Thief: The Dark Project

The Good
The strongest thing this game has going for it is the atmosphere. Your universe in the game is a city combining industrial-era technology and magic that has not really been explored before by other game. Ruling the city is a religious cult called the Hammerites, which worships the symbols of industry. Narrative is presented using plain but terrific-looking cutscenes sandwiched between the 13 or so huge missions. The atmosphere in each mission is augmented by the best 3D sound I've ever heard (much better than Half-Life, for instance). You really feel that you step into the shoes of Garett, a cynical thief who was taught the art of invisibility in the dark by a mysterious group called the Keepers.

Each mission takes you a very long time to finish. This is because unlike most shooters, here the goal is not to be seen by the bad guys. Stay in the dark and keep quiet, then silently follow the guard and whack him on the crown of the head or shoot him with an arrow from a distance. Forget fancy rocket launchers and shotguns. The weapons here are a bow with multiple purpose arrows, a blackjack, and a sword for an emergency ie. when you're caught. The empahsis here is definitely on the thinking, not the fighting.

Another one of the great parts of this game is the creatures. The generic baddies are the guards and the Hammerites. The AI is phenomenal. They'll snoop you out when you make a sound or if they catch a glimpse of you in the dark. Some of the more exotic monsters are the scariest creatures in the history of computer games. The zombies freak you out like nobody's business, and the Haunts are ghostlike creatures that mutter the coolest things (Join ussss!). The AI will constantly surprise you with what it can do. Some people didn't like the undead missions, but I thought they were the best part of the game. My guess is those people didn't like getting scared, but if you do, you'll love the undead.

Since the missions are mostly non-linear, there are usually many ways to accomplish your objectives. These vary between the difficulty levels, meaning that there is replay potential to the game.

This game is a classic. You have to get it, if only to try it out.

The Bad
There is a lack of balance to some of the action. It's too easy to clear an area of bad guys, and since Thief has many non-linear levels where you backtrack you get to wander through some boring areas where everyone's already been wiped out. Undercover, for instance, is completely devoid of atmosphere if you blackjack all the Hammerites. Looking Glass corrected this flaw in System Shock II, where (Like SS1) the bad guys respawn, making every area constantly tense.

Also, the blackjack is too powerful. One hit in the back of the head will take out most enemies. This is why the zombies are great. They're immune to blackjacking (and hacking and shooting). It's worth noting that some players have the habit of not using either the blackjack or killing anyone (the latter is enforced in expert difficulty). This allows tension to be maintained throughout.

These are minor gripes, however.

The Bottom Line
This game surpasses almost every expectation you may have had about the 3D 1st person genre. You're a master thief using stealth and shadows to steal from rich lords and plunder ancient tombs. You get caught up in a fantastic plot to destroy the city as you know it and only you, the cynical thief, can save the day.

The Good
Thief puts you the shoes (though you can never see them) of Garrett. He's a cynical guy, and all he wants to do is earn enough to keep himself alive... and well off. Set in an industrially developing world, there is this medievel meets modernization atmosphere. It makes for some very interesting sneaking. And sneak you will. Garret isn't exactly built to be in GQ (Guardsmen's Quatrerly). You DO have a sword, in case you get caught, but you will seldom survive two such encounters. Thus you rely on your trusty blackjack and bow. The blackjack comes in very handily for getting rid of that guard that keeps roaming the halls. One shot to the back of the head is all it takes. Of course you have to get behind him without giving yourself away. Should you want to dispatch them from a distance, the bow is very useful. Or, should you not want to kill anyone (which is mandatory in the harder settings), you can shoot an arrow into the corner over there. The guard will investigate the sound, leaving you to sneak past him. You can also get several useful arrows that have nothing to do with killing. The moss arrow can carpet a noisy floor so you can cross unheard. The noisemaker arrow does a better job of distracting your enemies than a simple broadhead. The rope arrow can get you to higher ground. And water arrows can extinguish those pesky torches.
Sound plays an important part in this game, as it can (and usually does) save your life. You can hear guards walking the halls so you can avoid them, or even pick up bits of information if you catch some of a conversation. This is the thinking man's Quake.

The Bad
Thief can be very difficult, even on the easiest setting. Charging into a room blindly makes for a lot of reloads. Even if you are careful, there are many mistakes that can be made.

The Bottom Line
If you are tired of running around shooting at anything that moves, you should try this game. You will still be afraid of things moving in the shadows (though most of the time it will be you), and now you have to be afraid of things you hear in the shadows as well, but this gives the game the appropriate atmosphere. Happy Filching.

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.