Thief: The Dark Project

The Good
The concept of stealth over firepower works beautifully in this game. If you try to apply your Quake tactics here, you will never have a chance. Thief forces you to think differently, and think up smart approaches to challenging situations. The feeling of robbing the wealthy blind and slipping away without detection is a rush. The environment enhances the gameplay more than you would believe. Thief sports excellent level design, an engaging storyline, sharp voice acting, awesome artwork, and haunting sound effects, which are crucial to playing the game. The detail put into the levels is absolutely dumbfounding, and easily makes up for thier slightly limited number. Dark, gothic artwork enhances the levels, making them truly atmospheric. They also have a lot of variety. You'll be breaking into mansions, gravedigging in mosuleums (littered with the undead, of course), and entering other worlds of evil and mystery. The levels last really long, but there's always something to do, and threats to worry about. And perhaps some of Thief's best elements are it's intimidating threats, including a variety of guards, zombies, monsters, ghosts, and traps. All throughout the game you feel like you're on the bottom of the food chain. This chilling feeling will haunt you until the game's end, and the sounds of you enemies stalking you in the dark gives Thief a real adrenaline-rush factor not commonly found in games. This game will get your blood pumping like no other. You have to play it to believe it.

The Bad
As excellent as it is, Thief has it's share of problems. Most of them are very minor, and don't affect the gameplay, but they are Unfortunately, dispite the great art, the actual graphics engine is slightly below average, with lots of jagged edges. For example, the people and creatures at times look too pointy. They lack the curves that bodies should have. Also there are some textures like dirt and stone that leave a lot to be desired when viewed at lower resolutions. There are some quirky bugs here and there, and the AI, while usually smart, sometimes doesn't put enough effort into finding you. Thief is challenging by today's standards, which is good, but there are times when the game gets painfully difficult, even on the lowest difficulty. This tends to occur on levels that deal with the undead. While they're are a blast to play against, all too often there seems too be too many of them, and not enough ways to defeat them.

The Bottom Line
I can't recommend this game enough. You simply must play it! There has never been such a perfect combination of inspired design, and brilliant execution in a game, on any platform. I have played a TON of games in my life, and this one is undoubtedly the most memorable. It's focus on stealth over strength may not be for everyone, but Thief is easily my favorite game of all time. I can't wait to play the sequel!

The Good
Where do I start? This game spawned a new genre: The Sneak. I can't tell you how much pleasure I get from skulking around, unseen, from darkness to darkness. I guess it mirrors some of my real-life social anxieties. If only real life provided this many ways to hide. I need a light meter.

The scenery and the level design is terrific. It is a bit convoluted at times, but never a "maze". Once you get oriented you can find your way around. The cut scenes are probably the best of any game. Spooky! Creepy! You'll scream like a little girl once a hovering fireball fries you or the flatus of a bugbeast consumes you. And Garrett is cool, great voice talent, perfect attitude.

Awesome dialogue from NPCs. "Snap, snap, puppy."

The Bad
The people/creature models seem to be made of two polygons that converge in the center of their face. They're funny looking. I don't mind, I think it's hilarious. I got lost in a few places. After playing several times, I got the hang of it and enjoyed trying to find all the loot on a level. I still haven't found all the loot on some of the levels. It's hidden well. This isn't a complaint, though. It gives the game some extra re-playability. Also, my son was watching me play this when a giant spider jumped on my head and killed me. He started hyperventilating and crying. I nearly did myself. So this isn't for kids.

The Bottom Line
It's a spooky FPS (First-Person Sneaker). You use weapons sparingly and strategically. The thinking person's 3D adventure. This game is as good now as it was then. It's timeless.

The Good
I bought this game without even playing it first, I was reading about it for months and was pleasantly satisfied with it. I'm sure most would agree, this game broke some ground on improving NPC's A.I. and implementing the use of light and darkness in the game. It was something me and my friends hadn't really seen before. This backed up by beautiful textures and a smooth running game engine, this game was definitely in a class of its own. Eavesdropping on guards, knockin' people unconscious, hiding dead bodies around castle basements trying to cover your tracks.... just a sweet game. I love the use of the bow and the various types of arrows you can buy....

The Bad
I can't think of anything bad about this game... im not being biased, I seriously can't think of anything worth complaining about..maybe in a way, I thought it could maybe use more items and a different way of buying the items. Also maybe not as linear....stages get kinda boring.. I think it would have better if it would have been a large world you could wander freely and explore...

The Bottom Line
Original...very original, It definitely broke some ground on certain areas of PC gaming.