He is as silent as the shadows. He can pick any lock (as long as it doesn't have too many tumblers). He can sneak past any guard, as long as they don't see him. He can glide through any dungeon and jump off any cliff – while only sustaining minor damage. He can extinguish any torch from afar by using his water arrows. After a few tries, of course. He is Garrett, the master thief of the City.
No really, he's pretty cool! And so is the game. When I first popped it, I didn't know what to expect (never having played Thief 1 and 2). What I found was a nice cross between stealth and action that I could never get bored of.
Thief takes place in a city known only as… The City. Creative, eh? Garrett, our hero, is a master thief who resides in an apartment deep in the heart of the metropolis. He is not afraid to steal from the most well-guarded and wealthy house, as long as he gets his hands on some loot. However, Garrett is no Robin Hood. He'll also pick the pocket of the old lady next door – but only after robbing her apartment, too.
The levels are planned out very nicely, with shadows all around to hide in. Garrett can avoid conflict with guards in many ways, including creeping silently, extinguishing torches, flattening himself against walls, and sneaking up on them and knifing them. The AI system in Thief is spectacular. If Garrett is too loud, or if he isn't hidden well enough, the guards will think that they noticed something. The level of their conviction is determined by how loud Garrett is, or how much light he is in. Guards who only glimpse you, or hear a faint noise, will promptly initiate dialogue with themselves, convincing themselves that they didn't see anything – it was just that beer this morning. The guards who catch a full sight of Garrett will chase after him, convinced that they are about to be robbed blind. Which they are.
In addition to Garrett's thieving tactics, he has a variety of tools to use. Items are gradually acquired throughout the game which can be used to sneak around better (or cause more mayhem). Water arrows extinguish torches, oil puddles make guards slip, and noisemaker arrows create noise to distract enemies. Garrett also has a lock pick, and a mechanical eye which can zoom in and out in the dark to see enemies better. After each mission, the total loot that the thief acquires can be sold to ‘fences' – black market buyers. The money earned can then be used to purchase more tools such as potions and arrows. This was a great little feature – use the loot you steal to buy more stuff. That old lady is going down!
The graphics in Thief are amazing. Moonlight filtering through windows, guards walking around castles, and torches flickering on walls all provide a sense of realism. All stealable loot conveniently sparkles, so Garrett can see which items are of value. The game is dark – very dark, but at the beginning there is a brightness slider in which you can adjust how bright the game is.
The storyline is pretty good – a medieval plot filled with twists and turns. It unravels through some nice cinematics and notes which you read throughout the game, as well as narration by the ever-cynical Garrett. There are two main factions in the City - the Hammerites and the Pagans. Garrett can gain and lose reputation with both groups. Both of these factions speak in an extremely odd fashion, which adds either humor or variety to the game, depending on how you look at it. The Pagans even go so far as to imitate Gollum.
My qualms? There's not many. Melee combat, however, is one of Thief's bad points. Although the box says that you can stand and fight when need be, this really isn't true. Garret is exceptionally weak, and when against more than two guards, he will fall in a heartbeat. Melee combat is really not an option, so if you're looking for a fighting game, look somewhere else. In addition, sometimes it is hard to see Garret. Although it is realistic that you can't see Garret if the guards can't, I would have liked to be able to actually look at my character in third person, instead of looking at a shadow.
The verdict: Deadly Shadows is a great game to add to your collection. It offers a getaway from the standard action-packed FPS or RPG, while at the same time being suspenseful. The game won't get boring for a long time, so you'll have no problem playing it to the end. It does have some minor downfalls such as poor melee combat, but the theme of the game is thievery and it portrays it very well.
I am a high school kid who has loved playing computer and video games from a very young age. I have always found computers fascinating, and am enthralled by gaming and interactivity with a virtual environment.
I currently review for GamersInfo.net and run a home-based website design company called PCI Studios.
