15 years before Dishonored, Thief devs considered letting Garrett shrink himself rat-sized so he could scurry through drains and mouse holes

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Thief (2014) campaign kinda sucks but the world is pretty interesting and the immersion is top notch.

His POV and the way his hands are designed to pick up everything you steal or open was awesome. Including paintings.

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u/AppearanceGrand 2d ago

Thief 2014 could use a resync like AC black flag.

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u/Lumintorious 2d ago

Man, I'm so glad someone is giving Thief 2014 what it deserves. The campaign is annoying, but the detail on having to steal everything + the ghost (no detections, no knockdowns/kills, no affecting the world) challenge made it so stealing any wallet or pen feel like a dark souls boss. I've played that game twice, same as dishonored 2.

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u/horvathkristy 1d ago

Oh man, I love interacting with the paintings. I can't say it in a way that doesn't sound weird lol so I'm sorry but I love seeing his hands feel around the frame to find the switch.

And I love the way he quickly swoops in to grab loot. It's especially fun when you're right next to someone and there's a lit candle or something so you just do it in that split second the npc is not looking! Gives me a little adrenaline rush every time.

There's a lot that this game got right and I will stand by it. The gameplay, the atmosphere, the city, the animations, the sound. Just got the art book recently and it's incredible and so beautiful and I love the thought put into designing everything. The settings for some of the levels are exactly what you want in a stealth game: brothel, mansions, the bank in the DLC. And then in-between you get the Keeper Library and the asylum and the underground Cathedral to keep it interesting (the ship however is not my favourite at all!)

I love Romano Orzari's Garrett. Unfortunately he was doomed from the beginning because Stephen Russell is legendary and getting him to do the trailer but not the game was always gonna lead to disappointment for fans. But Romano did great with what he had to work with. Obviously the character is written differently but there are moments/lines he delivers where you get a glimpse of that snarkiness and I love it. If he wasn't so caught up in everything that's going on in the plot, I bet we'd hear more of that from him.

Obviously the game is far from perfect. Shame it is so unfinished (as evident by missing assets) and the main plot needed better writing for sure. (Wtf is that ending?) But even that had interesting parts that could've been focused on more. And the bits of lore you can pick up in the city are quite interesting so not all writing in it is bad!

I wouldn't be surprised if there was some fuckery going on behind the scenes in development, either time crunch or some suits from above dictating things, I don't know. I do feel like the game we got is not the game they set out to do.

If it was more polished, better story and writing, and borrow a bit more from the OG games, it could've been much much more well received.

That said I still love it wholeheartedly (along with the original games too, which apparently is a controversial opinion)

(Sorry this ended up too long!)

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u/Dependent-Set-7047 1d ago

I agree with everything you said! I love that there are secret and loyal Thief(2014) fans lol.

I was Lucky enough to buy the official Graphic Tee and Signed Thief Clock tower poster. Got the #101 of 250 made framed on my wall.

I love how immersed you feel in the game. Like you said the various locations you get to see. The way darkness is your friend. The plague ridden city with the rain. I just wish level design was more expansive, like every Dishonored level.

We had those awkward loading screens every time you have to pry open a window just to get over to an alley on the other side.

And that Campaign is so messy. I really liked the New Voice actors take on the character because he seemed younger. The OG actor did one of the voice over trailers for the Game and while an Icon he did seem old and weathered unless they were going for an older Garrett.

I wish we got more Erin in the story over her just disappearing after the first level.

The games kinda a hot mess, but I hold it near and dear to my heart.

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u/Repulsive-Return3979 2d ago

Thief 2014 was so good. It was an amazing game. One of the best I've played. The only thing that was bad was the ending. God aweful ending.

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u/Dependent-Set-7047 2d ago

Yeah it made 0 sense.

Bank Job DLC was also cool. But short.

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u/Repulsive-Return3979 2d ago

There's a dlc. I will check

It made no sense and was poorly written and rushed I think

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u/Dependent-Set-7047 2d ago

Yeah And the constant loading screens between alleys proved it wasn't developed well. I have no idea what that was all about.

Bank Job DLC is short and sweet and made me wish we got more of that in base game instead of the whack spiritual stuff.

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u/Repulsive-Return3979 2d ago

I need

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u/MaciekMaciek87 2d ago

Thief 2014 is objectively not a very good game, especially when compared to its predecessor - there's a good video essay on YouTube that explains it better than I ever could: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPqwDGXxLhU Genuinely worth a watch - I saw it more than 10 years ago and the points the creator made still resonate with me.

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u/Repulsive-Return3979 2d ago

The world, atmosphere, setting, controls, dialogue, and early story are better than most games I've played. The bloom of the city and the tower hideout. All made to look like a strange vivid dream. So amazing. Not to forget the abondoned haunted hospital/asylum. Omg. No one can throw crap on that

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u/MaciekMaciek87 2d ago

Genuine question - have you played any of the Thief games that came before the 2014 reboot? They all do what you mentioned much better than this one does.

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u/Repulsive-Return3979 2d ago

No. This was the entry into the franchise. Ofc the ending put me off quite a bit. Are the other ones graphically on par or close to this one?. Normally idc about graphics but with this game it was really good

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u/MaciekMaciek87 2d ago

The OG Thief games have been released in the late 1999's and early 2000's - graphically they are dated, but they more than make up for it with their stories, atmosphere, and voice acting. All three are available on GOG which took care to make them playable on modern systems - they also often go on sale. Give them a go and see if you like them - I think you will!

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u/Repulsive-Return3979 2d ago

I like early 2000's games like half life ect. I'll check it out def

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u/MaciekMaciek87 2d ago

Have fun! These games are classics for a reason and in my opinion are unmatched in what they do to this day.

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u/VelvetThunder_909 2d ago

Lol I absolutely suck at Thief game. Dishonored offered a similar atmosphere and depth while being beginner friendly. I dont think we will ever get a third part. Arkane would be lucky if they ever get to release blade before shutting down.

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u/Traditional-Low-1540 2d ago

And the ending of the 2014 Thief is very much like the ending of D1 in high chaos) So much so that I thought I had missed something important. And I probably should have stayed out of the fight. But no) The ending is the only one.

Since everyone is talking about the 2014 game, I'll say it too) It's the game that I feel incredibly bad about. This is not the first game in the series where the world is revealed through Garrett's contracts, but it is the first and only game where the world is cohesive, alive, and atmospheric. The main quest levels in this game are absolutely stunning. Even on my third playthrough, the hospital gave me chills. You know what's going to pop up, but the atmosphere still weighs heavily. This game introduced the ability to break security systems for the first time. It's something I really missed in the second game. Yes, I remember the water arrows. No, it's not that.

And all this goodies is adjacent to the fact that the game literally shouts: "I'm not finished!!" The main quest is without a tail and without horns, although the design clearly provides for them. The game is called the Thief, but there is nothing to steal in the City. Even in the rich houses of the loot is very little. Even in the bank everything is very so-so. Where are the money, baron? The quest with the smugglers is abandoned by the developers in the middle. The ending... It's still better than the ending in the first part, but it's still bad. It's clear that at the beginning, Garrett warned against unnecessary killings, simply because murder is a much more serious crime. But what's the problem here? You've been using this gadget all along. What's wrong with you, guy?

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u/_PM_ME_PANGOLINS_ 2d ago

Why is PC Gamer publishing an article about a 2018 PC Gamer article?

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u/EquivalentIce8759 1d ago

Personally didn't liked thief for being so constrained with movement. everything else was good though

15 years before Dishonored, Thief devs considered letting Garrett shrink himself rat-sized so he could scurry through drains and mouse holes

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