U Thief (2014) It did not work out over time to become an underestimated classic, as is sometimes the case with not the most popular projects. The players were not accepted by the new interpretation of the famous series under the patronage Square Enix, From the studio Eidos montreal. Even now, despite not the most representative sample, based on the reviews of the players here and now, you can easily track the trend – the game is customary to scold. And it doesn’t matter whether you passed it, did not pass, you can and should be scolded. Praise, however, too, but only with a number of reservations.
I must admit, and I held the position that Thief is some kind of very dubious substance, which, probably, should not be touched. As a result, it was thoroughly to get acquainted with the game only now, seven years after the release. As a result, the first impressions from 2014 turned out to be false, and the game is not the same as it seemed originally. Why?
In one of the recently watched video materials I came across a very believable judgment. The first thing people pay attention to before starting to go through this or that game is genre and setting. A certain interpretation of the well -known proverb "They meet on a dressing, and escorted by the mind", Only applicable to video games. And is it necessary to say that stealth is not the most popular genre. He is alive now, in fact, only as a secondary mechanics, as an alternative possibility of passage, which, according to designers, will only be enthusiasts.
With setting too. Thief offers to go on a trip to the classic plague city of the Victorian era, only instead of the plague there is another infection, darkness. The city is dark, cloudy, stuffy. This is not the interior that could be inserted into an advertising video and sell to people. There is no, as it is called, Killer-Fochi in it. A murderous chip capable of selling a game. IN Dishonored, For example, there were interesting fighters on metal strokes, a recognizable design of locations from Half-Life 2, No less recognizable, grotesque visual style, and the main character was covered by the pathos mask. There is nothing like that in Thief’s design. The only thing the eye clings here is the antennae of the protagonist.
But even if the player still decided to join the game, then another obstacle faces him in the person of the first hours of the gameplay, where he is introduced to the main mechanics. In a world where exists Assassin’s Creed, allows you to climb all over everything, and Dishonored, which allows you to find yourself everywhere with the help of a teleport, a local parkour can be introduced into a stupor. Simply because it is strictly assigned to contextual, interactive objects. Just don’t get to the roof. The rope can only be hung in a clearly given place. The player’s movement is strictly controlled by designers.
Questions may arise to secondary aspects. The first of them is frequent subtitia. The world in the game is a few interconnected locations, and is not open, although it is completely accessible to study. Obviously, this was done due to the fact that Thief came out at once on two generations of consoles, and the old iron was not able to load large spaces and such a level of graphics at the same time. I had to sacrifice something. Another such insignificant stimulus – hacking locks. After the games Bethesda, where it was possible to break the master line and which offered some kind of, but Challenge, the local win-win Miniyera seems to be some kind of wretched.
The combat system, if it is, also looks extremely strange. In a world where players were poured with bloody beatings of varying degrees of entertainment and scale, Thief offers to fight off the enemies with a club, in turn, pressing the Dot and Attack button. And stealth at first glance seems as primitive and uninteresting as possible.
The moment after
Thief belongs to a rare genre today – this is a purebred stealth. For direct clashes, the game punishes several things. For example, the complexity of the battles. At first it may seem that nothing complicated is to give the guard on the head a club three times,. But if there are already two of these guards, and I don’t even lead about the three, then a quick reboot will be the most correct solution of all possible. Because to control the actions of even two enemies is a difficult task. In addition, not all of them willingly fall to the ground with two or three strokes, it depends on their armor, equipment. Also, not all blows will fall on the target, because opponents can set the block and will do this at every opportunity. It seems that onions and arrows can come to the rescue, but it’s not so simple here. In order to pull the arrow and take a shot, it is necessary. Any blow knocks on the animation of onion tension. And the arrows themselves, especially the most effective, are gold and are in a state of constant deficiency even in the merchant. These are things that you do not want to spend in vain. In other words, the battles in Thief are resource -fitted, unprofitable, complex, and not very spectacular. But sometimes you have to enter into confrontation, at least for a variety.
A different reward is laid for different passing styles. Of course, the game is more encouraged by the silent style.
CTLS also does not open immediately. Later, when the story campaign offers wide levels and rather difficult conditions, the game in the “cat mouse” with enemies begins to bring pleasure.
Here it is worth starting with the fact that Thief provides a gentleman’s set of stealth mechanic. Depending on the lighting, on the noise produced, the player makes decisions on the shelter and direction of the enemy’s gaze – there is nothing new here. But a number of superstructures make the game truly exciting. It seems that it will be best to quickly smash a jerk past a fading guard? As it turns out later, a cage with a bird stood near him – anxiety. I was mistaken when hacking the castle, the castle clicked, the guard heard something? Anxiety. Did not notice the trap – death. I tried to somehow crawl along the illuminated sector-..
For the products that are advised during the game, you can pump elements of equipment, for example, a baton, onions or a cloak. You can buy various devices from the merchant: the poisonous arrows distract enemies for a while, fiery fires set fire to oils, explosive explosion, water stew torches, pierced pierce armor, and light bombs allow you to leave the battle without persecution. There is still pumping skills. In difficult situations, a skill can be useful, allowing you to shoot silently – then enemies can be killed secretly from afar. For those who often have to face the enemy face to face, the opportunity to knock out enemies from one blow is suitable, while donating a little local mana. In general, there is where to roam, and having studied the entire assortment, you will certainly want to use it, not to mention the fact that this opens up new opportunities in the gameplay.
I pleased AI of enemies. The usual thing for stealth games – you throw a bottle to the side, enemies together go to study the place of its fall, in the meantime you go through the scene. Thief is wrong. Only one guard will be able to distract, when the other says: "Go check, but I will stay here". Pursuit is also not so easy to drop. If the player decided to leave the battle, then it should be taken into account that the enemies are very persistent, and the business will not limit yourself to the nearest turn. In addition, the AI reacts more than adequately to the noise and risky actions on the part of the player.
By the variability of the passage, the game also holds the bar. Maybe the local levell design is not as wide as in the Dishonored series, but it is not rare when the same stage provides several ways to pass. So on one location, just after the purchase of special scissors that allow you to neutralize traps, I got into the inaccessible room, cutting the desired wiring in the mechanism. And after that he checked how it was possible to get here in another way. At a different level, for example, you can alleviate your passage by strengthening all its inhabitants. Not to mention different ventilation moves or a well -located ledge, which gives access to a safer route. In general, a thorough study of the environment allows you to find different loopholes.
Do not forget that we play for the thief, and replenishment of the wallet is our professional duty. And therefore it is worth exploring levels not only for the search for secret paths, but also for your own enrichment. Do not pass by the notes. Perhaps there is not only a piece of Laura, but also the coveted key to the locked safe.
Probably the most impressed by the story campaign, namely the variety of missions, impressed me in Thief. Somewhere the player will be offered driveners, let it be not difficult, somewhere they will be placed in conditions when you need to quickly look for a way out, t.To. Health ends over time. Somewhere the game will offer a logical mystery, and somewhere the real horror, from which you really scare and tremble. There is even a boss file in the game, and unlike the stock version Human Revolution, It can be passed without a fight, which the main character of the game will kindly warn. This aspect shows that the developers really wanted to make sure that the player was not bored. And, in my modest opinion, they succeeded. The eight -hour campaign turned out to be rich, interesting and diverse.
The work of Rihanna Pratchett
I specifically kept silent about one of the reasons why Thief was not accepted by the game community. The fact that the game is not the same as its predecessors from the 90s does not bother me at all. I judge by the material that I have here and now. Different time, different context, different authors – you should compare with extremely carefully so as not to be in the notorious "It used to be better, because before". Or "It used to be better, because the rope could be hanged everywhere". But here "silly" The plot from "Stupid" Rihanna Pratchett Ignoring it will no longer be possible.
About Rihanna Pratchett, I already wrote the following once:
… for example, that’s why I do not consider the work of Rihanna Pratchett in "Rise of the Tomb Raider" Bad in spite of public opinion, because in the plot there the author sequentially sets the context of what is happening, and Lara Croft from a fanatical character, for whom the goal is of paramount importance, turns to the character of the receiving position that the volume of acquitted funds must also be kept due. In the subsequent chapter, in Shadows of the Tomb Raider, there is no such context, and the screenwriter has changed. There, in the worst traditions of summer militants, the builders of the heroes does not lead to anything, the meaning of everything is given not to actions, but by ear quotes, unexpected turns mean nothing, and in general the story for everything good and against all the bad.
But gamers are furious, plot in Rise of the Tomb Raider stupid! How so?
In fact, everything is at the same time and simple and difficult. The reasons for discontent with the work of Rihanna Pratchett can be designated as one word, "Badcomedian, illogical, I would not have done so", and deepening into the deepest bowels, outlining the problems of understanding and misunderstanding of art;delving into the nuances of the consumer attitude, the tendencies of unwillingness to think, but simply relaxes, and, in the end, in the definition of what a creative work is at the most basic level. I’m more than sure that the format of a full -fledged book is better for this topic. She is so interesting and extensive. But we limit ourselves to small.
Rihanna Pratchett writes well. This is a fact. By analyzing her work from an academic point of view, you can clearly track the state of “before” and the state “after”, highlight the main topic of the narrative and determine the roles of characters in history.
Honestly, with the interpretation of Rise of the Tomb Raider, I just. She herself went into my hands while passing the game and did not require additional efforts. Thief did not work out with this, but as it sometimes happens, the necessary strings were found a little later and the ball began to gradually be scattered.
In the following two paragraphs there may be minor spoilers. But, believe me, it’s okay. This is mainly a tie and a small interpretation.
The story of Thief begins https://mindepositcasino.co.uk/ with the fact that Garrett and his familiar thief Erin are issued an order for the next theft. In the process, it turns out that the girl does not adhere to the unspoken thieves’ code, and do not mind lick her hands with blood when this can be avoided. For this, she even has a special device – a baton strewn with blades. Garrett, as a representative of the old school, of course, gives her to catch up, but understands that this is not enough. Therefore, she steals a killer weapon. When the characters reaches the goal, it turns out that the matter to which they were sent is very serious. Intuition suggests that it is necessary to bring down, but the companion does not agree. The skirmish begins, everything goes awry, the magic ritual goes through somehow wrong, and Erin dies. The main actions of the game are held a year after these events, when the city covers panic, a disease, and Garrett, in addition to not remembering the details of what happened, gains magical abilities.
In general, as I see this story, Thief about the contrast of a new and old, innovation and traditions. This topic is traced in dialogs, in characters, in events, in visual images. So, for example, the final mission takes place on a large, dilapidated ship reminiscent of Noah’s ark. A clear author’s position on this issue is difficult to isolate, but taking into account the characters in the final, he is inclined to think that it is somewhere in the middle. That is, traditions – this is certainly important, but you should not forget about points of growth, and exceptions can be. The same Garrett is not a hero, is not a savior, but at the crucial moment when necessary, is ready to apply for the rules. Unlike Garrett in a prologue, who did not understand and did not take into account the individual approach of Erin and her desire to do something in his own way. The character has become more flexible. "To be a loner, it is necessary to keep someone to shun" – The phrase from the game perfectly describes this concept. Like another abandoned phrase that new cities are on the stones of the old.
I can’t say that this is some kind of top of the script, but the plot is intriguing. I was interested to know what would happen next, who is the baron that it actually came with Erin and where the disease came from in the city. I won’t name any failure, or “dull plot”. Its function, at least, it fulfills. The only thing I agree with the players is the ending is really crumpled. She did not have enough afterwood, but you can live with it. My criteria for the work of Rihanna Pratchett passes. Including work on the production of rollers in which she took part.
The second chance
I myself shook Thief and, with an impressive share of Skepticism, looked in her direction all this time. But in the end he was mistaken, and is insanely glad that ultimately managed to get acquainted with the game. It turned out that this is a truly underestimated project, lost somewhere in the backyard of history and notified by the game community. Today, when the industry has changed a lot, at first glance once a passing game gave what few people can offer-a rich, interesting adventure and a unique game experience. For which I personally play video games. Perhaps in some of her aspects she is not so strong, not in vain, because I recalled both Dishonored and Assassin’s Creed, and Bethesda games, but its charm lies in another. In a dense atmosphere, in an immersive gameplay, in detailed animations, in an interesting role -playing wiper and diverse, memorable tasks. Thief is just very beautiful, taking into account, of course, the year of his exit.
Pay attention to the project. Give a second chance to thief. Be flexible, and do not become hostages of your own views and opinions.
The best comments
Honestly, I do not understand why, in principle, the game can be praised, except for a dense atmosphere and level in a madhouse. Nonlinearity there, if there is, then the minimum. Like – you can go left or right, but you will still go along a narrow corridor. Locations, as the author himself noted, small, with constant subtitles. Stealth – maximum primitive.
If in Deus Ex you could use implants to go around/eliminate opponents, and in Dishonored – magical skills that greatly diversified the gameplay and really gave variation, then you stupidly dumb in the shadows. Even Goblin in Styx (this, by the way, is also a purebred stealth, but at the same time fell in love with the people) there were more tools for solving problems than Garrett’s.
The argument about the setting I did not understand at all.
“With the setting, too. Thief offers to go on a trip to the classic plague city of the Victorian era, only instead of the plague there is another infection, darkness. The city is dark, cloudy, stuffy. This is not the interior that could be inserted into an advertising video and sell to people ".
People screeching with delight (including), when we first showed the yards in Blabborne. Gloom and depression did not scare people away from A Plague Tale: Innocence. On the contrary, such a setting is what attracts people.
Therefore, I will repeat a simple and obvious thought – the main problem of the thief is a weak game design. And “underestimated classics” the game will not become that.
I seem to understand. Correct if I’m mistaken. I just remember was one man who did not like in my works exactly that this is not a review. And he directly stupidly wrote into criticism exactly some purely sightseeing things that I was not even persecuted by me. Thief, unlike other games, was forced to dwell in more detail, for example, on a gameplay, on some features of the gameplay. Because, damn it, it seems to me really few people played normally, few people have passed (in the cleavage in Steam is about 14 percent). When everyone knows how the same Deus ex, and the excess to write what the reader knows is not mine.
About errors … well, this is a language. You can’t change it so simply. If this is not syntax, spelling, semantic errors, then it is not scary. I can imagine that somewhere the same thought could be stated differently. Moreover, in draft versions there were many points that were corresponded in order to submit more literate. But here my powers are all. This is a language. I think so I’m talking like that. I can’t do anything XD
Thank you for Zlykhardil Blozhiki. I’m pleased 🙂
I liked Thief 2014. Passed completely and enjoyed. There are jambs and furious things (lack of jump, constant loading between locations, an uncomfortable map, a crumpled story story. ). But in general, cool main missions (in a brothel and a psychiatric hospital there is just super!), a good soundtrack, there are cool side effects, cool schedules.
I would not give up remaster with the correction of shortcomings
Stopgame is not the same.
There are two options: 1) or the planet was so cleaned 2) or the minusator still sleeps
I love this game tenderly and periodically refer it to it. I do not compare it with the old parts and perceive it as a thing in myself.
I was bribed by the atmosphere, the unification of Victorian locations and mechanisms, these gray boards of houses, overheard conversations of NPS on the streets. Let not remember the soundtrack, but does not distract at all.
Yes, the map is a disaster, the elaboration of windows and beams during the recharge after a while begins to annoy, but this will not turn me away from the opportunity to run around the roofs in a stowmarket or a fishing quarter.
I love variability of passage, screwdriver – the first thing I want to buy. A separate bow for a razor and a collection of paintings, which can be cut out of the frames with its help, he would have collected such.
I will not recommend everyone, but if I want something trampled with the ability to sink along the tiles of someone else’s house, please.
Theif also came to me very much, I was surprised at how low the game was appreciated. I liked the gloomy and melancholy world in the spirit of Dishonored. And the shelter of Myra was simultaneously to the devils of a terrifying and terribly interesting location)
This is a post from Lovegog, which did not throw a bunch of minuses? Nonfajayayayadok
For some reason, it seems to me that the fans of the old parts are mainly riding the thief. Their hopes and expectations did not materialize. Maybe, of course, it seems so. I was not familiar with them, but Theif acquired for 100 rubles on Sonya and expected much less than I received. Gameplay, secrets, variations of the passage of missions and the world itself – I really liked it.
About comments on the game I absolutely agree. Especially about the map and windows – it was very difficult for me, as suffering from exceptional topographic cretinism)
Let myself reasonably disagree with the author.
Thief (2014) is a hidden sequel of the original parts, which is confirmed by several things. The presence of the ancient temple of the Hammerites, the presence of an abandoned citadel of the keepers in the Old City, the existence of Moira’s hospital (a widow, whom the old Garrett robbed), founded which is exactly during the validity of the original parts. The cherry on the cake is numerous references to a certain Sneak Thief, who had long been a master-upgate, who robbed Moira and who had a mechanical eye. This eye, by the way, can be found, he is in the basement of the hospital.
These things do not allow to separate the new part of the game from the old. They are indeed part of a single universe. Other hints are given to this – the cyclicity of events in the city and the existence of Garrett – the element of the balance of fractions in this world.
I note for a second that the art design in the game is very beautiful and it’s nice to watch many locations, so for this is a plus.
Now a little on the direct plot. Unfortunately, despite his possible artistic and aesthetic charm, he is extremely predictable. Immediately from the beginning of the mission, for the first time, passing the game in 2014, I realized that the mission would fail. To do this, you do not need to be Sherlock, just look at the person of our companion Erin, who immediately declares and shouts with all her behavior that she can not cope. Yes, indeed, the skirmish began because of Garrett, but it had everything and every reason to say, “we are curled up." – Baron, Cult, McGaffin.
"Suddenly" the ritual is not according to plan. "Suddenly" Erin is actually alive. "Suddenly" the patron and customer of Garrett is a traitor. Each key point in history can be described in the phrase, “this is a turn!" – and this is not a compliment.
This is simply not interesting to follow.
Fortunately, we do not go to Thief because of the plot, but because of the gameplay. However, here with the game the joke happened, such an angry. It is called Thief. She carries a certain cultural heritage of stealth games. If it were called as you like in a different way, she would not be the price.
Why problems? Let’s start with level design. The incredible corridor and linearity of locations are simply amazing, there is simply no space for movement. This is the design of Stlas in the spirit of Splinter Cell and Deus Ex, where the locations were also corridor with branches, but this is definitely not the design of Thief. Thief is known for its open locations with many corridors, independent patrols, hidden corners and passages. The location needed to be studied, to look for values and macguffin. It was necessary to think in the game and it gave her its charm, because of this, the game worked. Because the player was a thief. He thought like a thief and behaved the same.
The design of Thief (2014) involves led by the player by the hand. The contrast is especially acute if the fan has passed all the previous parts to remind yourself about Thief, than it was. This transition is not justified by changing the genre, the 2016 PREY is a great game that is the same as Immersive-Sim.
Another moment is the printedness of Stlas himself. Thief was a stealth not only about the field of view (like Dishonored or Deus Ex), it was also about the sound. Each surface is unique and made its own sound, according to which it was possible to track not only its position, but also the situation on the map of enemies. Thief (2014) sound is not used at all. The game can be safely gone without sound. I tried (+ without an interface). I went through one level and I’m tired of a bit. Not the point.
Very often patrols are located in such a sequence that passing by purely physically unfulfilled. The level at which this is especially noticeable – the brothel. Opponents are standing close, you can’t pass by them (they will notice it on Hard), and if you distract, then you will not receive the cherished icon of the ghost. Opobunist you, my friend. And the whole game is OPDUSPORTUNISM.
The game is not elementary to pass through the ghost without excessive pain in the fifth point, namely excessive, and not honest. I do not argue, you can go like this, but there is little pleasure from this, though. This is similar to rape using kitchen utensils.
Given the above, I am of the opinion that Thief (2014), she is called as it likes differently, would be better. There would be no load, any vision could be made, but the legacy imposes a certain framework.
I will be happy to discuss and listen to your opinions.
I knew about the "thief" series for a long time, but my first game was a thief 2014. And I agree with the author, I also liked the game purely game. Nevertheless, these artificial restrictions on movement, due to clearly marked places for the rope, are special cornices and so on, as they strained. What is the moment where I look under my feet and see the button-trap, about 50×50 cm and due to the absence of a “jump” I just can’t come to it, well, this is stupidity … As I already wrote above, it was my first thief, and then I was condescending, the game gave me what no pleasure, but then I went through the original trilogy and after Thief 2, which came out almost 15 years earlier, this game is almost 15 years old.It just seems unworthy of its named. This is about gameplay.
But in the plot … There is a feeling that it is just a set of filler. Maybe I just don’t understand something, and I’m ready to admit my wrong if they clearly answer me to the questions: what exactly is this primal doing? Why and what kind of ritual was at the beginning? What happened in fact with Erin? What happened to Garetht for a whole year? I still had some questions but I don’t remember anymore, I went through the game 3-4 years ago.
Most likely you are right, but as if after the release of this game, no one wanted to continue it is not clear what. T.e. I did not receive answers to these questions, but I didn’t even receive a holistic story to want to continue it and it just looks like a game of anything. Gameplay for the sake of gameplay. In the original trilogy, the plot from the sky of stars did not grab, but was interesting and within each part completed.
I also add that the game has objectively rudimentary pumping. Garrett, according to the plot, is already a master-leader. Because of this, there is a cognitive dissonance, which could be easily avoided in the format of this work, make the developers the levels more difficult, but giving the player everything that is in the pumping tree at once.
And yes, the plot in the original parts also did not always grab stars from the sky, much was held on the charisma of Stephen Russell, the actor of the Garrett’s voice acting, but nevertheless, it was at least interesting to follow this plot. The character had negative features, namely greed.
Everyone understood that working for Sebastian was a bad idea, but Garrett did it anyway. Why? Very simple. Money. The character through this is given humanity. He is still a master of his craft, an extremely skillful thief, but a simple human greed is not alien to him. Also, he is not alien to the vindictiveness-he is extremely reluctant to trust Victoria due to the fact that she forcibly pulled his eyes. He is extremely reluctant to climb into the ramp and generally strives to ensure that everything is behind him. Well, let the person turn something calmly, what are you at all?
Garrett in this part is much less likely felt by the character, it seems to him to a greater extent that he is the plot function for the transition from point A to point B and this sadden.
Thief was the first time literally at the beginning of this year. I started playing somewhere in November 2020, then there was a break for other games and finished in January. This was my first acquaintance with the series in general. And I did not regret at all that I went through this game, it came to me very much! Yes, maybe this is not aaa project, but in such games “smaller” you can always find your charm, highlight and some kind of lamp corner that will surely hook the player. And Thief turned out to be a mixture of all this tube, not pompous and promoted project for me, but a very good story, the development of which was very interesting to follow. And Gamplei as a whole is also on a solid level. The game is from the first person, but very conveniently played on PS4 (on which I went through it) and the control from the gamepad is also very convenient. So, my personal assessment of this game is commendable, and very! 🙂