Game:

Thieves School (2008)

Category:

Review

Duration: 1:13:19

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Huge playlist archive with games from 2018: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxOanVBhqd3shFv7eRVs8C6iYc1zJzeJ0
INTRODUCTION (From worldxxisoft.com):
Welcome to the famous Thieves School! In this place, you'll learn everything related to theft and you'll able to graduate in Stealing Arts". Those were the first words that Mist and Courage heard when joining first year of this University. However, after almost 5 years of study, these students failed a key exam, leaving them with no possibilities of graduating. The professors decided to give them one more chance, a special exam consisting in a delictive tour around the world, in which they'll face many dangerous situations while stealing valuable goods.

Features:
•Platform arcade of action and planning, with more than 60 levels.
•Designed with SDV2, featuring coloured masked sprites graphic engine.
•AY music specially composed for the game by Factor6, winner of many music competitions.
•Two different game modes: "Action" and "Stealth". "Action" requires violence use and includes bosses to defeat, "Stealth" requires avoiding detection and steal using special skills (e.g. lock picking).
•Two selectable characters with unique skills.
•Wide range of game modes, allowing 1 or 2 players simultaneously, interacting in Cooperative or Deathmatch modes, against baddies or just the clock, fixed game lenght or endless, and other selectable parameters, meaning approximately 40 different game modes.
•Cinematic intro, featuring stars casting.
•Hidden options unlockable by finishing the different game modes.
•Two records tables (one for each Graduation Tour) plus a record of the best grade obtained in a custom exam.
•Option for loading expansion sets.
•Option for adjusting music and sounds volume.
•Control options: Two redefinable keys sets, Kempston, Sinclair (1,2), Cursor.
•Language selection: English, Spanish
•Available for Spectrum 128K models.

REVIEW:

6:23 Action/Robbery mode
53:09 Stealth/Larceny mode

So, you are a thief, and in the intro you can see how you failed to pass the exam, and are given a second chance for graduation, by stealing certain treasures around the world. The intro is very, very impressive with animated digital pictures and cool music!

You can graduate by either completing the Action/Robbery mode or the Stealth/Larceny mode. In Action/Robbery mode there is 30 levels where you have to defeat the guards and dogs, and this mode also features boss fights. In Stealth/Larceny mode you do not have any weapons, and must not be seen, so you have to sneak around avoiding the guards. This mode also features 30 (different) levels, no boss fights, but you have to open up a lot of saves by using lockpicks.

To open a save, stand by it and press fire. Then a display will show up, where you control the horizontal lockpick. Each time one of the five vertical locks are up in the top you press fire to move the lockpick in and block the lock. When all five are blocked the save will open.

At the side of the screen there is an energy bar, and if you get hit by an enemy, you will lose some energy and stand still for a couple of seconds before you can move again. It is possible to gain extra energy to refill the energy bar.

The game also features 2-player mode, and it is possible to change if you want to play in Cooperative or Deathmatch mode. Besides this there is countless different stuff you can change and game modes you can select.

There is an expansion pack, named Oasis, available which replaces the first (very easy) three museum levels with three much harder Oasis levels in both modes.

Above text is from my review of "Thieves School 128k (2008) (FULL GAME: ACTION + STEALTH + EXPANSION)" which you can see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wnsX11Fp8Q&t=3295s

This expansion for Thieves School features 60 new alternative screens, for the same locations of the original exam, and some difficulty parameters have been tweaked.

The walkthrough shows graduation in both the Exam 2018 Action/Robbery mode and the Stealth/Larceny mode. This is 60 levels, but you can also play the standard 2008 version with other 60 levels and the Oasis expansion with 6 levels, so there is 126 levels, and if you select the custom exam (that can not be graduated) there is much more to explore!

The game is compatible with tape, Beta Disk and +3 disc, and if you have bought the game this expansion is for free.

These new redisigned levels are really good and highly playable, and now the bosses is also included in the Stealth/Larceny mode!

The game was published by World XXI Soft Inc in 2008/2018.

My rating for the original game was 99% and adding 60 new levels is quite a plus!

Rating = 100%

You can get a digital version for a small fee here: http://www.worldxxisoft.com/En/Princ.htm