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Looks to be the best game in the series yet, with some cool new additions to the stealth gameplay.

If you took a survey of what people felt was the most beautiful sound in the world, some might say a child’s laughter or a Beethoven symphony. I, on the other hand, would say there is no sound more satisfying then the dull thud of a blackjack connecting with a guard’s skull.

Maybe that’s because for the past two weeks I’ve been absorbed into a preview build of Thief: Deadly Shadows. Yes, Garrett returns once again to do battle with dark forces, or at least rob them, and everyone else in the game, blind. And, he returns along with quite a few significant changes.

The first change anyone will notice is the beautiful new graphics engine. Based off the Deus Ex: Invisible War engine, the Thief game looks simply stunning. The graphics are easily on par, if not better, than its main competition, Splinter Cell.

With the spectacular real-time lighting, and the nifty new ability to smother candle flames, it’s easier than ever to slink around in the shadows. Also, the engine doesn’t suffer from the same choppy-even-with-a-super-computer framerates that Deus Ex did.

The second big change players will notice, and the one most hardcore Thief fans were outraged to hear about when announced, is the ability to play in a third person view. Fortunately, I can say that the new perspective doesn’t hurt the gameplay a bit.

Hardcore fans can still play the entire game in a first person view, and the third person view is great for newcomers to the series as it gives a further visual cue, beyond the visibility gem, as to how hidden Garrett is.

But, the coolest new addition to the already great stealth gameplay is the now open ended nature of the missions. After a brief tutorial mission and a nice beginner mission, you are set loose within the city Garrett inhabits. You get to sneak around pick-pocketing civilians, avoiding guard patrols, breaking and entering, buying new equipment, and selling your stolen swag, all on your way to your next mission.

You’re still limited in what you can carry though, so strategically using your arrows is still a necessity, and it actually lends a further feeling of worth to the items you receive as you aren’t simply refilled every mission as in the past.

In my time with this preview build, it’s put to rest my anxieties towards the streamlining of the interface and the addition of a third person perspective. It looks to be the best game in the series yet, and I can’t wait to fill my days and nights with the sweet sound of a blackjack meeting a human skull.


Preview by Nickolas Marheine.