Summary
An un-matched title in originality.
The Good
The entire theory of the game is so unique, and so well done, you'll wonder why no one has made this before. Thief sets you up in the Middle Ages with sword, bow, and arrows. You need to sneak into a place, grab something, and escape. Sounds easy, until you realize that the place is guarded, and if one guard sees you, he alerts others.
Thief was the first game I've ever played that totally immersed me in itself. When I play, I have to shut the doors and crank up the sound. TVs get annoying as you mistake them for Hammers or guards. You can spend hours on one level, trying to figure out which way the guards move and when.
The graphics are superb, and the sound simply cannot be mentioned enough. I've never played a game where sound was so key.
The game is balanced, and there are always little side-things you can do like pick up more gold, try to complete the chapter without killing anyone, and so forth.
The Bad
Some controls took some time to master.
I occasionally felt like I didn't have enough "real world" time to do what I wanted to do.
The Bottom Line
Such an original game, with such atmosphere and immersion. It's not for the hack and slash enthusiasts, but even they should find something to love about this game.
This game proves you don't need death and destruction to have a good game.
I don't know that a summary can do it justice. Go download the demo, or better yet, buy it. Just don't hold your breath for a Thief 3 (Looking Glass has since gone out of business due to other ventures).
