Thief Gold

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 to order.

A Techtite review

Thief: The Dark Project was one of the surprise thrills of the holiday season in 1998; as addictive as it was inspired. By the following holiday season, the game is revamped to "Gold" status; three new missions, a secret mission, and added tweaks to the original game levels. Is it worth it to get the game, again? You bet.

For those who never played the game at all, here's an encapsulated version. You play the role of Garret, a former member of a mysterious clan called the Keepers, just before the dawn of the "Metal Age." These folk are not too keen on being noticed or observed, so they've mastered the art of remaining unseen in the shadows. Garret, tired of just walking about, decides to use these powers for thieving the filthy rich in a Robin Hood sort of way (yes, he even has a bow and arrow as his fave weapon). So begins a quest of robbing the rich to give to the poor...even if the poor in this case is Garret, as much as anyone else.

Unlike "kill everything" shooters, this game requires some cunning; the thrill here is to sneak treasure right out from under a bad guy's nose, without them even knowing it. Meanwhile, hiding within the shadows, you can even have some fun! You might even get to pickpocket a key right from the belt of a passing guard, or overhear a conversation between two nearby servants...just don't get caught! Realistic lighting and other 3D effects enhance the game, including the ability to dowse torches from afar, using water-tipped arrows...A whole lot of stealthy fun, for just one game!

Which brings us to the "Gold" edition. What have they added? Well, consider this a "director's cut" of sorts, with three new levels, giving more continuity to the original storyline. In the original game, talismans of Earth, Fire, Water, and Air were found in merely two levels, not four. Now, each has its own separate mission. These missions are also quite intriguing; a majestic opera house (above) and a mages' castle! The third new mission has you sneaking into a corrupt thieves' guild itself; a more understandable reason why you're offered such a lucrative thieving job later on in the game.

Each new mission (even the secret mission!) has its own FMV introduction movie, making them a smooth addition to the final game. This is in contrast to the Tomb Raider Gold series, whose new levels often make you wonder what it has to do with the original game at all! So large are the added movie clips, they are on their own CD, making Thief now a 2-CD game. Don't worry, though, because no disc-swapping is required; Disc 1 includes freebies and installation files, and the game is played from disc 2 (the movie disc).

What freebies are on disc 1? Well, how about a level editor for making your own thief missions, or editing the ones already in the game? Two Windows 98 "themes" for your desktop are also included. Lastly, there's a behind-the-scenes FMV featurette, showing the designers of the game, and intriguing anecdotes about the creation of the series.

Three new missions are not the only draw to this game; original game levels have been tweaked as well. For one thing, some minor glitches are now gone. The new missions also introduce two new adversaries --a group of mages and a fighter made only of fire-- who make cameo appearances in some of the original levels. Sounds and graphics also seem to have been revamped more than a little. While an option to "jump" to the new levels is offered, I personally prefer starting the game from the beginning, and seeing this "director's cut" in all its glory.

Conclusion : To those who have never played the game, buy Thief Gold! The only reason it didn't get a perfect rating is because, in truth, it is just a revamped version of a game many of us have played already. If you haven't played it, GET IT...otherwise, three new missions might not be enough for one and all. Either way, the box includes a $10 rebate for owners of the original game, and an additional rebate for the upcoming Thief 2. Not bad at all!

	Final Rating : Large Crater. Two sets of discount coupons make it worth the price for former owners; a must buy for everyone else!
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