Technologies

Snap & Grab Is an ’80s Glam Heist Game That’s ‘Hitman’ meets Pokémon Snap

Take photos, steal art from rich bozos. What’s not to like?

At Summer Game Fest, I tried out one of the more stylish, relaxing games that made me wish I had pals on the couch to play with. But instead of a co-op adventure, Snap & Grab, as it’s called, is a heist title where players take on the role of a fashionista photojournalist who steals gaudy treasures from rich doofuses to fill her penthouse.

Snap & Grab is the debut title for studio No Goblin, which held its demo in publisher Annapurna Interactive’s closed-door area at the annual gaming festival. I ducked into Annapurna’s area and was awash in 80s paraphernalia — big wood-paneled TVs, boomboxes and piles of CDs ahoy — which fit Snap & Grab’s vibe.

Booting up the demo on PC, I was awash in the game’s world, a whirlwind of pop and glam vibes, like playing in a Madonna music video from the era. I stepped into the high heels of the game’s heroine (or antihero, depending on whether you think stealing from ultra-rich jerks is a crime) Nifty Nevada, who uses her daytime job as a celebrity photojournalist to scan the homes of wealthy socialites for the best ways to snag their prize art pieces.

The delightful angle of the game? Nifty isn’t stealing the items herself. To preserve plausible deniability, she takes photos of the obstacles standing between her team of hunky minions and the art piece to steal. See a guard? Take a photo of a sink to have your minion overflow it so the guard slips and gets knocked out. See the rich doofus around the art? Take a photo of the record player to stop the music in another room as a distraction.

«Big inspirations in terms of gameplay was Hitman meets Pokémon Snap, with that flair of Carmen San Diego, badass woman,» said Cessia Castillo, level designer and artist at No Goblin, who led me through the demo.

The full Snap & Grab has five stages to play, only one of which was available in the demo, but they each have reasons to replay. Rather than puzzles with one solution, they’re sandboxes with multiple ways to get Nifty’s minions to nab her prize. Castillo confirmed that there are a dozen different heists (items to steal) per level that are identified to players in the game but more things can be stolen if they want, plus photo challenges and new crewmates to add to your heist team. There’s also a progression system that, as you steal items, will be able to unlock abilities.

«Nifty will have the ability to throw a hot dog pretty far at a certain point,» Castillo said. (I can’t even imagine how that will come in handy.)

In the demo I found one route to steal the piece of art (a gaudy gem-festooned skull) but Castillo noted that others who tried the game out at SGF had brought a couple of friends to try it out with them and they had a blast pointing out all the alternative angles of their heist they could.

«We had a group that was just chaos collaboration, like «snap that, use that to distract this dude, use this to knock out that guy, you could use the lights to melt the statue,» Castillo said. «They said it was such a comforting experience to be able to couch co-op it.»

But there are other reasons to replay levels, because overpriced art pieces are just some of the items you can steal for your collection.

«In future levels, it might be like, hey, this penguin seems really sad at his aquarium and he’s super duper talented. He actually knows how to paint. Let’s take him home,» Castillo said.

Later on in the demo I passed a group of Corgi dogs I could use as a distraction during the heist and Castillo affirmed that they, too, can be smuggled home to Nifty’s penthouse.

From stealing gaudy art to nabbing neglected pets, Snap & Grab is a satire lampooning the habits of rich dorks and their vapid party guests. The developers at No Goblin are pretty class-conscious, Castillo noted — historical artifacts are ignored to take things the rich value more. And stealing something could even impress someone else in Nifty’s life: the detective tracking her down and building a case against her. Perhaps … something more romantic for Nifty?

«Perhaps,» Castillo hinted. (It’s optional.)

There’s a lot of individuality to Snap & Grab, from the ’80s glam setting to the mechanics to the humor. With multiple avenues for play and no failure state — you keep taking photos until you find a heist route that works — the game is a chill sandbox heist with personality to spare.

«It’s definitely for people who are interested in puzzle exploration games, people who enjoy being completionist like me,» Castillo said. «I’d also say it’s for people who are into weird and bad humor. Like, there’s definitely one crowd that talks about how they saved 1,000 ferrets from a fur coat factory or, like, how owls have legs.»

The game is pointedly non-violent, with more slapstick and oddball humor than anything. When I asked which gag was their favorite, Castillo noted that if you go take a picture of the toilet, the game will mention that something’s living in it. «That’s all me,» they said.

«I’m gonna go on the record and say it’s for the weirdos,» Castillo said.

Snap & Grab is coming out for PC, PS5 and Xbox in 2026.

Technologies

Razer’s Wolverine V3 Pro 8K Controller Won’t Replace My Mouse and Keyboard, but Here’s Where It Shines

I applaud the absurdly high polling rate, six extra remappable buttons and TMR sticks, but let me tell you why I’m sticking with my keyboard and mouse for most games I play.

The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro 8K PC controller was not built for me, but admittedly, this has more to do with me as a gamer than the controller itself. I grew up playing the PlayStation 3 and PS4 consoles, cutting my teeth on slim, compact DualSense controllers. Over the past five years, I’ve gamed exclusively on my PC and have grown accustomed to the increased precision of a mouse and keyboard.

The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro 8K PC controller is the antithesis of a DualSense controller. It’s a chunky piece of hardware that might feel natural if you were raised on an Xbox and its bulky controllers, but it took me multiple gaming sessions to get acclimated to the sheer size of the Wolverine V3 and how it fit into my hands, especially since I don’t use a claw grip.

Size aside, this is a PC controller with every bell and whistle you can think of — and its price of $200 reflects that. The 8,000Hz polling rate ensures buttery smooth inputs with no lag, and tunnel magnetoresistance joysticks make every in-game movement feel fluid and calculated. Six extra remappable buttons help you up your game — they’re super handy for hero shooters like Marvel Rivals and hectic games like Battlefield 6. This is a premium product for gamers who are hoarding some serious hardware.

Its price is in line with other premium controllers. One of CNET’s best Xbox controllers is the Wolverine V3 Pro for Xbox, which also costs $200. Similar controllers like the Scuf Instinct Pro and Vitrix Pro BFG are in the same ballpark, pricewise, but the Wolverine V3 Pro 8K PC has a winning combination of competitive variables that make it feel exceptionally easy to use.

This controller is chock full of top-of-the-line technology and feels satisfying to use, but it needs to clear a high bar to feel truly worthwhile as a dedicated PC controller.

Chunky controller, satisfying feedback

When CNET’s Josh Goldman reviewed the Wolverine V3 Pro Xbox wireless controller, he called it «just about perfect.» If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it: Razer replicated many of its successes with the Wolverine V3 Pro PC controller.

The Wolverine V3 Pro 8K PC is the same size as the Wolverine V3 Pro Xbox controller, which is to say it’s a bit chunkier than a standard Xbox wireless controller, but it’s surprisingly much lighter than its Xbox cousin. It weighs just 220 grams, which is appreciably lighter than the Xbox version that weighs 304 grams. And while the Wolverine V3 Pro 8K PC is nowhere near as slim as a DualSense controller, it’s still much lighter than its Sony competitor — a stock DualSense controller weighs 280 grams.

Every button on this controller has a crisp, clean clickiness that scratches the same mental itch that a good mechanical keyboard might. Whether you’re gripping the trigger, pressing a button or squeezing one of the four remappable back paddles, you’ll hear incredibly satisfying auditory feedback that leaves no doubt that the controller is receiving your inputs. At one point, while I sat through a particularly long matchmaking queue, I found myself squeezing the triggers to entertain myself — the snappy pops were enough to keep me off TikTok.

The biggest difference between the V3 Pro Xbox and V3 Pro PC controllers is the variable polling rate — that dictates how often your controller is communicating with the computer. It’s like a refresh rate for your crosshair positioning.

The Wolverine V3 Pro Xbox just can’t compete here: That controller has a wired 1,000Hz polling rate for PC gameplay. The V3 Pro PC controller can be toggled for multiple polling rates, with an 8,000Hz maximum setting. This means the PC controller can report your input data eight times faster than the Xbox controller.

Every movement, turn and button press feels incredibly fluid. It’s safe to say that there’s no input lag with the Wolverine V3 PC controller, but I don’t think it matters too much for moment-to-moment first-person shooter gameplay. If you’re driving a car (or a tank) and you need to stop on a hairpin, you might appreciate Razer’s HyperPolling technology. If you’re not playing a tactical shooter like Counter-Strike or Rainbow Six: Siege, that 8,000Hz polling rate is overkill — if you’re a casual gamer crushing Call of Duty public lobbies with your pals, you’re probably not going to notice it in any of your firefights.

Better than a mouse and keyboard? That’s a little more complicated

I tested out the Wolverine V3 Pro 8K PC controller on Marvel Rivals, ARC Raiders and Battlefield 6 (my current first-person shooter obsession). It’s an extremely solid choice for at least two of these games, and I likely won’t be using my DualSense controller anytime soon.

I had a great time firing magic bolts in Marvel Rivals and rolling tanks through the streets of Cairo in Battlefield 6, but this is a controller that was supposedly designed for high-level shooter gameplay. I’m saddened to report that, when it comes to dominating a first-person shooter match or competing to survive in an extraction shooter, I’d much rather stick to a mouse and keyboard.

In close-range battles, I didn’t feel like the Wolverine controller particularly helped me gain an advantage over my opponents. Mouse-and-keyboard players were often able to lock onto me quicker, even with a high look sensitivity and built-in aim assist. And I felt outmaneuvered and outgunned by mouse-and-keyboard players in the fastest-paced fights. But the controller’s precision TMR thumbsticks made it easy to quickly lock my crosshairs onto enemies and mow them down from afar with light machine guns or sniper rifles in long-range battles.

I also find it useful for games like Battlefield that have a lot of buttons to micromanage during moment-to-moment gameplay. If you want to swap your fire mode from automatic to single-fire, mount your weapon’s bipod against a flat surface or pull out an invaluable class gadget, you’ll be reaching across your keyboard to do so. The six remappable buttons on the Wolverine V3 Pro 8K PC are great for these situations; I loved that I could tap fire my hulking light machine gun by gripping one of the controller’s back paddles.

The controller really shone for vehicle combat, though. I found myself gravitating toward my mouse and keyboard for infantry gunplay, but anytime I’d jump into a tank, I’d reach across my desk and grab the Wolverine again. Having pressure-sensitive triggers helps with any in-game driving: A slight squeeze lets me cautiously move forward, scanning for enemy mines, while fully pulling the trigger down helps me speed out of dangerous situations. Rebinding automatic repair jobs and weapon switches to the back paddles also helped me focus more on in-game combat, which helped me keep my armored vehicles in the fight for longer. With my DualSense controller, I’d have to awkwardly fumble with the D-Pad to activate my vehicle abilities. The Wolverine controller is the definitive way for a Battlefield tank enthusiast to play.

Outside of standard first-person shooter gameplay, I also found the Wolverine V3 PC controller to be handy for hero shooters — with some caveats. When I play Marvel Rivals, I mainly play tanks that require an extensive amount of ability usage but very little aim. Characters like Doctor Strange thrive when you can quickly string inputs together, and rebinding the controls to the Wolverine’s back paddles is great for that.

On the other hand, speedy divers that need to jump in and out of the enemy team’s backline and aim-intensive snipers feel tougher to play with the Wolverine controls, and I’d swap back to my mouse and keyboard whenever I wanted to switch off tank characters and fulfill another role for my team.

One game I don’t recommend the Wolverine V3 Pro PC for is ARC Raiders. While the remappable buttons make it easy to reach for healing items and grenades, losing out on the precision aim of a mouse and keyboard just isn’t worth it in a game where one death can set your progress back by several real-life hours. The controller lets me hold my own against killer ARC robots, but once real players join the mix, I’d rather use my tried-and-true PC hardware setup.

That’s not to say that the Wolverine controller is terrible for a tactical third-person shooter: The back paddles are a great way to quickly access any healing items, grenades and other consumables you’re carrying, which could be the difference between life and death. But when I have teammates depending on me to help them escape with their hard-earned loot, I just don’t trust the Wolverine controller to help me aim better than I can with my trusty mouse and keyboard.

For playing first-person shooters like Call of Duty or Apex Legends at breakneck speeds, the Wolverine V3 Pro 8K PC likely won’t replace your mouse and keyboard. But if your ideal competitive game centers on slower gunplay and long-range firefights, this is the most precise controller I’ve ever laid hands on (and you’ll receive a healthy heaping of help from aim assist to boot).

For the games I like to play, the Wolverine V3 Pro PC controller hasn’t become my primary gaming peripheral. Instead, it’s become a great situational swapout that complements my mouse and keyboard. As much as I like keeping it on deck for a long gaming session, $200 is a high price for a part-time controller.

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Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, Dec. 17

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Dec. 17.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

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If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

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