Choose Thief Simulator 2
Choose Thief Simulator 2 if it's a focused single-player run rather than a multiplayer commitment. 2,373 Steam reviews back the pick.
Thief Simulator 2 vs Crime Simulator: Playgrounds
Thief Simulator 2 and Crime Simulator: Playgrounds both land in Action, Indie, Simulation on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Action, Indie, Simulation on Steam. Thief Simulator 2 (2023) is 1 year older than Crime Simulator: Playgrounds (2024). Thief Simulator 2 scores higher on Steam reviews (86.2% positive) than Crime Simulator: Playgrounds (51.2% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Crime Simulator: Playgrounds
Choose Crime Simulator: Playgrounds if you want the Multi-player, Steam Leaderboards, and Online Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 90% cheaper on the Steam Store. Crime Simulator: Playgrounds launched in 2024.
Both Thief Simulator 2 and Crime Simulator: Playgrounds sit in Action, Indie, and Simulation on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Thief Simulator 2 |  Crime Simulator: Playgrounds | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2023 | 2024 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Simulation | Action, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 1.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 86.2% positive (2,373 reviews) | 51.2% positive (43 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | CookieDev, Ultimate Games S.A. | Ultimate Games S.A. |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- Thief Simulator 2 (2023) is 1 year older than Crime Simulator: Playgrounds (2024).
- Thief Simulator 2 scores higher on Steam reviews (86.2% positive) than Crime Simulator: Playgrounds (51.2% positive).
- Crime Simulator: Playgrounds is currently ~90% cheaper on Steam than Thief Simulator 2 (1.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Crime Simulator: Playgrounds has co-op; Thief Simulator 2 does not.
- Steam Deck: Thief Simulator 2 is Deck Playable, Crime Simulator: Playgrounds is Deck Unsupported.
Thief Simulator 2 vs Crime Simulator: Playgrounds — FAQ
- Should I play Thief Simulator 2 or Crime Simulator: Playgrounds first?
- If you want chronology, Thief Simulator 2 (2023) came out before Crime Simulator: Playgrounds (2024). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Thief Simulator 2 and Crime Simulator: Playgrounds similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie, Simulation on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Does Thief Simulator 2 have multiplayer like Crime Simulator: Playgrounds?
- No. Crime Simulator: Playgrounds supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op), while Thief Simulator 2 is listed as single-player only.