The first time I played Thief: the Dark Project, I was giddy at the AI - just running around and doing as I pleased made me die again and again, until I tried playing "as a human." The glory of Thief revealed itself then, although it was a tiptoe into a new genre.
Thief II went all in, and became the most immersive game I've ever played. I can still recall moments of tenseness as I accidentally walk from soft grass to pavement, the jolts at hearing a guard yell "HEY!", the satisfaction at clearing a level without being seen or knocking anyone out...just perfection, in my eyes.
Ugly, ugly perfection.
I've played through this game several times.
I've purchased it three times.
There are missions that have such amazing atmosphere to them that I can remember the smells in the air from the first time I played them(seriously). The game gives you legit chills at times and constantly has you on the edge of your seat.
If you're on the fence, just buy it already!
You WONT be disappointed!
I love this game I still replay at least once a year. The very best of the Thief series. After getting used to the somewhat sparse graphics compared to modern games, the gameplay is varied, has a good solid plot with clear villains and even a master villain called Karras, who has a diabolical plan you learn about in stages, and which, in the final mission you are tasked with stopping. The game is just the right amount of eerie without being over the top, full of atmosphere and menace, and never seems to get dull.
As Garrett, the master thief, you are plunged into the pseudo medieval world of The City. You are given a goal at the beginning of each mission and usually a minimum loot figure to steal. You face various challenges, (sometimes you are not allowed to kill or even knock out enemy) always with the goal of collecting all loot possible. In between missions you get more new stuff to buy, (so spend all your money on items, you cannot carry money over to the next level).The game is mostly about stealth, takes place entirely by night, but there are many times some judicious violence is needed as well. There are no firearms, but you have many weapons at your disposal: arrows, fire arrows, gas bombs and gas mines, explosive mines, fire arrows for putting out torches to hide. A sword as well, along with rope arrows for climbing, and even something called a "frog beast egg" that you drop near your enemy and run. The frog beast will chirp, chase your enemy and explode itself, sometimes killing them. Coolest of all is "invisibility potion", which makes you disappear from enemies for about 10 or 15 seconds - enough time to knock out a tough enemy or make an escape.
Inhabiting the City are several groups, most of them out to get you: There are plenty of ordinary folk and these people are mostly prey. The City functions like a normal large city with many wealthy targets to hit - the more money inside, the more well guarded they are, naturally. The mechanists,are obsessed with making machinery such as mechanical eyes you must get past (often but not always, these can be turned off, or blown up with a fire arrow). The keepers are the peaceful guardians of knowledge, and some of Garret's only allies (they come to him for help in several missions and are an important factor in this game). the policepatrol the city, are often less wary then the guards, and are numerous, when you are moving about the city, they are normal flatfoots but corrupt at the top, and you get to find this out in a fun mission when you break into the police station ("framed"). The Pagans are a kind of scruffy fringe group no one likes, but have some overlap into other groups and serve to provide access to their weird otherworldy level in "Trail of Blood".
This game still stands the test of time, even today in 2015, and is unlike any other. Thief Gold and "T2 Metal Age" are the only games in the series I replay - the last two (T3 and the reboot) have lost completely the world of Garret; so perhaps it's impossible to recapture the feel after the first two. So if I'd never played the last two i wouldn't feel i'd missed anything.
You will either love this game, or not, but if it sounds the least interesting to you please do yourself a favor and try it out. One of the few 5 star choices I agree with.
This game is one of my favorite games ever, period. Be ready to experience one of genre-defining games.
It set the standard for what Stealth FPS should be, Thief OG was good but this one is the real deal.
This game is one of my fondest gaming experiences. It's hard but fair and it's addictive to the point where you'll start walking in the shadows at night. The story is great but the game-play is where it really shines.
Stop reading, buy it and be prepared to sink in it 200 hours or more.
Thief 2: The Metal Age runs on the same engine as Thief Gold, so the graphics and gameplay is almost identical, with minor improvements, like the quality and variation of character models. Unlike the first game, the supernatural elements of the story is noticeably turned down, focusing more on urban stealth and the advancement of mechanical creations, with less monsters and more human enemies. The levels are also easier to navigate, they are less maze-like and the map now highlights which area of the level you are in.
During my first run, I prefer T2 over T1, but now my opinion has changed. Despite having some really great missions like Life of the Party, some of the levels just feel kinda monotonous, and having fantasy elements actually attributes more to the unique atmosphere the series has. Now it just feels more normal and grounded. Yes it's more true to the thief title, robbing nobles, but Garrett is more than that, he's kind of a prophesied hero.
Now the bad. Some levels just felt rushed or poorly designed. There's a mansion where we visit twice in a row, and in the first one you cannot get seen or KO enemies. The final level is the worst, scavenger hunt in a bland, brightly-lit area with many mechanical enemies, a very different change in tone and quality from most levels. But aside from that, it's still a really good stealth classic, and stealth gamers definitely shouldn't miss this title.
