With a name like "Thief," you may expect the game to involve a fair bit of burglary, pilfering, and snatching. It does, surely. The first mission, a classic, has you swipe a baron's prized possession and as many other valuables along the way. However, there is a deeper story and world to this game. A world with its own religions, secret societies, and zombies. Of course, there has to be zombies. By the second level, you're fending off the undead with holy water. By the third, you're going toe-to-toe with dinosaur-like monsters in underground caverns. This is when the game starts to become simultaneously wonderful and frustrating. On one hand, it has some incredible level design. There is a strong emphasis on verticality and paying very close attention to your surroundings for loot. My favorite level, "The Sword", plays with your mind in ways that I almost never see in modern level design. It's wonderous, especially in this version. However, for as much wonder, there are sections or entire levels that devolve into endless, featureless mazes. Almost paradoxically, you will find less and less loot for thieving. This becomes frustrating when certain loot levels are required to clear a level and you have to scour every nook and cranny for the darn goblet you missed. Also, there is a fair amount of platforming which feels a bit clunky in the first-person perspective. Combat is a bit hairy, but you're actively encouraged not to engage in combat so it is not a major issue. The AI is a bit dull-witted so it is not hard to avoid combat even on the highest difficulties. The atmosphere is dark and foreboding throughout, and the occasional monster does add a spice of ambience. However, I typically come to a game like this for stealth and thieving, not so much blowing up monsters. Overall, an interesting experience and inspiring for designing other games.
The game is full of gorgeously realized environments that really give you a sense of dread and foreboding. There is something about dystopian metropolises and oppressive regimes that is so enticing when it is tucked squarely away in fiction. It has an interesting blend of futuristic settings with current-day (90s) technology and culture to keep things relevant. The characters come to life with some phenomenal voice acting and strong dialogue. There are some bits of toilet humor scattered throughout that you may love or hate. The puzzles in the game are mostly reasonable and it shies away from "moon logic" for the most part. However, danger is around every corner and it is possible to be killed. Joey, a robotic personality, joins you in this adventure. On one hand, it's interesting to give Joey new abilities by discovering new chassis for him. On the other hand, it is extremely painful to wait for Joey to catch up yo you so he will join you on the next screen. Considering how often you have to backtrack, this gets old fast. Overall, definitely worth trying out.
A wholly average point and click adventure. You play as a teenager living the dream of being a secret agent to foil the plans of a nefarious thief. The story itself is thin and goofy, but it is serviceable. The presentation itself is nice, with well-realized environments and characters. You are also open to experiment to your heart's content as you cannot "die" or enter an unwinnable state. And experiment you shall, as the "moon logic" of this game is through the roof. It gets especially frustrating as a running gag in the game is that many "puzzles" are completely pointless to the character's progression. For example, if this were a cartoon, it would be *hilarious* to watch the hero's carefully laid plans fail spectacularly over, and over, until he gets frustrated and finds a workaround that makes all the effort moot. However, in a video game, it's a slap in the face. It eventually feels like a chore, trucking through the obscurity just to finish what you started. The game definitely makes its attempts at humor, though it ranges from the "not really laughing but I'll say lol anyway" to somewhat cringe-worthy. All that said, the game is *free* on GOG at time of writing. So, no harm in at least trying it, if you're craving an adventure game fix.
First, to help clarify saving: game autosaves when you transition between zones, collect items, or take damage. The game sets the stage early on: it is up to you to save the planet from the instantly forgettable Dr. Funfrock. Not a complex story, but the world engages you with crisp artwork. Charming characters come to life with fluid animation and wonderful voice acting. The game's highlight is how well it rewards keen observation. Most NPCs have useful information for you, and connecting the dots between clues is extremely satisfying. However, combat is a mess. Your primary attack is a bouncing energy ball. With the game's "tank" controls, it is easy to miss your target and you must wait for the ball to stop bouncing before you can fire again. Meanwhile, most enemies spam attacks faster than you can retaliate against. Plus, you get knocked back based on the direction you face, so it is easy to get trapped in a corner and die. This makes the only strategy "stun lock or be stun locked." You can plink at most enemies from just outside their AI range, but this is neither fun nor challenging. Combat is required to progress and might turn people off the game completely. Platforming is always a pain in isometric games, and the fact that Twinsen takes damage if he sprints into a wall makes some sections more frustrating than they have to be. It is a finnicky mechanic: I have sometimes taken damage when running *away* from a wall. There are other gaps in the polish, but nothing as grievous as the combat system. Overall, the creativity in the world and the progression of the journey help elevate this game above average. It is worth a try, despite the dated controls and abysmal combat system.
