The latest take on the classic Thief franchise concentrates the core of the original series’ vision into a next-gen reboot that looks undeniably worthy – though perhaps a little divorced from its predecessors in aesthetic if not in gameplay.
Fans of stealth games have many reasons to be grateful to Garret, the cynical, sardonic protagonist of his titles. Garret’s mixture of dry wit, pride in his larcenous trade, and grudging heroism endeared him to many, and the new Thieft’s lack of some of the overt fantastical elements previously seen in the older titles caused some concern in some circles. To be honest, that concern should probably remain, since it’s undeniably reminiscent of the Dishonored – not only in its largely non-fantastical, Victorian steampunk world but even in its climate of political unrest and plague. But since Dishonored was directly influenced by and a spiritual successor to Thief, perhaps this is just coming full-circle.
Time will tell how much Thief takes from its predecessors and how much it takes from Dishonored, though – if I have any concerns about Thief it’s that losing the fascinating Discworld-style dynamics of the City’s fantastical politics will strip the game of much that made it interesting. But the gameplay looks faithful as ever.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpUUfRIhPIw&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PLxH-zb1ocwgASywGnmhJ_T9uZ9ujmdcp0[/youtube]
After a gameplay demonstration, I’m happy to say that the new Thief looks every inch worthy of its pedigree. The demonstration sequence was a daring robbery of a rich and well-guarded manor in the midst of a citizen’s revolt. The new Thief’s arsenal of tricks includes familiar tactics such as multipurpose trick arrows, lockpicks, a trusty blackjack, and the ever-present shadows. But newer is a “Focus” mechanic, allowing Garret to act with considerably more precision and easily sidestep security measures in short bursts. Also improved is Garret’s mobility, allowing him to “swoop” in short, fluid bursts from shadow to shadow and minimize detection.
A final escape sequence was also noteworthy – for a first-person title, this race through the foundations of a burning bridge was remarkably cinematic and, again, fluid. The game’s graphics are phenomenal, and the next-gen hardware has clearly paid dividends.
If Thief is as good as it looks – and if it can stand apart from Dishonored and retain ties to its past – expect it to steal our pocket change in 2014 for next-gen consoles and PC.