John Molloy: Story of a Thief is a stealth action-adventure game where the player controls John Molloy, whose father was killed by a master thief while guarding the Crown Jewels. Seeking revenge, John travels to London, Paris, Tokyo, and New York to steal items also targeted by the master thief and lure him into a final confrontation. Along the way, John is guided only by his deceased father's former trainer and encounters a female thief with whom he develops a romantic relationship. The climax comes when John breaks into the master thief's hideout, steals the Crown Jewels, and faces his father's killer.