Thief Gold

Thief Gold - $9.99
Time Played Before: 0 Hours
Time Played Upon Completion: 12 Hours

Review

I'd always heard good things about the Thief series. And finally getting around to playing it, I see why. It's a classic stealth game, with some twists and turns along the way. I had a little difficulty getting the 15 year old game to run on my system, but a fan made patch quickly resolved the problem. Anybody playing it should install this patch, as it not only makes it run flawlessly, it addresses bugs that are apparently in it.

You're essentially a thief stealing artifacts in each of the missions. The missions are varied, some traveling through jails, others through haunted crypts, and some are just plundering mansions. Using your trusty toolkit of gadgets and weapons, you make your way through the missions that are littered with guards, the undead, and other creatures toward your goal. Each mission has certain objectives, with higher difficulties adding more. At the beginning of the mission, you view these objectives, buy new gear (with the gold you've made by looting other missions), and get a little overview of the story and mission.

It's a fun game, considering it's quite old. Though the controls were incredibly wonky to begin with, I changed them with no problem to suit my needs. The AI isn't terrible, considering the age. They patrol along, and if they get a glimpse, get suspicious or attack. Some enemies are far more annoying than others, such as zombies, who will never die unless you use fire or holy water arrows to destroy them, but overall, they're each suited to the mission you're playing.

Graphics are what you would expect of a game this age. Blocky, limited texture, stiff animations. Sound is alright, nothing to be excited about. You can usually tell where enemies are by their voices and footsteps, giving you a little edge.

It's really the game play that makes Thief shine though. I stressed trying to be as stealthy as possible, to take out my enemies with my blackjack silently. Moving the bodies to shadowy corners so they wouldn't be discovered. And I had fun with it. The maps you're given are purposely vague, as to promote exploration and finding treasure, which added to the value of each mission. Getting completely turned around is usually frustrating, but with Thief, there's usually something of value at that dead end. If you play on the harder difficulties, all the added objectives, which I'd read each time, would make each level a fight until you memorize it.

The story twists and turns, going from a story about money, to a tale of assassination and of power. I can see why this game garners so much attention, the tale of Garrett, our thief, is one of subterfuge and trickery. It's also set up perfectly for the second installment, Metal Age.

Final Verdict

Gameplay: 8/10
Graphics: 2/10
Sound: 5/10
Story: 9/10
Replay: 7/10

Overall: 8/10

Thief hasn't aged well. The graphics are ugly, the sound isn't great, and the controls are clunky and weird. But that all pales in comparison to the game play and story.  It may take a little effort to really get into and enjoy, but once you do, you'll be glad you did. If you enjoy a good stealth title, load up Thief Gold and let Garrett take you on this thieving romp.

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And time for a new spin...it'll be...
Ironclads: Schleswig War 1864 - $9.99
Hm, sea faring strategy title eh? I actually have the Ironclad collection, but I don't really think there is a necessary order, as each one just has a different time period. Here's hoping it's good, as I really enjoy strategy games. Updates to follow.