Arsene Lupin Once a Thief PS5 is an adventure and puzzle game from Scottish studio Blazing Griffin, published by Microids in 2024. It puts you on both sides of the most famous cat-and-mouse chase in French crime fiction: you play the gentleman thief himself, and you also play Inspector Ganimard, the policeman who has spent his career failing to catch him.
Table of Contents
- Who Arsene Lupin Is
- Playing Both Sides of the Chase
- The Stories the Game Retells
- Illustrated Art and a Full Voice Cast
- Blazing Griffin and Microids
- Technical Specifications
- FAQ
Who Arsene Lupin Is
Maurice Leblanc created Arsène Lupin in 1905 as France’s answer to Sherlock Holmes — except Lupin robs people. He is charming, vain, endlessly disguised, and he only steals from those he decides deserve it. The character has stayed in print for over a century, and the Netflix series starring Omar Sy brought a whole new audience to the original stories.
Leblanc even wrote Holmes into the books, renaming him Herlock Sholmes after a legal complaint from Conan Doyle’s side. That rivalry is part of the source material this game draws from, and Sholmes appears here with a proper voice performance rather than as a background reference.
Arsene Lupin Once a Thief PS5: Playing Both Sides of the Chase
The structure is a story within a story. Lupin sits by a fireside with Leblanc himself, recounting his own escapades, and each tale becomes a playable chapter. What makes it interesting is that control switches: you set up the theft as Lupin, then you investigate it as Ganimard, working the same scene from the opposite direction with information the thief already has.
It is worth being straight about what this is. The pace is relaxed and the puzzles are gentle — there is no fail state waiting to punish you, and the game is closer to an interactive detective novel than to a demanding brain-teaser. If you want a mystery you can sink into over a few evenings, that is a feature. If you want difficulty, look elsewhere in our catalogue.
The Stories the Game Retells
Two of Leblanc’s best-known tales anchor the game: The Arrest of Arsène Lupin, in which the thief is captured aboard a transatlantic liner under circumstances that are never quite what they seem, and Herlock Sholmes Arrives Too Late, the story that pits Lupin directly against his English counterpart. Playing them from two perspectives changes how both land, because you already know the trick before Ganimard does and get to watch him work toward it.
Around those, the game fills in Lupin’s early life, his first crimes and the relationships that shaped him, so it works as an entry point for anyone who has never read the books.
Illustrated Art and a Full Voice Cast
The visual approach takes the illustrations from early printed editions of the novels and animates them, so scenes look like book plates coming to life rather than standard game environments. It suits the period and keeps the tone light.
The English cast is fully voiced under voice director Doug Rand: Olivier Raynal plays Lupin, Paul Bandey plays Inspector Ganimard, Gideon Emery plays Herlock Sholmes, and Patrick Albenque plays Maurice Leblanc as the listener by the fire. You can view the game on the official PlayStation Store listing.
Blazing Griffin and Microids
Blazing Griffin is a Glasgow studio with a track record in exactly this genre — it also developed the Hercule Poirot adventure games, likewise published by Microids. Microids has spent years building a catalogue of European literary and comic adaptations for console, and this fits that line precisely.
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Technical Specifications
- Title: Arsene Lupin – Once a Thief
- Platform: PlayStation 5 (physical disc)
- Genre: Adventure, puzzle, detective
- Mode: Single-player
- Developer: Blazing Griffin
- Publisher: Microids
- Original Release: 2024
- Source Material: The Arsène Lupin stories by Maurice Leblanc
- Playable Characters: Arsène Lupin and Inspector Ganimard
- Featured Stories: The Arrest of Arsène Lupin, Herlock Sholmes Arrives Too Late
- Audio: Full English voice cast, voice direction by Doug Rand
- Art Style: Animated period book illustration
- Controller: DualSense wireless controller
- Case Dimensions: Approximately 13.5 x 17 x 1.5 cm
- Warranty: 1-year warranty from Totot
FAQ – Arsene Lupin Once a Thief PS5
Is this a film or a game?
It is a video game, released in 2024 for PlayStation 5 and other platforms. It is sometimes mistaken for a movie because the disc format and the literary subject matter suggest one, but this is a playable adventure title.
Do I need to have read the books first?
Not at all. The game introduces Lupin from the beginning and explains who everyone is as it goes. Readers of Leblanc will catch more references, but nothing essential is assumed.
Is it connected to the Netflix series with Omar Sy?
No. Both draw on the same Maurice Leblanc source material, but they are separate productions. The Netflix show is a modern reimagining; this game adapts the original period stories directly.
How long does it take to finish?
Around five to six hours for most players. It is designed as a compact, self-contained mystery rather than a long campaign.
Is it difficult?
No. The puzzles are approachable and there is no way to lose progress, which makes it a comfortable pick for players who want story over challenge, and a reasonable choice for a family that enjoys detective fiction together.
Does Totot deliver across the UAE?
Yes. We ship nationwide via Aramex for a fixed AED 10, with cash on delivery, Tabby and Tamara available at checkout.
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