Thief Gold is responsible for a lot of stealth mechanics we take for granted today, as well as non-linear level design we love in games like Dishonered. It was a flawed experiene though. The supernatural elemnents were great for atmosphere but fighting the undead was an utter chore. Thief was at its best when stealth was the main focus and you were skulking in the shadows around guards but the game liked taking you away from that In Thief 2, all of that is sorted out. You will encounter ghosts but they are not enemies and will not affect alert status, they are simply there for atmosphere. The game features interesting envirenmental story telling in the form of notes, placement of loot, and guard conversations you can eavesdrop on. The game really makes you feel immersed in a setting where you are vulnerable but empowered by your wits. Light/darkness and sound play a huge importance and both are exeuted well. Different floor types make different amounts of sound, light and darkness can be manipulated and guards can be distracted by thrown objects and tools you have. This is a 25 year old game, yet the mechanics are as good if not better than modern titles if you can look past the vintage aspects of the game such as graphics and input mapping (which can be edited)
Thief pioneered stealth mechanics revolving around light and sound and manipulating them to your needs. Thief is at its best when its allowing you to do this. However, it likes to take detours in to the supernatural with entire levels that see you not being stealthy at all but rather running from or fighting monsters in labyrinths without a good idea of where you are in it. This brings down the experience immensely as it happens more than once. Despite the games dtracting detours, the stealth sections still hold up very well today and feel intuitive. Part of this is due to the audio design. Guards often have noises they make as well as footsteps so even when they are out of line of sight, you still have an idea of where they are. on the other side of that you must also be aware of your noises as different surfaces produce different amounts of noise which is a brilliant touch that even games today don't even touch on. If you can get past the oldness of the game and the parts that are not oriented around sneaking, you'll find an immersive experience with fun voice acting and a decent narrative.
It feels like this develepment team really used their resources wisely when making this game. It's obviously a AA title but the gameplay mechanics are very realized and the level design really shines. Choices on how to tackle guards and navigate the levels are both present, which I feel are necessary for good stealth games. The story and voice acting are both solid and fun, the characters have personality, and the graphics are serviceable enough to convey whats going on. For what this game is swinging for and the budget it was working with, I think it nails it.
