7 of our favorite thieves and rogues in Square Enix games
These sticky-fingered heroes can be sketchy at the best of times - but we love them anyway! Here are some of the best thieves in videogames!Not every hero is a brave and noble warrior - games portray people in all walks of life, Including some that are a little… let’s say ‘morally flexible’.
Square Enix games feature their fair share of these rogues. They may technically have committed crimes, but we forgive them anyway. Because they’ve also stolen the most important thing of all… our hearts.
Erik - DRAGON QUEST XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition
Erik is an expert thief… and the best friend you could ever hope for.
The Luminary - the protagonist of DRAGON QUEST XI S - first meets this rascally rogue in prison. Before you think that this incarceration speaks badly to his profession as a thief, bear in mind it takes Erik a matter of seconds to break himself and the Luminary out of their cells.
In fact, his wits and ability to steal from foes make him constantly useful throughout the adventure. But his greatest attribute is his loyalty. Erik will stand by his friends even at the worst of times - and, as his side story in DRAGON QUEST XI S shows, at great personal cost if necessary.
Of course, Erik is set to make a welcome return in the upcoming DRAGON QUEST TREASURES - along with his equally loot-obsessed sister Mia.
The new game is set to arrive on December 9, 2022 for Nintendo Switch. It throws the young siblings into Draconia - a world of many dangers… and many more treasures. To learn all about it, check out our blog:
Locke - FINAL FANTASY VI pixel remaster
Perhaps Locke shouldn’t really be on this list. After all, he’s not a thief, he’s a ‘treasure hunter’.
Semantics aside (and Locke is always up for some antics), this nimble-fingered hero is a skilled acquirer of items, and these talents have made him a vital member of anti-Empire resistance group, the Returners.
When a job calls for care and discretion, such as smuggling Terra out of the city near the start of the game, he’s the first one they turn to.
Locke’s personality matches his roguish nature - he’s cheerful, charismatic, and quick with a quip. But behind that puckish charm is a heart that’s driven as much by guilt as justice - he’s wracked with regret after the death of his love, Rachel. That can make him more than a little overprotective towards some of the team.
Even so, there few thieves - sorry, ‘treasure hunters’ - you’d rather have in your corner. Because when the going gets tough, Locke is often the key to success.
Yuffie - FINAL FANTASY VII / FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE
The characters in FINAL FANTASY VII don’t have ‘jobs’ in the traditional sense - the flexibility of the materia system means you can make characters anything you want them to be.
That said, Yuffie’s guaranteed a place on this list for one reason: she steals directly from the party! The nerve!
In the original FINAL FANTASY VII, this Wutai ninja can be recruited after leaving Midgar, and joins the party on their adventures. It would be easy to assume she’s just there to be a likeable and upbeat member of the team, but should you venture close to Wutai, you may be horrified to discover all your materia is missing… and so is Yuffie!
That sets off one of the game’s most memorable optional quests - as you team up with the Turks to catch the little thief… and an old enemy.
Of course, Yuffie makes a welcome return In FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE’s extra episode - FF7R EPISODE INTERmission. She’s on a mission to steal important materia from Shinra, and true to form, she’s more than ready to pilfer a few things from her foes on the way…
Jack - STRANGER OF PARADISE FINAL FANTASY ORIGIN
As we keep saying, the protagonist of STRANGER OF PARADISE FINAL FANTASY ORIGIN is a Jack of all trades… and a master of most of them.
Jack’s able to take on multiple jobs, giving him access to unique skills and weapons in combat. That includes the Thief job, and its fantastic ‘Steal’ ability.
Of course, being a Thief in this game is a little different to most titles in the series. Jack doesn’t merely steal items - he steals abilities. He can then use these abilities against enemies, giving them a taste of their own medicine.
It makes for a fast and fun playstyle that captures the roguish spirit of classic FINAL FANTASY thieves - just admittedly with a lot more anger.
Rikku - FINAL FANTASY X HD
What do you get if you combine the deft hands of a thief with the skills of an engineer and chemist? You get one heck of a fun character!
Rikku is an upbeat young Al Bhed - a mechanically-minded tribe that are deeply mistrusted in the technophobic world of Spira. This background means that she’s adept at gathering resources and making use of them… often to explosive effect.
Her primary method of getting the components she needs is to take them from enemies - Rikku is able to steal items from almost any foe. She can then mix these items to create grenades, potions and much more.
She’s particularly useful against robots - if she steals from many of Spira’s machina monstrosities, she can dismantle them instantly.
All this makes for one of the most unique ‘thieves’ in the series to date. As the Al Bhed might say:
Cra'c cesbmo dra pacd!
Therion - OCTOPATH TRAVELER
OCTOPATH TRAVELER features eight very different heroes, each with their own stories, class and abilities. Therion is a thief, and he’s very, very good at his job.
We first meet Therion in the town of Bolderfall. He’s already a legend among the criminal community but attempts by fellow thieves to collaborate with him are firmly rebuffed.
A solo infiltration on the other hand… that’s his bread and butter. Rumors of a treasure in an impregnable mansion are all too enticing, and he quickly makes it into the mansion - he’s just that good.
Not only is he an adept infiltrator, Therion’s also a first-rate pickpocket. If you don’t believe us, ask… well, pretty much every NPC in the game.
So long as this shadowy sneak is in your party, you can attempt to pickpocket most townsfolk, and take their beloved items for yourself. That can be something as simple as a healing grape, but he can also nab powerful weapons, armor and more.
In short, Therion is a thief through and through. Wherever he goes, he leaves a path of empty pockets in his wake and although his moral compass may not always point north, he’s an undeniably useful member of the OCTOPATH TRAVELER crew.
Plus his theme music is incredible.
Zidane - FINAL FANTASY IX
The hero of FINAL FANTASY IX is cheerful, enthusiastic and social - he loves meeting people and making new friends.
This extrovert element to his personality may come from his time with the Tantalus Theater Troupe - a traveling company who use their plays to cover their less-than-legal activities. After all, what could be a better distraction than a good production of ‘I Want to Be Your Canary’?
Though seemingly content as a thief, Zidane’s life takes an unexpected turn when he attempts to steal a person - Princess Garnet of Alexandria. But unexpectedly, the princess wants to be kidnapped, and in the chaos that follows Zidane is thrust into an increasingly heroic role.
But even when fighting for the fate of the world, he’ll still find time to tease the strait-laced Steiner, or pick a pocket or two. In fact, his ability to steal from his foes is a vital skill - especially against bosses who often carry incredibly useful and valuable armor, weapons and accessories.
It’s clear that he’ll never fully give up his roguish ways – and why would we want him to?
- Get FINAL FANTASY IX on Switch
- Get FINAL FANTASY IX on Xbox One and Windows 10
- Get FINAL FANTASY IX on PS4
- Get FINAL FANTASY IX on Steam
Those were just a few of our favorite videogame thieves, but what about yours? Which rogues did we miss? Share your thoughts in the comments and on social media: