Ah, thank you for playing our game! Luckily, you actually can get evidence for the detective if you fail certain minigames in the thief section! It isn't super clear which minigames are fail-able and which ones have to be done correctly though, so we'll definitely be clarifying that for our post-jam build! Appreciate the feedback! Also, we're definitely making the sneaking section shorter in the updated build!
Viewing post in Phantom Thief Phil jam comments
I half expected that after I failed the fence jump, there would be a human-shaped imprint on the ground or if you bump the fence it will bend strangely, but failing most QTEs is an instant fail and failing one of them doesn't change the outcome. This I think gave me the wrong idea and convinced me there were no alternative routes, especially since it's the first QTE section you get.
I think the underlying idea of the game could work if you couldn't fail the thief sections at all and you are allowed to just enjoy the carnage, Heavy Rain style. The game would then get appealing in a sort of Until Down way, where the goal is not to win, but poke and prod to see how the narrative will change and just enjoy the ride.
I appreciate your reply!