The Swindle - top tips on becoming the best burglar

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This week sees the release of Size Five Games's highly anticipated steampunk extravaganza, The Swindle. And trust us, you're going to want to get it.

After spending the best part of a month with the game I decided to pull together a list of handy hints, tips, and general advice to get you breaking into banks and storming Scotland Yard like the best of them.

Don't rush



Right off the bat, I cannot stress this enough. The Swindle may look and play like a knockabout platformer but at heart it's ruthless and will punish you for not paying attention.

Mistime a jump, press a wrong button, or just generally bumble along and you'll end up with a mountain of dead thieves with nothing to show for it. As tempting as it may be to just charge straight in through the front door on each heist, take the time to scope out the building and plan ahead.

I can't begin to count the number of times I've rushed the main entrance only to discover a much easier, stealthier route just around the back. As you gradually unlock your abilities and gear, this will become easier and all but essential for the later stages. So get used to it.

Mark out points of interest, computers for hacking, routes that end in dead ends, and any particularly nasty rooms that you may do better just avoiding.

If the police come a-knocking, retreat

Seriously, get the hells out of Dodge if you hear those sirens going. You may be able to survive a tangle with individual Constables but they soon gang up and send in all sorts of heavily armed monstrosities to bring you down.

Police-bots range from the lowly Constable aka BobbyBot (or 'Officer Metal Bastard' as I've unofficially christened them) to the flying-saucer like craft that comes tearing into buildings and through walls to interrogate you with a Gatling gun.

All have their own strengths and weaknesses but in a game where one lucky bullet or truncheon to the head is enough to send your thief to that big gaol in the sky, it's not worth tangling with them. You will not beat them and it isn't worth gambling your hard earned cash for the sake of bragging rights.

Always have an exit strategy



Due to The Swindle's procedural generation, some heists can be deeply complex affairs with corridors leading to dead-ends and rooms with one awkward entrance / exit.

Try to either clear each room as you go or pick the path of least resistance to ensure you have a swift way out if the above mentioned Bobbies come to call. You don't want to let yourself get cornered if the alarms are triggered so be aware of your surroundings.

Upgrade often, upgrade smart

Although you start off with only the ability to jump, bash things, and open doors, you'll eventually turn into a criminal mastermind with bombs, hacking skills, a smokescreen generating backpack, and a damn teleporter to help you.

Always upgrade your money making opportunities and don't go crazy on additional equipment for the sake of it. It's more than possible to complete many heists without the batman-like gizmos but they can be the difference between life and death when used in the right moment. Then can also really screw you if you use them lightly so be frugal with your bombs and spiffy gear.

Know when you are beaten

Taking into account everything I've already said, remember that you will still lose. You're going to come up against a room that is just impossible or a heist that just looks like more trouble than its worth.

You may have even managed to clear half the rooms already before coming up against that one corridor that is just near impossible to get past.

Remember that it is ok to walk away with whatever you have and live to fight another day. You don't have to complete every heist to 100 percent and frankly you won't be able to so know when your cards are up and bail out. Always think that it's better to escape to fight another day then start all over again with a fresh thief, especially later on.

Stay alive



Every time you do a successful heist (which means getting most of the money in the level), your thief goes up a level and gives you bonus money. That is, as long as they're alive.

So keep one thief around long enough and you can get huge bonuses that practically double your takings.

Catch the bug

The bug is so brilliant, it threatens to undermine the very balance on the game. When you plant this mechanical sucker next to a computer (even one that's rigged to an alarm) it will send money directly to your bank account.

That means you'll still earn cash, even if you die mid-way through the level. Plus, bugs still sap money when you change between levels so plant a few bugs on different levels and you'll see your cash pile start to rocket up.

What to buy



There's loads of stuff to get in The Swindle, but some upgrades are better than others. Here are some choice picks:

Computer hacking - For a measly £100, this is an absolute necessity as computers hold the bulk of cash in any heist. You should be able to pick up enough money to unlock this within one or two heists.

Double Jump - As agile as your thieves are, you're going to inevitably encounter scenarios where your basic jump just isn't high enough. You'll find yourself trapped if you don't have this, so make it a priority after hacking.

Dynamite - This once takes some skill to use properly but you're going to want to grab bombs after you've unlocked the Warehouse District. They're useful for creating paths to unreachable areas and killing some security robots. But they can also kill you if you're too close so use with caution.

Steam Purge - A tool for the seasoned thief, you'll find it baffling at first and essentially later on. Don't bother rushing to get this until you're fully in the swing of things as it does present its own difficulties, mainly its slow cool down time and short usage window.

EMP - EMP will not only shut down certain robots, but it will also defeat those pesky security cameras that crane from left to right. Just make sure you get in close before using it.

Wall Jumping Level 1 - This lets you stick to walls. Which is a very handy place to be as you're out of sight of enemies and can then drop down and lay the smackdown with your tiny truncheon with relevant ease.

Remote Detonate - This handy device lets you make mines go boom and electric generators go zap, which is a handy way of frying some nuisance enemies. It's hard to use until you get the long-range upgrade for it, mind.

Computer Scanner - As finding computers is incredibly important, this hack - which highlights the position of each terminal - is super handy.

Area Unlocks - Finally, you're going to want to save money to unlock new areas. You have to do this to progress and each new stage brings challenges, threats, and the promise of untold riches. You can also return to older areas if you're finding things a little frenetic but don't leave it too long or you'll never hit the deadline.

What not to buy



Almost everything is handy, once you have the right cash. But - barring area unlocks - the stuff under 'Misc' is useless. 100 days is more than enough, so don't worry about the HackStation. And you should be avoiding the police altogether, not slowing them down.

You can also go without the steam purge upgrades. There's rarely a situation where you need more than a few seconds of cover.