Thief is a 2014 stealth video game developed by Eidos-Montréal and published by Square Enix in February 2014 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.
It is a revival of the Thief games and the fourth in the series. Announced in 2009 as Thief 4, it was later revealed that the game was a reboot.
The game is set in the City, a dark fantasy world inspired by victorian, gothic, and steampunk aesthetics. Players control Garrett, a master thief who embarks on missions that focus on stealing from the rich and powerful.
Navigation
I. Gameplay
II. Story
III. Development
IV. Reception
V. Walkthrough
Gameplay
As with the previous Thief games players must use stealth to overcome challenges, relying on combat only as a last resort.
There are different routes through each level and the player is able to utilize a variety of play styles to traverse them. The game also contains many ways to distract or kill guards.
Levels also contain coins and loot which Garrett can steal. These are immediately converted into money which can be spent on items and upgrades between missions. Garrett is also able to pickpocket guards and other NPCs.
The player can evade guards by hiding in shadows or around corners and is able to peek around edges and through keyholes in order to track the movements of their enemies. If Garrett gets spotted though, guards and other foes will attempt to hunt him down.
The developers have stated that the game’s AI is aware of the level design, and as such guards will be aware of potential hiding spots.
The player also may enter a Focus mode which provides several advantages. It enhances Garrett’s vision, highlighting features that can be climbed or lights that can be extinguished. Focus can also slow down time so Garrett is able to more effectively pickpocket. In addition, he can use it to push enemies or perform debilitating attacks.
Garrett carries a blackjack to knock out guards, a collapsible bow which fire a variety of arrow types, and a claw used to reach higher ledges.
An experience point system for the in-game growth of the character was planned to be included, but was later scrapped after negative fan feedback.
Story
The story begins when Garrett is paired with his former apprentice, Erin, who both unknowingly accepted the same job. After arriving on the roof of Baron Northcrest’s manor to complete it they discover a ritual taking place.
Garrett hesitates and calls off the job but Erin ends up falling into the ritual. Rather than impacting the ground though, she remains suspended by its energy. Though unsuccessful in saving her, Garrett manages to grab a piece of the stone used in the ritual before the chamber collapses.
Garrett awakens almost a full year later and learns that the City is plagued by a disease known as the Gloom causing the Baron to enact a lock-down. After returning to his old haunt in the Clock Tower, Garrett is again hired by Basso to steal a ring from a deceased man named Cornelius.
This leads him into a foundry where victims of the Gloom are being cremated. Just as Garrett grabs the ring he is discovered by the Thief-Taker General and flees. After completing the job Garrett is introduced to Orion, a man who leads a resistance against the Baron’s tyranny and hires him to infiltrate the House of Blossoms brothel in search of an ancient book.
Before sneaking into the brothel, however, Garrett pays a visit to Erin’s hideout and has a strange vision where she mentions Moira Asylum.
Within the brothel Garrett finds the entrance to an ancient library in which he retrieves the book and then confronts the General and his men on his way back to the surface. Upon learning that Basso was arrested and imprisoned inside the Baron’s Keep, Garrett then infiltrates it and rescues him.
During the chaos of their escape he decides to break into the Baron’s secret vault. When he reaches it the General ambushes him and he narrowly escapes once again, taking another piece of the mysterious stone from the ritual a year earlier. Once in his possession it gives him another vision of Erin, revealing that she is still alive.
As a result, Garrett explores Moira Asylum where he finds the third piece of the stone but no sign of Erin’s whereabouts. He then decides to confront the Baron at his manor amid a revolution led by Orion to overthrow him.
The Baron reveals that he intended to harness the power of the Primal stone, but when the ritual was interrupted it unleashed the Gloom into the City, and Orion, who is revealed to be the Baron’s illegitimate brother Aldous, took advantage of the anarchy to arrange his downfall.
After realizing that the final piece of the stone is embedded in Garrett’s eye, the Baron drives him away after which the Queen of Beggars informs him that the Primal Stone must be reassembled and its power contained to save Erin and the City from the Gloom.
Garrett then enters the cathedral where Orion is using Erin to siphon the Gloom from infected citizens. Once he reaches them the General appears and they have a final confrontation while Orion escapes with Erin.
Garrett then follows him to his hideout, a ship known as the Dawn’s Light, where he attempts to dissuade Orion to no avail. Suddenly Erin unleashes the power of the Primal, killing Orion and injuring Garrett.
In the end Garrett succeeds in calming down Erin and reassembling the stone which returns her to normal. However, she falls into the sea at which point Garrett throws her a grappling hook and then falls unconscious.
When he awakens he finds the hook next to him, implying that Erin climbed to safety but she is nowhere to be found.
Development
Developed by Eidos Montreal, the game was announced in 2009 under the working title Thief 4 and remained in the conceptual phase for a long time.
During this iteration, numerous experimental changes were proposed like including a third person perspective with environmental parkour similar to the Assassin’s Creed games as well as creating a new protagonist.
After several key members of Eidos Montréal left their jobs, the general manager of the studio, Stephane D’Astous, addressed their departures by saying, “We will be able to be a little more communicative later on, hopefully before the year’s end. Right now, Thief is our priority and we’re putting everything behind it to make sure it’s successful”.
Although the game was initially expected for PC, PS3, and the Xbox 360, it would also be released on PS4 and the Xbox One and PS4.
Based on initial press releases, Phil Savage of PC Gamer said that “It looks a bit Dishonored, which is apt, given that Dishonored looked a bit Thief.”
Reception
The game received mixed reviews, according to video game review aggregator Metacritic. Most reviewers praised its gameplay, graphics, and replay value, but criticized its level design, technical issues, and story.
GameZone’s Mike Splechta gave the PS4 version a 6.5/10, stating “some might be able to look past Thief’s shortcomings and instead only focus on the moments of brilliance. However, I imagine long-time Thief fans hoping for Garrett’s grand return might be somewhat disappointed.”
Giving the reboot a score of 6.8, IGN’s Dan Stapleton criticized the decision to replace the voice actor for Garrett, saying that the new actor, Romano Orzari, made the protagonist seem “flat”.
Stapleton also took issue with the sub-par AI, lack of variety in Garrett’s weapons, the poorly designed and cumbersome layout of the City, and the story, calling it “bland”. However, he praised the ability to change the difficulty of the game so as to make it more challenging and was also positive about Garrett’s new Swoop mechanic.
Eurogamer Italy gave it a score of 9/10, saying “one of the best action-stealth titles in years and the first real contender for Game of the Year”.
Digital Spy said that “while the game does have its faults it excels as a pure stealth title, becoming increasingly enjoyable as your skills improve.”
Walkthrough
For a text walkthrough head over to Neoseeker. For a guided video playthrough check out this playlist.