At Summer time Recreation Fest, I attempted out one of many extra fashionable, enjoyable video games that made me want I had friends on the sofa to play with. However as a substitute of a co-op journey, Snap & Seize, because it’s known as, is a heist title the place gamers tackle the function of a fashionista photojournalist who steals gaudy treasures from wealthy doofuses to fill her penthouse.
Snap & Seize is the debut title for studio No Goblin, which held its demo in writer Annapurna Interactive’s closed-door space on the annual gaming competition. I ducked into Annapurna’s space and was awash in 80s paraphernalia — large wood-paneled TVs, boomboxes and piles of CDs ahoy — which match Snap & Seize’s vibe.
Booting up the demo on PC, I used to be awash within the recreation’s world, a whirlwind of pop and glam vibes, like enjoying in a Madonna music video from the period. I stepped into the excessive heels of the sport’s heroine (or antihero, relying on whether or not you assume stealing from ultra-rich jerks is against the law) Nifty Nevada, who makes use of her daytime job as a star photojournalist to scan the houses of rich socialites for one of the best methods to snag their prize artwork items.
The pleasant angle of the sport? Nifty is not stealing the gadgets herself. To protect believable deniability, she takes pictures of the obstacles standing between her staff of hunky minions and the artwork piece to steal. See a guard? Take a photograph of a sink to have your minion overflow it so the guard slips and will get knocked out. See the wealthy doofus across the artwork? Take a photograph of the document participant to cease the music in one other room as a distraction.
“Large inspirations by way of gameplay was Hitman meets Pokémon Snap, with that aptitude of Carmen San Diego, badass lady,” stated Cessia Castillo, stage designer and artist at No Goblin, who led me by means of the demo.
The total Snap & Seize has 5 phases to play, solely one among which was accessible within the demo, however they every have causes to replay. Moderately than puzzles with one resolution, they’re sandboxes with a number of methods to get Nifty’s minions to nab her prize. Castillo confirmed that there are a dozen totally different heists (gadgets to steal) per stage which are recognized to gamers within the recreation however extra issues will be stolen if they need, plus picture challenges and new crewmates so as to add to your heist staff. There’s additionally a development system that, as you steal gadgets, will have the ability to unlock skills.
“Nifty could have the flexibility to throw a sizzling canine fairly far at a sure level,” Castillo stated. (I am unable to even think about how that may come in useful.)
One of many recreation’s artwork targets is a big key you possibly can steal on the heart of a dance ground.
Within the demo I discovered one path to steal the piece of artwork (a gaudy gem-festooned cranium) however Castillo famous that others who tried the sport out at SGF had introduced a few associates to strive it out with them they usually had a blast declaring all the choice angles of their heist they may.
“We had a gaggle that was simply chaos collaboration, like “snap that, use that to distract this dude, use this to knock out that man, you can use the lights to soften the statue,” Castillo stated. “They stated it was such a comforting expertise to have the ability to sofa co-op it.”
However there are different causes to replay ranges, as a result of overpriced artwork items are simply a few of the gadgets you possibly can steal in your assortment.
“In future ranges, it may be like, hey, this penguin appears actually unhappy at his aquarium and he is tremendous duper gifted. He really is aware of the way to paint. Let’s take him house,” Castillo stated.
As soon as you have taken a photograph of a goal, an intel display will pop up giving hints for the way gamers can extract it.
In a while within the demo I handed a gaggle of Corgi canine I may use as a distraction in the course of the heist and Castillo affirmed that they, too, will be smuggled house to Nifty’s penthouse.
From stealing gaudy artwork to nabbing uncared for pets, Snap & Seize is a satire lampooning the habits of wealthy dorks and their vapid get together visitors. The builders at No Goblin are fairly class-conscious, Castillo famous — historic artifacts are ignored to take issues the wealthy worth extra. And stealing one thing may even impress another person in Nifty’s life: the detective monitoring her down and constructing a case in opposition to her. Maybe … one thing extra romantic for Nifty?
“Maybe,” Castillo hinted. (It is optionally available.)
There’s a whole lot of individuality to Snap & Seize, from the ’80s glam setting to the mechanics to the humor. With a number of avenues for play and no failure state — you retain taking pictures till you discover a heist route that works — the sport is a chill sandbox heist with persona to spare.
Each picture of an impediment will be positioned on a timeline blueprint to plan out your heist.
“It is positively for people who find themselves inquisitive about puzzle exploration video games, individuals who get pleasure from being completionist like me,” Castillo stated. “I would additionally say it is for people who find themselves into bizarre and dangerous humor. Like, there’s positively one crowd that talks about how they saved 1,000 ferrets from a fur coat manufacturing unit or, like, how owls have legs.”
The sport is pointedly non-violent, with extra slapstick and oddball humor than something. Once I requested which gag was their favourite, Castillo famous that should you go take an image of the bathroom, the sport will point out that one thing’s dwelling in it. “That is all me,” they stated.
“I am gonna go on the document and say it is for the weirdos,” Castillo stated.
Snap & Seize is popping out for PC, PS5 and Xbox in 2026.
