, who pull off crimes of the century, without crossing ethical boundaries ourselves. We get to experience the excitement throughout all phases of a big heist: planning, execution, and escape. The more thought put into these phases, the better the heist experience.

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This is especially true in video games, where you can control every aspect of a heist as you see fit. The only limitation to your experience is your imagination, ingenuity, and creativity. Each game on this list provides a unique heist experience that is sure to satisfy your inner thief.

10 Perfect Heist 2 (2021)

Members of the robber team inside of a bank in Perfect Heist 2.

In this round-based online game, you have the choice of playing on the robber team or the cop team. The goal of the robber team is to raid the bank without getting caught by the cops. You can accomplish this in many ways, such as stealing the uniform of a bank employee as a disguise. The goal of the police is to deduce which employees and customers are the robbers.

Whichever side you pick, there are a lot of fun team compositions for your crew to put together, with a robust 32 classes and 20 unique weapons to choose from. It is equal parts Cops vs Robbers, Hide and Seek, and Social Deduction party game, making for an experience that is a blast to play with your friends.

9 The Marvellous Miss Take (2014)

Sophia blocking a guard's line of sight in The Marvellous Miss Take.

Sophia and her friends attempt to recover a stolen art collection that she inherited from her aunt while learning the truth behind her inherence. Using an isometric camera and mouse controls, you complete art heists by avoiding the sight lines of AI-controlled guards. You choose from three unique characters through the course of 25 increasingly challenging levels.

Each character has their own set of skills, advantages, and disadvantages, which change the dynamics and the way you approach each level. An upbeat soundtrack, pleasing art style, and the use of gadgets create a fun atmosphere for you to enjoy as you embrace your inner art thief.

8 The Swindle (2015)

Thief hanging from a wall to avoid a guard in The Swindle.

Taking place in a steampunk alternative version of London during the 1800s, The Swindle tasks you with trying to stop Scotland Yard from deploying advanced artificial intelligence called The Devil’s Basilisk (which would put an end to your career as a master thief).

You have 100 days to steal as much loot as possible from randomly generated maps, before taking on the titular final heist. Each heist counts as one day, and you can upgrade your thief and purchase new items in between each day. When you get caught by the guards or die, the game replaces your thief with another while still maintaining the content you unlocked. The Swindle uses storybook-esque textures which provide a visually pleasing experience.

7 Operation: Tango (2021)

Hacker player getting ready to hack an NPC in Operation: Tango.

The setting is a high-tech future that blends espionage and heist genres. As an Agent or a Hacker, you use advanced tools to infiltrate various locations throughout the world. By using the information gained from these heists, you save humanity by thwarting the plans of a dangerous, shadowy threat.

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You can only play the game co-operatively online, using a microphone to communicate with the other player. Teamwork is an absolute must in this game, as you cannot complete heists alone. The Friend Pass allows people to play on the platform of their choice with someone who already owns the game.

6 Crookz: The Big Heist (2015)

Crew select during the heist planning phase in Crookz - The Big Heist.

Crookz: The Big Heist is set in the 1970s. A crew of thieves plans their revenge and pulls off a series of heists that ultimately leads to the big one. There is plenty of funky music, cheesy characters, and groovy set design, as would be expected of titles with this era as a setting.

Customize your team of thieves with the best tools possible to complete their dangerous missions. Played from an isometric perspective, you pause the game to plan out the best way to beat the provided objectives. Once you have everything set, you then activate the game to have your crew carry out the heist.

5 Payday 2 (2013)

Players securing a bank during a heist in Payday 2.

You choose heists from a system called CRIMENET, which offers targets that range from jewelry stores to banks to art galleries. Any high-profile target you feel equipped to take on is available as an option. You complete these heists co-operatively, with three other players or by teaming up with the AI.

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Payday 2 offers a huge amount of DLC that provides new weapons, maps, aesthetic items, and mods. A good portion of the DLC offers crossovers into other video games and movies, allowing you to perform heists with your favorite characters from across different media. Payday 2 offers a very realistic VR experience that almost feels like you are really a Robert De Niro character escaping through the streets of Los Angeles, having pulled off a big heist with your crew.

4 Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine (2013)

Top-down view of a level map during gameplay in Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine.

Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine is a top-down heist game where the only visible part of the map is within the character’s line of vision. A blueprint that contains important information needed to beat the heist covers the rest of the map, and you must choose the best class for the job using this information.

There are always four classes available to you, with an additional four unlocked as you progress the game by completing heists. The campaign comprises four acts, each told from the perspective of a crew member. You can play either single-player or co-op (online or on the same screen).

3 Grand Theft Auto 5 / Grand Theft Auto Online (2013 / 2015)

Players completing a heist in Grand Theft Auto Online.

Grand Theft Auto 5's story mode features five big heists that are completed by the game’s protagonists. You have various options on how to approach each heist, choosing which supporting characters fill which specific roles. Your chosen strategy will determine how the aftermath of the heists affects the in-game world.

Grand Theft Auto Online offers eight heists that you can complete with 2 to 4 players. To play heists online, you need to be ranked 12 and own an apartment with a planning room. Once you complete both requirements, you will receive a call from Lester. You can play heists on one of three difficulties, each with increasing rewards. These heists play a significant part in the game and reward a lot of money when completed, and the complexity of them makes for perhaps the most in-depth heists in gaming (though this Rockstar classic is so much more than just a heist game, of course).

2 Sly 2: Band Of Thieves (2004)

Sly Cooper, Bentley, and Murray from Sly 2: Band of Thieves.

Our favorite thieves returned for perhaps the best entry in the Sly Cooper series. In Sly 2: Band of Thieves, set two years after the first game, the gang must steal back the Clockwerk parts before the Klaww gang uses them for world domination. Of course, the adventure wouldn’t be complete without Police Inspector Carmelita M. Fox hot on their tails.

There are nine total episodes, each taking place in a different location. Added features include each episode having its own open-world hub, being able to play as other members of the gang, and a new pickpocket mechanic. The entire experience makes you feel like a fourth member of the Cooper Gang, and it's a blast throughout.

1 Thief Gold (1998)

Garrett from Thief Gold fighting a zombie.

In Thief Gold, you take on the role of a master thief who battles to stop an evil plot that would unleash chaos on the world. It was among the first titles to use sound, light, and complex AI as game mechanics, and it still provides an immersive experience to this day.

The Gold version expands upon Thief by adding three additional campaign missions, five new enemies, improved graphics, various bug fixes, and minor engine improvements. Enterprising modders have worked on a ton of fan-created heist scenarios and much more besides. This heist game set the standard for so many others that followed.

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