Thief II: The Metal Age

The Good
Thief 2 was one of the most riveting gameplaying experiences I have ever had. The interface is setup like a first person shooter, but if you think you can hack and slash your way to victory, fuhgeddabouit.

Thief 2 works because you must take on the persona of the main character, Garrett. As a thief you must pay attention to your elements. Are you being quiet enough, moving slowly enough, staying concealed enough? There is a light monitor (a gem) that shows how visible you are. Moss arrows pad your footsteps and noisemaker ones distract guards.

Sound is incredible. Guards whistle and gripe, wood floors sound different than carpet ones, your arrow whooshes through the night. Great narration too.

Missions are varying and there are different ways to accomplish them. Settings are incredible from breaking into a prison to jumping along rooftops. I was disappointed to see this game end.

The Bad
Enemy AI is a little weak. You should be able to carry supplies over from mission to mission. I would also like to see longer missions and branching gameplay in the next one.

What's with Garrett's shoes? Would you really wear clodhoppers if you were a thief?

The last level was disappointing and the "bad guy" has a weak voice.

The Bottom Line
Thrilling fps features stealth and secrecy over face-to-face combat. A must for fans of the first person sneaker genre.