This. Game. Was. Fucking. Brilliant! I still think it's much better than many of the games of today... never played thief 3 though, it seemed to lose its edge after the 2nd. hope 4 is gd
I think Life of the Party from Thief II is better than the Cradle, from a design point of view. It's more of two levels combined into one loaded to the brim with content; that level sums up Thief beautifully.
@Xanatos712 - That's probably true - I guess the atmosphere of the Cradle did it for me. It scared the shit out of me (although I'd been playing Silent Hill 2/3 and Doom3 immediately before them).
I really think Thief 3 was not as good only for the limitations of the console as the review here said. So I have hope for Thief 4, maybe it will be larger again like the first two games, and with great visuals like T3. It all depends if they release the game next year while xbox 360 is still out, or wait until 2013 when the next gen consoles finally come. I am REALLY hoping for the latter, as Thief 4 on 360 would be again limited by a super outdated, low memory system.
AMAZING review dude, surely the best on youtube. Often youtube reviewers just tell the positives about a game but you weren't afraid to mention the negatives as well. That's definitely great and makes it seem like a professional review. In fact, it's much better than that because you basically reviewed 3 games in just over 7 minutes while still discussing the positives, negatives, and general feeling of each game.
@loui4125 - I don't see why not. Start with Thief 1 though - you'll get the full feeling of the games and story. The trilogy is available from Amazon for about £5 so it's well worth buying. There are a few tips to get the 1st two working on a modern system online, not hard to find with Google.
excellent Review! I am presently playing the dark project as I started with the metal age and deadly shadows. I love these games (and the system shock, deus ex games too.) It just irks me that all the devs that made these great games are now defunct yet call of shit gets a new game every year. I really hope thief 4 sticks to the routes and isn't "Consolized" with action sequences and quick time, hand holding linear paths and explosions that is so often seen in almost 95% of current games.
you have made me want to get these titles too bad steam only has Deadly Shadows should i go ahead and get it? or wait and try to get the other ones first.
@gondule - NIce one! You really should get the 1st two. You can get the whole lot for about £6 on DVD these days. Amazon certainly sell the trilogy set.
Wait a minute! I just got Thief to work, mostly. The cutscenes are having some trouble playing (slowing down and then playing at normal speed, alternating). But apart from that, the game now seems to run smoothly.
BTW, Thief came close to working when I ran it with Windows 95 compatibility mode. But I couldn't get past the menu screen. I am using a Dell Inspirion 6000 with Windows XP Service Pack 3. I don't know if it's 32 or 64 bits.
Then again, what version of Thief: TDP do u use? I probably fucked up by opting for the cheap version which Selectsoft published. Ya know, the "Windows XP compatible" one. U probably used the original version not published by a 3rd party.
@seanmatthewrosen - I do have the original actually, rather than a rebranded one. It shouldn't make a difference however (you'd think anyway). I use Win7 64bit as well so XP really shouldn't have a problem :(
@seanmatthewrosen - There's a lot of guides on the net about how to get it to run. You need to assign it to only one CPU core if you have a multicore CPU. You also might need to run in compatibility mode (Win98). Other than that, it should be fine.
I found this video by accident while looking at other Thief related videos... now I've just spent half my day looking at all your others reviews as they're really well done... subbed...
@S0nicH have reviewed any of frictional games titles like penumbra or do you plan on doing it. If you have thats cool theres not many reviewers who review the penumbra games or even amnesia.
You're right about the cradle. I loved the way the game pratically made you scared about it before you even got close to the Mission. The overheard conversations about it, the letter about it from the architect, and the big daunting look about it from the outside. I made absolutely certain that I played it with the lights on.
Equally spooky is the moment in "Life of the Party" wherby Karras has left a message specifically for Garret. Plus Karras has a great voice for an evil villian!
Excellent review of the series! Nothing to add. And yes, the cradle is indeed one of the scariest and most brilliantly crafted game levels I have ever seen. Remember those horrible buzzing puppets? Still gives me shivers. I mean, what ARE they...? :)
I really liked the zombies/ burricks/insectoids in T1 however, despite their overall unpopularity. It added horror to mere excitement. And after all, Thief has always been about more than just playing a medieval thief, right?
I'm currently playing through Thief Deadly shadows, and I must say, I am thoroughly enjoying it. I agree the free roaming city areas are a little dire, mainly because loot does not respawn when you revisit areas and the lack of side missions. When I finish T:DS, or when I get the recent Thief boxset, I'll play through the first two.
An excellent retrospective of the series, possibly one of the best reviews I've watched honestly.
so basically, i like proper games, not console strip downs. theif sounds good, so i'm thinking i should grab a copy but I'm not 100% clear which is better 1 or 2 (clearly not 3). sounds like 2 is the best bet, or....??
@MustNotRead - Thief 2 is the best, it has all the good bits of Thief and none of the bad bits. Thief 1 isn't bad however, it's just ruined slightly by the zombies. Thief 3 isn't terrible either, just not as good as 2. Given that the trilogy is a continuing story, you're best playing all three but if you have to choose only one, then Thief 2 is the one to go for.
Thanks for the clarification. I shall now order my copy from Amazon for 1 pence and I think it'll be my next game to play, after I've completed System Shock 2 that is. :-) Cheers!
@S0nicH I still like going back and spending 4 hours on that mission even though I've done it hundreds of times. Blackjacking everyone in the place is a fun "self" goal.
@MustNotRead I agree with SonicH, Thief 2 stays away from the annoying parts of the original (although it is definitely worth playing), plus you get to hear Karras's creepy, whiny voice throughout the game and the Angelwatch mission.
Love the thief series I have them all and I can't wait for the fourth one, let's just hope that they've learned from their mistakes they made in the third one.
Couldn't agree more. I'm really excited about Thief4 but also really scared that they might pander to the generic model and ruin one of the best series ever made. Here's hoping that sense prevails. Make a good game and people will buy it.
Ha! Yes, although I haven't actually seen nuch of his TV stuff - I got to know of his work due to TvGoHome (where Nathan Barley originally came from). Really well done website and very very funny :D
I first read his stuff when he was working for PC Zone. You can find some of his reviews narrated on Youtube. I also recently watched most of his Screenwipe episodes. Very clever and funny stuff - if a tad too misanthropic for my taste at times.
Never did play theif i think i would have liked it though sounds like games like fallout 3 have borrowed from it with the expolring and being able to steal anything that isnt nailed down
it's a shame looking glass dissolved the way it did. it's a lot like thievery with all the backstabbing and money-squandering :/ the best games ever made...so far
Very much so, although I'm not expecting anything other than it catering for the consoles and therefore it getting ruined. Hopefully they'll remain true to the original form and make something decent :)
really great overview of the franchise, which seems to have gotten the stealth aspect and exploratory feel very early on. The A.I. and level design really is something to marvel at though I didn't find the story of the series to be that captivating. But Thief was def a showcase of what PC games are like and capable of.
I think Thief II will remain the best for practically forever. I have low hopes for Thief 4 unfortunately.
I'm happy to have found this review. I have played thief 1 and 2, but not the third installment. I am currently replaying the metal age as I did not beat it. I recommend these games to anyone. Thief was not only a ground breaking and innovative game, but it was also smoothly executed and additively written. I wish thief had the popularity of less worthy titles, like assasins creed. With the up coming release of thief four. I hope they can develop the game 1st for pc and second for consoles.
This. Game. Was. Fucking. Brilliant! I still think it's much better than many of the games of today... never played thief 3 though, it seemed to lose its edge after the 2nd. hope 4 is gd
surmoon45 2 days ago
Just so everyone knows, Thief Gold and The Metal Age are both on GOG.com now, and Deadly Shadows is on steam.
scruffy688 2 weeks ago
Great Review!
WizardofCake 2 weeks ago
Just snagged the first two games :D
Bukkarooo 2 weeks ago
Saving up money so I can get all of them off Amazon!!!!
SuperZeldaBros64 2 weeks ago
@SuperZeldaBros64 - You should be able to get the Trilogy for about £5 :)
S0nicH 2 weeks ago
@S0nicH thanks for advice!!!
SuperZeldaBros64 2 weeks ago
I think he overrates the story a little. It's hardly that great.
gilgamesh310 3 weeks ago
sir can you just be little bit slow in explanation ??? otherwise loved this video
DeViLiShDaYbReAk 1 month ago
just an idea! Mirrors edge with Thief
ht448 2 months ago
I think Life of the Party from Thief II is better than the Cradle, from a design point of view. It's more of two levels combined into one loaded to the brim with content; that level sums up Thief beautifully.
Xanatos712 2 months ago
@Xanatos712 - That's probably true - I guess the atmosphere of the Cradle did it for me. It scared the shit out of me (although I'd been playing Silent Hill 2/3 and Doom3 immediately before them).
S0nicH 2 months ago
I really think Thief 3 was not as good only for the limitations of the console as the review here said. So I have hope for Thief 4, maybe it will be larger again like the first two games, and with great visuals like T3. It all depends if they release the game next year while xbox 360 is still out, or wait until 2013 when the next gen consoles finally come. I am REALLY hoping for the latter, as Thief 4 on 360 would be again limited by a super outdated, low memory system.
journeytosilius 4 months ago
Comment removed
journeytosilius 4 months ago
AMAZING review dude, surely the best on youtube. Often youtube reviewers just tell the positives about a game but you weren't afraid to mention the negatives as well. That's definitely great and makes it seem like a professional review. In fact, it's much better than that because you basically reviewed 3 games in just over 7 minutes while still discussing the positives, negatives, and general feeling of each game.
Freshoffdahoodbro 6 months ago 3
@Freshoffdahoodbro - Thanks, glad you enjoyed it :)
S0nicH 6 months ago
@Sarian4100 - Good man, you'll love it :D
S0nicH 6 months ago
@S0nicH Do the Thief games hold up well for someone who has never played them?
loui4125 2 months ago
@loui4125 - I don't see why not. Start with Thief 1 though - you'll get the full feeling of the games and story. The trilogy is available from Amazon for about £5 so it's well worth buying. There are a few tips to get the 1st two working on a modern system online, not hard to find with Google.
S0nicH 2 months ago
excellent Review! I am presently playing the dark project as I started with the metal age and deadly shadows. I love these games (and the system shock, deus ex games too.) It just irks me that all the devs that made these great games are now defunct yet call of shit gets a new game every year. I really hope thief 4 sticks to the routes and isn't "Consolized" with action sequences and quick time, hand holding linear paths and explosions that is so often seen in almost 95% of current games.
midnightshade32 7 months ago
@midnightshade32 - Thanks :) I do agree with you, I'm *really* hoping T4 won't be dumbed down, but I'm not holding my breath.
S0nicH 7 months ago
PLEASEE DON'T REMIND ME OF THE CRADLE IT STILL SCARES ME
shurdi3 11 months ago 8
@shurdi3 What cradle ? Did you mean The Shalebridge Cradle :P
The big door, the knocks, the childrens cries, and those goddamned puppets
Aaah Sweet memories :D
NeoN73T 11 months ago
you have made me want to get these titles too bad steam only has Deadly Shadows should i go ahead and get it? or wait and try to get the other ones first.
gondule 1 year ago
@gondule - NIce one! You really should get the 1st two. You can get the whole lot for about £6 on DVD these days. Amazon certainly sell the trilogy set.
S0nicH 1 year ago
@S0nicH thanks i'll go with amazon i look foward to playing these games they look so awesome.
gondule 1 year ago
@gondule
gamersgate has the first and the third one.
If you go there within the next 10 hours, you will get them on sale too.
Trusteft 11 months ago
What an excellent review!!! More retro PC game reviews please! :)
HardWarUK 1 year ago
@HardWarUK - Thanks! :)
S0nicH 1 year ago
@S0nicH Have you heard there is going to be a Thief 4 you can preorder it of shopto.net
loui4125 1 year ago
@loui4125 - Yep, well aware. It's probably going to be awful though :(
S0nicH 1 year ago
I still think the Angelwatch mission from Thief II is the best level to date - even better than the Cradle.
Xanatos712 1 year ago
@S0nic
Wait a minute! I just got Thief to work, mostly. The cutscenes are having some trouble playing (slowing down and then playing at normal speed, alternating). But apart from that, the game now seems to run smoothly.
seanmatthewrosen 1 year ago
@seanmatthewrosen - Hurrah! Well done. Now throw the difficulty up to Expert and enjoy :)
S0nicH 1 year ago
@S0nicH lol medieval scousers
loui4125 1 year ago
@S0nicH
BTW, Thief came close to working when I ran it with Windows 95 compatibility mode. But I couldn't get past the menu screen. I am using a Dell Inspirion 6000 with Windows XP Service Pack 3. I don't know if it's 32 or 64 bits.
seanmatthewrosen 1 year ago
@S0nicH
OK, I have an original copy now...GFX drivers?
seanmatthewrosen 1 year ago
@S0nicH
Then again, what version of Thief: TDP do u use? I probably fucked up by opting for the cheap version which Selectsoft published. Ya know, the "Windows XP compatible" one. U probably used the original version not published by a 3rd party.
seanmatthewrosen 1 year ago
@seanmatthewrosen - I do have the original actually, rather than a rebranded one. It shouldn't make a difference however (you'd think anyway). I use Win7 64bit as well so XP really shouldn't have a problem :(
Have you updated your gfx drivers?
S0nicH 1 year ago
Help! Thief Dark Project won't work on my Windows XP laptop!
seanmatthewrosen 1 year ago
@seanmatthewrosen - There's a lot of guides on the net about how to get it to run. You need to assign it to only one CPU core if you have a multicore CPU. You also might need to run in compatibility mode (Win98). Other than that, it should be fine.
S0nicH 1 year ago
@S0nicH
OK, here's what my computer says when I try to run Thief v. 1.33 in WIN98 compatibility mode:
--
ERROR: buff len of 80 exceeded by 83:
intro.avi
c:\documents and settings\sean rosen\my documents\games\thief\movies\
--
Feels like I could have completed the game twice with the time I have spent trying to get it to run. Installing a game should never be so complicated.
ATTN YOUTUBE USERS: IF ANYONE HAS SUGGESTIONS, LINKS, ETC. FOR THIS PROBLEM, PLEASE LET ME KNOW! Please?
seanmatthewrosen 1 year ago
Help! I can't make Thief Dark Project work on my Windows XP laptop!
seanmatthewrosen 1 year ago
who are the two wankers who don't like Thief?!
amigagames 1 year ago 13
@amigagames Karras and the Hag. Taffers...
Xanatos712 2 months ago
I found this video by accident while looking at other Thief related videos... now I've just spent half my day looking at all your others reviews as they're really well done... subbed...
Tried the two Mass Effect games?
chaosproof 1 year ago
@chaosproof - Thanks! I haven't really played either of them to be honest - I probably should as I do like Bioware's stuff.
S0nicH 1 year ago
@S0nicH have reviewed any of frictional games titles like penumbra or do you plan on doing it. If you have thats cool theres not many reviewers who review the penumbra games or even amnesia.
gondule 1 year ago
@gondule - I'm going through them at the moment as it happens. Expect a review very soon! ;)
S0nicH 1 year ago
@S0nicH cool looking foward to it your a great reviewer :)
gondule 1 year ago
You're right about the cradle. I loved the way the game pratically made you scared about it before you even got close to the Mission. The overheard conversations about it, the letter about it from the architect, and the big daunting look about it from the outside. I made absolutely certain that I played it with the lights on.
Equally spooky is the moment in "Life of the Party" wherby Karras has left a message specifically for Garret. Plus Karras has a great voice for an evil villian!
Yodelinghero1 1 year ago
Excellent review of the series! Nothing to add. And yes, the cradle is indeed one of the scariest and most brilliantly crafted game levels I have ever seen. Remember those horrible buzzing puppets? Still gives me shivers. I mean, what ARE they...? :)
I really liked the zombies/ burricks/insectoids in T1 however, despite their overall unpopularity. It added horror to mere excitement. And after all, Thief has always been about more than just playing a medieval thief, right?
JJSideshowBob 1 year ago
I'm currently playing through Thief Deadly shadows, and I must say, I am thoroughly enjoying it. I agree the free roaming city areas are a little dire, mainly because loot does not respawn when you revisit areas and the lack of side missions. When I finish T:DS, or when I get the recent Thief boxset, I'll play through the first two.
An excellent retrospective of the series, possibly one of the best reviews I've watched honestly.
Rickfish131 1 year ago
@Rickfish131 - Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. Hope you enjoy the games too!
S0nicH 1 year ago
so basically, i like proper games, not console strip downs. theif sounds good, so i'm thinking i should grab a copy but I'm not 100% clear which is better 1 or 2 (clearly not 3). sounds like 2 is the best bet, or....??
any suggestions...?
MustNotRead 1 year ago
@MustNotRead - Thief 2 is the best, it has all the good bits of Thief and none of the bad bits. Thief 1 isn't bad however, it's just ruined slightly by the zombies. Thief 3 isn't terrible either, just not as good as 2. Given that the trilogy is a continuing story, you're best playing all three but if you have to choose only one, then Thief 2 is the one to go for.
S0nicH 1 year ago
@S0nicH
Thanks for the clarification. I shall now order my copy from Amazon for 1 pence and I think it'll be my next game to play, after I've completed System Shock 2 that is. :-) Cheers!
MustNotRead 1 year ago
@S0nicH Considering the BEST level is in the second with the Mechanist Tower trying to unhinge thier secret project. Two words; FUCKING AMAZING!
amigagames 1 year ago
@amigagames - Ah yes, AngelWatch, it was an awesome level. Took me about 14 hours on my first go and I loved every minute of it :D
S0nicH 1 year ago
@S0nicH I still like going back and spending 4 hours on that mission even though I've done it hundreds of times. Blackjacking everyone in the place is a fun "self" goal.
mrfiggins 1 year ago
@mrfiggins - Do you not play on Expert? It's the only way to play the games :)
S0nicH 1 year ago
@MustNotRead I agree with SonicH, Thief 2 stays away from the annoying parts of the original (although it is definitely worth playing), plus you get to hear Karras's creepy, whiny voice throughout the game and the Angelwatch mission.
mrfiggins 1 year ago
Love the thief series I have them all and I can't wait for the fourth one, let's just hope that they've learned from their mistakes they made in the third one.
KamratSvenneryd 1 year ago
Couldn't agree more. I'm really excited about Thief4 but also really scared that they might pander to the generic model and ruin one of the best series ever made. Here's hoping that sense prevails. Make a good game and people will buy it.
S0nicH 1 year ago
Sorry it's taken a while to get back to you, but he's an English comedy writer. He's known for his satire and very clever observational mockery.
S0nicH 1 year ago
Great review...
are you a Charlie Brooker fan by any chance ? :D
ZenOfEmotion 1 year ago
Ha! Yes, although I haven't actually seen nuch of his TV stuff - I got to know of his work due to TvGoHome (where Nathan Barley originally came from). Really well done website and very very funny :D
S0nicH 1 year ago
I first read his stuff when he was working for PC Zone. You can find some of his reviews narrated on Youtube. I also recently watched most of his Screenwipe episodes. Very clever and funny stuff - if a tad too misanthropic for my taste at times.
ZenOfEmotion 1 year ago
Great vid! Why don't more Europeans have jobs in media?
Xanatos712 2 years ago
Thanks! Dunno, I'm available if anyone is hiring! ;)
S0nicH 2 years ago
Never did play theif i think i would have liked it though sounds like games like fallout 3 have borrowed from it with the expolring and being able to steal anything that isnt nailed down
Kick17 2 years ago
You really should, great games even now. They're not much to buy either so certainly worth a look.
S0nicH 2 years ago
lol @ medieval scousers
b0b1919 2 years ago
Excellent 'article'!!! BIG 5/5!!!
HardWarUK 2 years ago
Cheers. Glad you liked it :)
S0nicH 2 years ago
it's a shame looking glass dissolved the way it did. it's a lot like thievery with all the backstabbing and money-squandering :/ the best games ever made...so far
great review :D
deadprofessor 2 years ago 2
Thanks, I love the series. You seen the Dark Mod yet? Really really good mod using Doom3. Captures Thief in the newer engine really well! :D
S0nicH 2 years ago
Very much so, although I'm not expecting anything other than it catering for the consoles and therefore it getting ruined. Hopefully they'll remain true to the original form and make something decent :)
S0nicH 2 years ago
Totally agree dude, glad you're enjoying it! Thief 2 is even better ;) No zombies, just pure unadulterated thievery :D
S0nicH 2 years ago
Very nice, but often times it's quite hard to understand what you are saying.
Mocib 2 years ago
Cheers fella. Was that my accent or the sound quality?
S0nicH 2 years ago
The accent. I am not a native English speaker.
Mocib 2 years ago
Yeah. I wish he talked slower.
I made an effort to understand but got lost frequently.
RodFialho 2 years ago
really great overview of the franchise, which seems to have gotten the stealth aspect and exploratory feel very early on. The A.I. and level design really is something to marvel at though I didn't find the story of the series to be that captivating. But Thief was def a showcase of what PC games are like and capable of.
I think Thief II will remain the best for practically forever. I have low hopes for Thief 4 unfortunately.
-kwonstein
artificialidiocy 2 years ago
These reviews are most excellent dude!
Keep it up!
oggecool 2 years ago
I'm happy to have found this review. I have played thief 1 and 2, but not the third installment. I am currently replaying the metal age as I did not beat it. I recommend these games to anyone. Thief was not only a ground breaking and innovative game, but it was also smoothly executed and additively written. I wish thief had the popularity of less worthy titles, like assasins creed. With the up coming release of thief four. I hope they can develop the game 1st for pc and second for consoles.
malevolentgrace 2 years ago 2
Couldn't agree more. Thanks for the feedback and I'm glad you enjoyed the review :)
S0nicH 2 years ago
"We just wanna act like medieval Scousers and nick stuff"
Nice one.
insleys 2 years ago
great review as always. i think that i probably will pick up the 2nd one now thxs 2 this
BONESIV 2 years ago
Cheers fella, glad you liked it. You won't regret buying it, Thief II is the best of the lot. All of the best bits and none of the worst. Have fun!
S0nicH 2 years ago