Thief: The Dark Project Review (Simply Brilliant)

Thief: The Dark Project, developed by Looking Glass Studios and released in 1998, has got to be one of the best stealth games i have ever played. The revolutionary never before seen mechanics and the overall game in general is exactly what stealth players want in a game.

Lets start with mechanics. In Thief, your play style will almost always be evasion. Yes, you heard me right. This is a stealth game, where you aren't an overpowered beast lurking in the shadows, silently ending anyone who stands in front of your goal. Instead, you play as Garrett, a stealthy thief with the pain tolerance of a lab mouse. Every enemy could easily put an arrow between his eyes and Garrett’s attacks may be even less powerful then a nerf gun that shoots cotton candy. Thats why in this game you must stealth. Thankfully due to the revolutionary sound and light mechanics, it shouldn't be too hard. At the bottom of your screen you will your light gem. The gem changes colour depending on how in or out of the shadows you are. You must keep your eye on this gem because enemy’s in Thief do not screw around. There is no detection metre. It’s either you’re seen or you’re not. Another thing to keep in mind is how much noise you generate. Depending on what kind of floor you are walking on, you may generate noise even just by walking on it (i.e marble floors). To combat this Garrett is equipped with moss arrows that he can shoot at the ground to dampen the sound of his footsteps. You can however use this to your advantage due to the fact that it is very easy to hear where the guards are through doors or walls. Garrett is also equipped with other items such as rope arrows, a compass, Lethal arrows, and a blackjack.

When progressing through the game, you’re going to find the M key most useful. This displays the map. The maps in Thief are massive. Like i’m talking, its gonna take you at least 1 hour and a half to complete the thieves guild mission, massive. The missions are open ended and have many side objectives that you can complete if you intend to. The maps are creative and dastardly, with many secret tunnels and hidden gems to find around the map. My personal favourite missions are ones that take place in a mansion. Often because they always have tons of secrets and branching pathways. The mansion’s tend to be home to some of the most intense gameplay in my opinion. I personally enjoy non linear games, and this one is possibly one of the best i’ve played.

What i really enjoy about the game is the fact that it doesn't hold your hand. You can get your ass handed to you in the first mission if you don't play appropriately. With difficulty comes satisfaction. When i completed my first mission with detection, the satisfaction when i quit out of the game was incredible.

In conclusion, Thief: The Dark Project is the most fun I've had with a stealth game. Definitely a thumbs up in my opinion. You can pick it up on Steam for 10.99$ Follow me on my blogging endeavours by clicking the big button on the right. Have a happy Wednesday!