Overview
Ooh, Shiny! is not your typical heist game. Playing as a team of magpies, players are challenged with stealing various shiny objects from residential areas. Armed with the latest in BIRD-TECH™, the team of magpies move between houses, building a vast collection of treasures and collectibles.
Core Mechanics
Players control the team of magpies from a 3D, initially isometric, perspective. Much like a real time strategy game, players move their team members in real time. A number of areas within the large maps are available for the magpies to move to, as well as a number of movement options. Outfits and disguises for the magpies to look like other birds or even animals are options for the player to consider. As well as this, as the magpies move through levels, they will encounter hazards, like humans and their pets. These hazards may guard or be using particular objects. Alternatively, these hazards may be static or moving within the area, preventing the magpies from moving very freely. Environmental interactions (like knocking over pot plants, or pooping on things) may be used in order to move these hazards around. For example, knocking over a pot may draw a human and a dog, allowing another magpie to move to where they previously were. The game combines strategy with humour in order to entertain the player.
The Birds
The birds themselves are the 'personality' of the game. Each distinct bird has a set of attributes and a skill that differs from the others. Their unique personalities and distinct playstyles allow the player to experiment while attempting missions, to find the most entertaining ways to complete them. In addition to this, players may equip them with some BIRD-TECH™, making missions even more fun. BIRD-TECH™ involves tools like sound amplifiers, bird decoys, and inflatable humans in order to complete missions. The technology can be placed and used by the birds in order to reach different places within the levels. More interesting and valuable Shiny Things can be found the more the player explores.
Players take control of the most esteemed and respected Magpies.
Overview
Pilfer is a heist game all about the execution. Players take control of a team of up to 8 characters as they plan, set up, and execute heists to perfection (or otherwise.) As the characters gain experience and equipment, more heist locations become available, with increasingly valuable loot and options available for players to experiment with. In an RPG fashion, player characters can receive different level paths depending on what kind of team the player wishes to put together.
Core Mechanics
The game is controlled from a tactical view of the 3D environment. Players move their characters through locations in real time, but are able to pause the game and sequence some commands before unpausing and watching the action unfold. Because an emphasis of the game is preparation beforehand, players may view systems like guard patrol routes or alarm networks. These provide players with more information when they attempt to sequence these commands, and more options when they carry out their heists. Different characters possess different trees of abilities - some might be better at sneaking, while others are better at fencing stolen goods. The goods that characters loot during heists scale in difficulty to fence - with some taking a decent amount of time to make a profit from. Because there is a downtime between when players receive their money from their spoils, players also have to manage the finances of their group. This is where the management aspect of the game becomes another important component. Players have to manage an internal 'hideout', which can be in a variety of locations around the world. Players have to cater to and support their team's desires, otherwise their level of happiness may affect jobs that they go on.
Environment
The environments that players heist in are key to developing the atmosphere of the game. Heist locations range from exotic hotels to typical bank vaults. Players will be able to experience a wide variety of locales to pilfer and plunder across the globe. Different environments also offer unique challenges that affect the gameplay - a heist on a ship may cause a member of the party to become seasick. A heist in a bank, for example, may draw more heat than a stick-up at a gas station. As a group's notoriety increases, the range of environments the player experiences increases, with more and more far-flung places available as players increase in experience, skill and gear availability.Game plays similar to Monaco in terms of the map and positioning.
