Sneaky Sneaky review

Combine stealth, strategy and a couple of puzzles together and you get Sneaky Sneaky. It’s a simple game with simple mechanics that will pose a challenge every so often — a challenge that you’ll probably fail at and have to retry once or twice until you get it right. Every new challenge and tool welcomes you to go back and replay other levels to get the highest score you can possibly get.

That’s Sneaky Sneaky. Developed and published by Naiad Entertainment, Sneaky Sneaky has a colorful and cute design that will make you saw “aww” at even the toughest enemies.

After a series of unfortunate events, the stuff you stole gets taken away from a hawk and you are captured. But like any good thief, you escape, and it’s off to sneaking your way around obstacles and enemies to reclaim your twice stolen treasure. Sneak, the name of the Thief, starts off with nothing and gains more weapons and tools as you progress through the levels. You get a dagger, which is deadly when you attack from stealth, a bow for ranged attacks, and more.

The enemies you have to get around have different strengths, weaknesses and mechanics. Some will avoid all attacks unless they’re pushed up against an object. Others’ hits will take away two of your life. When you come across a new enemy, area or mechanic, you’ll probably die a time or two until you understand that mechanic and know how to deal with hit. Each map will require timing and strategy, and the challenges vary enough that Sneaky Sneaky stays fresh as you advance.

There’s not just enemies and their line of sight you have to worry about, but obstacles and mechanics. Some doors will require keys for you to get, which are behind rocks. Or lever that need to be pulled. Or spikes that keep coming out of the ground. While proper strategy, maneuvering and some thought will get you past these, you’ll also gain use of items like a hammer to break down the rocks. These items, like hammers and potions, have limited use, so the coin you earn during the levels will help pay to replenish them. You’ll also gain experience depending on how well you finish a level. Leveling up will let you upgrade one of a few different options: how much health you have, how many spaces you can move when spotted, how much damage one dagger hit does, how much damage one bow hit does.

The strategy of when to strike and when to move all requires planning, and it’s in that planning and execution that all of Sneaky Sneaky’s enjoyment comes from. And you’ll want to go back to earlier levels with new items to get the highest score.

Unfortunately, the game isn’t terribly long. And it never gets very challenging either. It won’t even take a completionist that long. The game takes about two to two-and-a-half hours to complete, with going back and getting the best score in each level taking about four hours. That’s where the downfall is.

But for a quick strategic game that’ll make you think (but not too much), I got a couple hours of enjoyment out of it, and darnit, Sneaky Sneaky is just so darn cute.