'Thief III' in Review

-Thief III, in review

Below I include quotes from the Gamespot, IGN, and Gamespy reviews of Thief: Deadly Shadows. The segments I selected are the parts that echo moreso the points I’ve made in this project.

-from the Gamespot review, by Greg Kasavin

"You'll be treated to an intriguing story, which is narrated by an even more intriguing protagonist, whose particular brand of cynicism isn't nearly as unwelcome as cynicism tends to be. The story gradually and surprisingly unfolds during the course of what's a decidedly lengthy single-player adventure. Due to the open-ended nature of the game and its four available difficulty settings, average playing time should vary quite a bit from one player to the next. However, it's safe to say you're not going to get through this one in a weekend, unless all you did was play.

The story of Deadly Shadows is gleaned through overheard conversations, cutscenes, and Garrett's own monologue, but you'll also be doing a good bit of reading memos, notes, and pages of books for clues. No previous experience with Thief is necessarily expected or required, but the plot is deeply interconnected with and contains many references to the previous games (for those who played them)."

[…]

"As far as the annoyances are concerned, Thief fans will likely be dismayed at the absence of rope arrows in Deadly Shadows, which, in previous installments, could be used to create rope ladders, yielding access to otherwise inaccessible areas. Deadly Shadows replaces these with a pair of climbing gloves that Garrett can purchase, which are a far less interesting solution to the same types of problems."

[…]

"Other aspects of gameplay will be very familiar to Thief fans but will take some getting used to by anyone not previously acquainted with Garrett and his world. For one thing, while you usually have access to a map of your immediate surroundings, these aren't the fancy GPS-style automaps you may be familiar with from other games. Instead, they're fairly crude, hand-drawn diagrams that aren't terribly useful. This may seem frustrating, but not only is it an authentic touch, given the pseudo-medieval setting, but also it's defensible from a gameplay standpoint, since it encourages you to actually explore the gameworld rather than spend more time looking at the map."

[…]

"The thing about Garrett is he just doesn't come across as particularly athletic. He's basically invisible when standing in shadows, but you don't ever get the feeling that you're controlling some sort of incredibly lithe and dangerous character. In short, Garrett's not a ninja. But part of the appeal of the Thief series actually stems from the fact that you really are a thief in these games, rather than a one-man army. You're quite vulnerable and have every incentive to stay out of harm's way. Other stealth action games make you feel like you could easily overpower your foes in single combat, so having to use stealth almost feels like a limitation. But in Deadly Shadows, you're often stalking things that are much stronger than you."

[…]

"Anyway, the missions are all spooky and atmospheric, and they make you feel like you truly are prowling in the dark. One remarkable mission, which takes place in a haunted orphanage-turned-asylum, is especially nerve-wracking due to its thick shadows and claustrophobic corridors. What makes the place so creepy is that it's almost entirely devoid of any living beings. Almost."

[…]

"The game was developed jointly for the PC and Xbox and feels a bit out of place on both platforms, as though sacrifices needed to be made in both cases. Fans playing the PC version will wonder why the developer bothered to incorporate an optional behind-the-back, third-person perspective, which works pretty well and looks pretty good but isn't nearly as atmospheric and ultimately isn't as useful as the first-person view, which lets you see and hear the world in clearer detail. Those playing the Xbox version of the game will frown at the sluggish, often choppy frame rate, which represents an obvious compromise that was made in exchange for the dynamic lighting and other fancy special effects."

-from the IGN review, by Tom McNamara

"It doesn't take the supernatural detours of previous installments, but you will traverse some extremely creepy hallways and cellars before you're done. Shalebridge Cradle in particular just has to be experienced to be believed."

(page 1)

[…]

"I do wish Ion Storm had gone iD Software's route and handed the console version off to a separate, dedicated team, because I never quite shook the impression that DS's overall geometry was streamlined to fit under the Xbox's hood. The Hammerite church should be an imposing and haunting piece of work. The Pagan underground headquarters should be massive, with countless possible routes to your destination. I was consistently left underwhelmed with the size of almost all of the indoor environments, and was often confused by a few superfluous shafts and crawlspaces.

Getting back to sound, though: When it comes to Shalebridge especially, nothing brings it together quite like this stellar and haunting soundscape. Subtle ambient music, whispering noises, shuffling feet. I had to step away from the computer when I heard the sound of crying babies, in a building which I knew had been abandoned after serving as an insane asylum, and an orphanage before that. Hallway after hallway, you turn and expect to find something, the source of the noise, whatever, but the place is as empty as a tomb. Or is it?"

(page 2)

[…]

"The important thing to remember though, is that these flaws really only reveal themselves after extended and focused observation. What you should know about this game is that it will get its hooks into you, if you give it long enough. And for me, at least, it wasn't about the desire to acquire which is, ironically, central to the tone of the game. It's about the sound-drenched atmosphere, the mood, the creepy and looming strangeness of a cryptic prophecy, and the main character's struggle to set things right even as all forces seem to conspire against him. Deadly Shadows tells a story as well as a game can, given the free-form environment of computer games."

(page 3)

[…]

"If the environments had been bigger, the thieving missions gradually more complex and challenging, and the story a little quicker to get moving, I'd have little to really complain about. As long as someone can craft a place like Shalebridge Cradle, I'm pretty much a happy camper."

(page 3)

-from the Gamespy review, by Allen Rausch

"Then there's the artistic design of the world. Even the worst graphics engine can be made up for with inspired artwork, texturing, and architecture. Alas, these too are conspicuously missing in Deadly Shadows. Whether the culprit was the graphics engine or that someone stole all the artistic talent at Ion Storm, Deadly Shadows' architecture bears a mind-numbing sameness, an oppressive concrete realism that makes one think of Soviet buildings at the height of the Cold War. Areas that should soar and be beautiful, such as Hammerite cathedrals and the Keeper libraries, just ... well, don't. Areas that should be terrifyingly alien, such as Pagan zones, are just crumbling city graphics colored by green glowing balls."

"On the other hand, the lighting engine is just spectacular. Given that hiding in shadows makes up most of the game, it would have to be, but credit where credit is due. The flickering lights of torches cast light of surprisingly different quality than small candles, electric lamps or the Pagan glowglobes. Different lighting areas do wonders to give areas different moods. The game's shadows are extraordinary, too, and there's nothing like moving across a lighted area and watching your own running shadow cross the door, praying that a guard doesn't notice you."

(page 1)

[…]

"Enemy A.I. is much improved, as well. The first time I played the game on the easiest level, the guards were about as smart and predictable as they ever were in previous games. Crank up the difficulty, though, and your enemies gain the equivalent of spider senses, able to hear the slightest noises, relentlessly tracking down anomalies like missing items or blood, and in general creating very credible challenges for the Master Thief. I knew I was in trouble the moment I accidentally moved a chair half an inch and a guard in the next room rushed in to check on the noise. Players who can beat the game at its highest levels of difficulty might want to consider applying for a job with the CIA -- or Batman."

(page 2)

[…]

"Finally, there's the two strongest aspects of the game: sound and story. The Thief series has always been groundbreaking when it comes to sound, and this edition is no exception. The game's sound effects are stunning: directional audio, EAX, reverberations, and all the other technical bells and whistles the dev team tossed in certainly do their job. Deadly Shadowscreates a soundscape that simply must be heard to be appreciated. The creak of footsteps, whispered voices in another room, and the crackle of fire all sound exactly as you'd expect them too and the direction where they're coming from gives the player vital information that's key for any would-be thief who wants to live to spend Garrett's loot. Special mention must be made of the voices -- all of them are brilliant, especially Stephen Russell, whose voice so embodies world-weary character of Garrett that it's virtually impossible to imagine anybody else in the role." 

[…]

"Storywise, this is another strong entry in the series. Garrett's world is a fascinating place where science and industry, in the persons of the fanatical religious sect called the Hammerites, are waging a constant war with their deadly foes, the Pagans, bloodthirsty adherents of the old forest gods and the last refuge of magic. Maintaining the balance between them are the Keepers, master manipulators and Garrett's personal scourge. This time out, we get a more detailed look at the internal politics of the Keepers and find out they're not as neutral and detached as we've been led to believe." 

(page 3)