Cash_Out

Stealth is a pretty touchy subject in video games, because it can be difficult to implement the right mechanics to make players feel like they truly have a choice. Certain franchises have managed to do this pretty successfully, as it the case with Hitman, Splinter Cell or Assassin’s Creed, but many have failed to do the same. On the other hand, simplicity can work in the right conditions as well.

Cash_Out is a top-down action game with stealth elements, in which the goal is to get out unharmed, collect helpful items, and destroy enemies that try to kill you. The mechanics are simple enough to be understood from the first couple of minutes, but the interface and the controls can be a tad tricky, at least if you happen to use a keyboard and mouse combo.

The levels get more complex as you manage to solve them, given the fact that they feature more enemies and more traps. You can collect weapons, ammunition and health packs along the way, although the most important thing is to stay out of sight. The enemies always outnumber you, so it’s never a good idea to take on more than one at a time.

The action is not as fast-paced as it is in Hotline: Miami or similar games, but this allows you more time to think about your possibilities. However, the controls can be a bit sluggish sometimes, which is not great when you need to react quickly. Granted, this could be a problem with the mouse & keyboard combo, but the interface is difficult to work with every now and again.

Lastly, the graphics are as simple as possible, which means that the levels can get repetitive after a while. Almost every room looks the same in regards to textures and the objects that decorate them, so boredom can easily enter the equation. However, you can distract yourself with the action, although even that gets frustrating every now and again.

All things considered, Cash_Out is not a masterpiece of the genre, but it could easily be a lot better with more work. At the moment, the experience gets repetitive and annoying too quickly, which is not great in a stealth game.