Warren Spector and his crew at the (now closed) Looking Glass Studios are best known for their work on the System Shock series, and more recently, at Ion Storm, on Deus Ex. When we look into "Thief", however, we see a very bold and ferociously original concept take off and succeed in an age where "first person shooters" were just that. Shooters. No matter how you compare Quake, Quake 2, Duke Nukem, and Unreal against each other, they are all essentially graphical rat-mazes that pit you against the violent masses.
Thief dares to take a hypothetical concept, and build on it. Can a first-person game be made that does -not- emphasize violence, but in fact, dissuades from it? Our main subject, Garrett, is perfectly capable of defending himself with ease in the hands of a skilled player, but the true inner talent of the game comes from the higher difficulty levels, which are impossible to succeed in if any enemies are killed by your hands.
Thus, we have a game that emphasises the character's being as a thief, as the title's name suggests. To succeed, a thief must utilize his skills at being non-confrontational.
The game succeeds amazingly well, because it gives you the environment of the game world and the game engine to work with. Garret's footsteps can be heard through your speakers or headphones, giving you a constant reminder of how much noise you're making while moving about on different surfaces. A "light" indicator at the bottom of the screen measures the lightness of your current position and how visible you are to other people and creatures. Moving slowly makes less noise than moving quickly, and crouching might make you less visible in a dimly lit area.
Items are broken down between your weapons, and your tools. A short sword and blackjack (a club for knocking somebody out like a light--but only if you catch them by surprise.) make up your close range weapons. But your best friend will be your bow, which is outfitted with several different types of arrows. Broadhead arrows are your standard type, the rest are powered by different elements. Water arrows can put out fires (and torches), and can be used to wash up incriminating blood stains left behind from a fight. Fire arrows are powerful missiles. Moss (Earth) arrows create a bed of soft moss wherever they land, providing silent carpet to sneak across. Gas (air) arrows can knock a whole crowd of people unconscious if aimed properly.
There are also Noisemaker arrows and Rope arrows, which are self-explanatory.
In addition to your arsenal are the tools from your inventory. No thief is complete without a set of lockpicks. But you'll also find trip-mines ("fire" and "gas" types.), and flash-bombs, which can provide you a window to make a hasty retreat if surrounded by enemies.
In addition to all these wonderful facets of the engine itself--there is a great deal of interactivity and theme set into the game. Short stories (written and oral) unfold everywhere as you get to eavesdrop of chattering guards and servants, listening to them quibble about everyday affairs. You can also read more about the game world you exist in by reading books, papers, journals, and diaries scattered about the different places you visit. The effort really does provide a neat insight into the theme and setting of the game.
With the huge levels to lurk around in, and the large library of well-crafted user-made levels on the internet, this is a game that does not get old easily, despite it's slightly dated-looks (the engine was already outpowered by Unreal even when it first hit the shelves.)
The story opens with our main man, Garrett, getting ready for another night on the town, and another quick profit. But soon...it will escalate into something larger altogether involving the nobility...the religious fanatics...and ancient armies of the dead. Are you thief enough for this game? Go on. Give it a try. I dare you!
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