Thief : The Dark Project

(Eidos/Looking Glass Stuidios, 1998)

For a limited time (as of 12/02), Thief: The Dark Project is available free with purchase of Thief 2: The Metal Age. Click picture at left to order.

As many people have said, if it wasn't for Half-Life, released in the same year, the best of the best of the best "Action Game of the Year" would have to be Thief : The Dark Project. The intrigue here is that gameplay involves cunning, brains, and skill, and not just running around in a static environment, shooting everything that moves. You are a thief (though whether you're a Robin Hood type thief, or an actual rogue, is an unsolved mystery), who goes on nightly "visits" to the local castles and rich nobles' mansions. In time, you get the interest of a particular collector, who wants a special artifact, hidden in a cursed, closed-off section of the city. This is where things get really interesting! Among your many tools for the job are water arrows, which can be shot at nearby torches, darkening the nearby hallways (with excellent light effects to go with them), and allowing you to sneak around more discreetly. Other tools include lockpicks, a blackjack (to knock out the tougher guards on patrol), a rope arrow (to climb to certain upper areas, like balconies...cool!), and other weaponry, like bows, arrows, and a sword (in case a bad situation becomes even worse). Realism in the game, for the most part, is exceptional, including your sensitivity to attack (you're no fantasy-world Hercules in this game), making cunning and skill even more important. This game was a smash hit to many people, and even spawned two additional Thief games as of the writing of this review: Thief 1, Gold, and Thief 2 : The Metal Age. While the "Gold" edition of this first game included three additional levels, it should be noted that this original game, as-is, has been put in special packaging and sold by Eidos as a "classic" at an affordable price. Whether your interest is to save money or to have those additional missions, one thing is clear; you must buy Thief! As I said, it was second only to Half-Life in 1998...

Rating : Deep Impact!

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