Thief: Gold

aka: Dark Project Gold: L'Ombra del Ladro, Dark Project: Der Meisterdieb - Directors Cut
Moby ID: 1404
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Description official descriptions

Thief Gold is a reissue of the game, Thief: The Dark Project, updated to version 1.37. Thief Gold includes three entirely new campaign missions which deepen the plot and provide new challenges, as well as five new types of enemies to overcome. Some of the original Thief levels have had minor modifications, including bug fixes, small design changes, and the new enemies.

Thief Gold also includes a bonus "Behind the scenes at Looking Glass Studios" footage and DromED, a level editor for Thief.

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Credits (Windows version)

82 People (77 developers, 5 thanks) · View all

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[ full credits ]

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 92% (based on 10 ratings)

Players

Average score: 4.3 out of 5 (based on 64 ratings with 6 reviews)

Gems such as this are stupidly rare

The Good
I first recall playing ā€˜Thief: The Dark Projectā€™ over the winter holidays my senior year in high school. I was so enthralled with this revolutionary game and played it so obsessively that I think Santa Claus was peeking over my shoulder at 3:00 am Christmas Eve watching me play. You have to realize that in 1998, games like ā€˜Quakeā€™ and ā€˜Half-Lifeā€™ were the standard of the day. While they were good games, they were dreadfully linear and focused on a run-and-gun approach which could wear oneā€™s nerves after awhile. Not so with T: TDP. Never before had I seen such well-written mythology and atmosphere in an FPS, or any other game for that matter. The ā€œsteampunkā€ environment was also highly intriguing; a mixture of 16th century Europe, Industrial Revolution-era England, and the American art-deco/film noir eraā€¦very strange. Itā€™s a game I feel will be more appreciated in the future than it is now for its radical aura.

Needless to say I was ecstatic when I learned that in late ā€™99 the game would be reissued with the three missing levels, which couldnā€™t be finished in time for release. Thief Gold for the most part it is in fact the same, but much longer than the original version, and in my eyes, more complete and logical in regards to plot. Some of the niggling bugs were fixed, and the levels from the original were renovated and retooled to fit the story as it was originally envisioned. A perfect game in almost every way.

The Bad
In terms of voice acting, plot, and level design, I have no complaints whatsoever; perfect in every respect. However, the Dark Engine, which drives the game, is highly prone to bugs that can sometimes be debilitating to the game play. There were more times than I wish to remember where I got hung up on a staircase and was forced to do a quick load. There were also times where the NPCs would get stuck in similar predicaments (which could oftentimes work to your advantage). Also, the graphics were fairly dated even by ā€™98-ā€™99 standards (256 texturesā€¦yes you heard me correctly), and this unfortunately turned many people away.

The Bottom Line
I say with absolute authority that this is one of the best game in history, PC or console, and my #1 game of all time (right alongside its sequel). And since itā€™s now priced at only $9.99, you have no excuse not to pick it upā€¦taffer.

Windows · by HandofShadow (49) · 2007

Eternal masterpiece #3

The Good
- Very advanced stealth system for it's time (and 20 years after), surprisingly developed sword fighting. - Variety of environments; from grounded and mundane to wacky and surreal or downright horror. - Missions vary heavily both in gameplay and the atmosphere, some give you multiple options on how to play through them. - Great difficulty system. - Unique setting and lore, voice acting is stellar, story is intriguing. - Stylish cutscenes and art direction. - Sound design is iconic.

The Bad
- Sometimes a level can make you mad not in a good way, due to it's gargantuan size and confusing layout. - Some missions are heavily focused on fighting different creatures. These can be a walk in the park or pure hell, depends on your ability to utilize game fighting mechanic and some engine quirks. Overall, these levels can still be completed in a stealthy way, but you'll have to be a very patient person. - Some levels can be a real chore to get through, in most cases due to the backtracking and pacing issues. - Not very responsive controls at times, occasional engine bugs.

The Bottom Line
Despite everything, this deserves the praise it's got over the years.

Windows · by SanfordMorgan · 2023

Stealing stuff is fun

The Good
Pretty much everything is pretty darn good here. First off, the graphics have the right mood (dark) and complexity to suspend disbelief, the sound, music and voice acting are all top notch. The controls are simple to use and master while being, oddly, complex at the same time. The stealth dynamics (light sources, shadows and having to pay attention to sound to succeed) are excellent, as are the intelligence of the guards and monsters you will face (or sneak by). The diversity of the places you loot is excellent, ranging from a manor, a prison, a cathreadral, a fortress comprised of mages, a ruined city, an opera house, a temple and a crypt. The story is well thought out and masterfully scripted, and in game conversations between guards are amusing and at times useful too.

The Bad
Can't pop popcorn. Also, it can not cook pizza or pour beer, which is a dreadful oversight most developers overlook. ;)

The Bottom Line
Thief is a game where you go around, steal things from people or places, use some of the artifacts you stole from the last mission to purchase equipment for the next area and then steal some more stuff, all the while avoiding guards, monsters, undead and/or lethal traps by sneaking around and hiding in the shadows or attacking your foe (the former option (sneaking) being the safest by a wide margin). All the while you unravel an excellent storyline. Of course, there's much fun to be had, too. Defininely one of the best first person games to ever be released and certianly the best (and most innovative) since Doom. A must buy, IMHO.

Windows · by Longwalker (723) · 2001

[ View all 6 player reviews ]

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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Kate Jones.

Additional contributors: Xoleras, Danfer.

Game added May 4, 2000. Last modified March 17, 2024.