10 Best Bank Heists In Gaming History

The heist is a staple of pop culture.

Across our entertainment, we seem to love the idea of a bunch of people putting their heads together, gathering equipment, finding weak point in blueprints, and bribing guards to create the perfect in and out scenario that nets them the precious goods they were looking for.

Followed, of course, by a narrow escape under the noses of the police, casino bosses, rival gangs, and whoever else was standing in the way of our thieves as they grabbed the goods and got gone.

The video game heist is an even better version of the classic heist, because the player becomes part of the hunt.

Are WE as gamers smart enough to find the best spot to sneak in? Do WE think its important to disable security measures? Do WE want to be subtle, using sleeping gas or darts, or is the stealthy approach ignored in favour of going in, guns blazing and explosions echoing around us?

Some of the greatest franchises in gaming history have let us step into the shoes of the heist mastermind, planning and plotting.

Don't like how it went down? Do it again! Load your last savepoint and change approaches; change tactics; change your support team.

Heists can be some of the best sandbox opportunities in gaming, but who does it best?

The first two games in the Saints Row franchise were serious stories of a street gang battling for dominance.

This game...is not that. No, this game is one where you can arm yourself with a 4-foot sex toy and beat the crap out of cops, other gang members, or even just randos on the street.

Being the first game to embrace the wackier side of the franchise, the introductory mission When Good Heists Go Bad sets the tone right away. The Saints have become media darlings, beloved by the public as a big middle finger to authority, including endorsement deals and their own energy drink.

Gone are the gritty elements of the first two games as you pull a bank robbery that includes customers who want selfies and autographs from the SR gang and are anything but fearful when the Saints enter the bank dressed like Johnny Gat, oversized masks and all.

Despite the low-key plan, the mission devolves into a firefight where the police have to be held off long enough for the Saints to execute the ultimate step of their heist, pulling the whole vault from the bank with a helicopter, Fast and Furious style. That attracts heavier armed SWAT teams and things go downhill pretty quickly from there.

For those expecting the first or second Saints Row, this mission was either an exercise in frustration or a laugh-out loud delight.