Retro-flavored gaming is all the rage now, as shown by the recent releases of FarCry 3: Blood Dragon and the released PC version of Fez. Monaco: What's Yours is Mine follows suit with a 4-player co-op heist extravaganza.  In this production by Pocketwatch Games, a ragtag group of criminals escapes from the French Riviera prison and goes on several heists: for money, documents, and, eventually, the chance to retire from the business once and for all. 

Thieving Pac-man Folk

In a top-down view, players control 8-bit characters and sneak past guards to acquire a certain goal. Each character's field of vision reveals a portion of the map and fills it with lurid colors. Most of the time, the uncovered part of the stages have basic blueprints with labeled rooms. White icons show  interactive elements, like doors, computers, and laser traps—all you have to do is hold the direction key toward the item, and a circle starts filling above their head, until the action completes.

Monaco presents a refreshing, character-driven, no-nonsense, logical story. Need money in order to secure our exit? Rob a bank. Need documents to get out of the country? They have such at the Embassy. Each of the eight personalities has a chance to develop through dialogue. They don't have names, which is a good choice—just as in heist movies, you identify with characters based on their abilities.

Among the dynamic eight, there's the Locksmith, who can open things faster; the psychotic Cleaner, who can take out guards; the refined Gentleman, who can disguise himself; the Mole, who can make new paths through walls, and so on. Although some characters are much more useful in certain stages, all are surely useful in every level; at the same time, none of them are required to finish any level.