Xbox Live Monaco Game

Game design often comes down to stealing things. Ideas, inspirations, they’re often taken from something else. Funny enough, this game which steals from everything from Metal Gear Solid to Hollywood heist movies is about stealing things. Irony is pretty cool. So is Monaco. Just released to Xbox Live, this is a game you might’ve heard a lot about. It’s certainly had its fair share of hype, and rightfully so. It has style, complexity...of course; it’s also a gigantic pain in the ass. Obviously, that’s a selling point for some.

The fact that this is a tremendously challenging game, sometimes to the point of frustration. But if you’re like me, it relegates this potentially great game to...kind of great, for a certain audience. So Monaco tells the story...of Monaco. A place where there’s lots of stuff to steal sandlots of people to do it. In fact, you’re in control of them. And each one brings unique set of abilities to the heist. The Locksmith is the fastest with a lock pick.

The Cleaner can knock out unsuspecting guards. And the Pickpocket has a monkey, which can collect nearby loot for him. How heist movie is that, by the way? The Pickpocket. And his monkey. There are more characters, too. And to be successful in Monaco, you have to learn their abilities and know which thieves are best suited for which mission.
Though one level might be easy for the Hacker, you might need the Cleaner for others, for those pesky guards. There’s a lot of strategy to Monaco...and picking a character? That’s just the beginning. Obviously, this is a stealth game. Think top-down, old-school Metal Gear, but with an even more retro look and feel. Maybe even a little Pac-Man, for good measure. So it’s simple, but...only in concept and style. The execution is incredibly complex.

Missions are littered with traps and guards...and for the most part, you can’t see them. See, that’s one of the key elements here. The game is top-down to an extreme, to the point where the levels are actually just black and white blueprints. And you only see the actual rooms and what’s inside them...if you’re looking in that direction. You have this cone of vision, and anything outside that cone...is basically invisible. And therein lays one of the most divisive things about Monaco. See, there are times when...this really isn’t much of a stealth game.

You might open a door and be staring at a guard, who was impossible to see beforehand. And then you have to run, which also becomes central element of Monaco. Getting spotted or tripping an alarm, and then running like crazy...or, if you have the bullets, shooting people in the face. Nothing stealthy about shooting someone in the face. Of course, with so many different thieves and possible strategies, it only makes sense for Monaco to be a fantastic co-op game. And it is.

It’s awesome with friends. But when you’re alone...sometimes, it’s a bit more frustrating than fun. The style is fantastic, the design is brilliant...Monaco is a great game, no question. But if you’re more of a solo artist, it might not be a heist for you.


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