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Thief: Deadly Shadows (PC)
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| Description:
The third entry in arguably the most under-appreciated series of stealth games on the market, Thief: Deadly Shadows maintains the high standards of its predecessors, and offers some extremely tense gaming in the process. The concept is pretty much the same as usual. You take on the role of a master thief in medieval times, who must pull off a series of missions--covering thefts, the odd assassination and combat--while gradually uncovering a darker, overriding secret. This all underpins a game structure that sees you taking on tasks of gradually increasing difficulty, as you seek to evade guards, sneak through the shadows and pick a few locks for good measure. Along the way, you'll also find yourself making use of your arsenal of tools, be it to create a distraction to get a guard out of the way, or to extinguish some of the lights that would otherwise give away your presence. All of this takes place in one of the most atmospheric game worlds out there, and, mixed with some terrific work on the audio side, it's utterly engrossing stuff. Few games get anywhere near the tension levels that Thief: Deadly Shadows attains, and few will have you holding your breath quite so often. And there are more ticks in the plus column, too. The game is a lot longer than gamers would have expected before its release, and some of the missions are genuinely exceptional. The only slight downers are that there aren't too many new ideas this time round, and the third-person camera doesn't always work smoothly, which means you're best sticking to a first-person viewpoint. Nonetheless, this doesn't detract from the fact that Thief: Deadly Shadows is an excellent game, and one of the very best stealth titles around. It's easy to get into, packed with surprises, and is pretty much guaranteed to bring you out in a cold sweat when it ratchets up those tension levels. It deserves to be a big hit. --Simon Brew
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4/5 |
A good game . . . .
(June 10, 2008) |
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This game deserves to be bought for a mere few pounds. The game is fun, the graphics are good even by today's high standards. It is a mystery as to why this game does not get more recognition. |
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4/5 |
Almost live!
(April 28, 2008) |
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Normally I do not have time to play video games. My wife and I have purchased this game out of curiosity. We were searching a non-combat game with an adventure notion in it. We had not played with former Thief games either. The game shocked us from the start as to its concept. The story is carefully weaved around a magnificient historical atmosphere. I loved the details as I am a history lover. All the curiosities, the roads, the alleys of the middle ages are there and they are for real! The sound and light effects are extraordinary. A sentry walks by you and you sneak in the shadows...I was so excited that I could not go on playing until a certain level. The game is gripping, you can not let it go... |
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5/5 |
The best Thief yet? No but still great
(April 27, 2008) |
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Despite being 'dumbed' down to allow for the ports to consoles to be easier to manage Thief is still a fine game. You reprise the role of Garrett and undertake a series of missions which is driven along by a very fine story (as always). Having played all the Thief games so far I have to say that I enjoyed the notion of having a 'living' town to wander around in. It would have been nicer had it been populated a little more though. The great thing about the Thief games is that the cut scenes do carry the story forward and add to it. Also, the writing is always impressive - at times reminding you of past deeds in previous games. These tie-ins are a nice touch and remind you of previous games and how enjoyable they were. Thief will never appeal to huge masses because it takes a very different approach to gaming. The idea of not killing people to achieve your ultimate goal is something that will appear as an alien concept these days. But whilst there is a place for slaughtering countless numbers of pixel generated gimps who there is also a place for Thief and the different challenge it represents. And don't forget you can always stick and arrow through a guards eye if you so wish! I just hope that the talk is true and that the next Thief game is indeed going to be reality - as long as its not set in the modern day World - that would be a huge mistake. Time as always will tell on that score. But regardless Thief Deadly Shadows is an enjoyable game and worth a look. |
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5/5 |
Genius presentation, shame about the engine.
(February 27, 2008) |
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I played all 3 thief title back-to-back. In many ways this shiny pixel-shaded update is the most accomplished. The acting, graphics and atmosphere all surpass the original games by light years. Nevertheless I did find that as with the previous titles the engine was a little buggy. In fact this latest reworking of the unreal engine is so flawed in places that it is more challenging than the enemies!
This said I could not in good conscience deny this superb title the five stars it deserves. The four difficulty settings make a genuine difference meaning that experienced thieves can be challenged whilst newbies can still get a gentle ride through the story if they want.
Then there is the piece de resistance: The Cradle!
I won't spoil it for you but this mission is probably the most memorable of the thief series' levels. The concept and presentation is immaculate. They really out did themselves. This isn't a difficult level, the real struggle is with ones inner fears! If you found Thief 1's haunted cathedral level scary then you may need a friend to hold your hand for this one!
The other major fault with this game is that many of the areas are quite small with long loading times which can be a bit frustrating, especially compared to the last instalment. I suppose all those pretty textures come at a price! Those smaller areas do also make the objectives less open-ended so there may not be as much replay value compared to the huge expanses of some thief 2 levels.
This game lives up to its heritage and is a must for anyone bored with 1st person bloodbaths and linear arcade genres! |
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4/5 |
Good I guess...
(December 12, 2007) |
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I've practically finished the game now, and I enjoyed it to a certain extent. The graphics were good, it certainly lived up to its genre as a stealth game and the missions were reasonably varied.
But when I got to where the point in the game that I am now I felt a bit cheated. There were only 9 missions in all, and the rest were spent walking around the city, doing mini quests like moving a dead body or stealing things.
Not only that, but you are always in the dark. Always. You are never out in the daylight and you are always in danger. The guards are constantly looking for you, for the start so are the Hammerites, and so are the Pagans. You have no allies in any of the missions, and the only real way to kill an enemy is an unsatisfying head shot with a broadhead arrow. You can't fight for love nor money, unless you wish to use 4 health potions.
I gave this 4 stars, despite my relative dislike of it because I believe it is whats expected in a stealth game. I'm more in to hack and slash, and I was trying this because of the recommendation that was caused from owning oblivion. I prefer conflict to sneaking, and thats probably why I don't like it |
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