This mission feels like the perfect choice for a cozy Sunday afternoon or evening, when you are up for something relaxing, familiar, and not overly challenging. In "The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living", our adventure begins in a tavern with some friendly AI (a typical early era FM trope). Then, we head out into the streets to loot various shops and apartments along the way. The journey eventually leads to the mansion, our main objective, which is highly reminiscent of The Sword in both structure and mood.

It is clear to me that a lot of effort went into creating a classic and nostalgic Thief 1 atmosphere. This is most notably visible in brushwork and general attention to details - these are probably the strongest aspects of the FM. You will not find here empty rooms without purpose or decoration. There are also some very interesting surreal areas. The readables and plaques are well-written, sometimes even funny (with a British tint - lovely!).

However, the map feels way too easy, even if you try to ghost it on Expert. There are not many guards to avoid, carpets and dark spots abound, and the player can find a very large number of water and moss arrows throughout the mission. Moreover, in my view, the total amount of loot could have been reduced as well. Lastly, given the setting of the mansion, I would gladly see a few simple traps to make sneaking around a bit more challenging.

These issues I mentioned do not take away from the overall experience. I still had a good time playing and I think that Plibb's FM is a strong and promising debut. Thank you.

Thank you for the written review!