 Thief II, The Metal Age is one of the latest outings from, a sequel to the very successful Thief, The Dark Project. I had immensely enjoyed the first of the series, and so was eagerly anticipating the release of Thief II, and I wasn't disappointed. In fact, Thief II managed to do something that is
rarely done with sequel games, and that is improve on the original.
The premise of the game is that you are a thief in a medieval setting. The
games moves through several chapters, each with its own objectives. These
objectives are often dynamic, changing as the action progresses. What sets
this game apart though, is that the object is to be as surreptitious as
possible. The fewer incidents of conflict, the better, as opposed to most
games of this nature where are you are commanded to kill anything and
everything in sight. In fact, on the highest difficulty setting, one of the
consistent objectives is to complete your mission without killing anyone.
Cross this line, and your game is over, forcing the player to use ingenuity
instead of brute force in accomplishing the goals.
The atmosphere of this game is wonderful. The ambient sounds draw you into the game's grasp very effectively.
With a good sound card and surround
sound speakers, imagine yourself sneaking down a dimly lit hallway and you hear suddenly a guard coughing behind you! Do you hide? Fight? Sneak away? This game actually startled me a few times, and got my heart racing more
than I thought a game could.
The graphics are really well done, with smooth scrolling and detailed backgrounds. The story line is engaging and well conceived, though the
enjoyment of this side of the game will be enhanced greatly if you have
played Thief I to completion, as much of the action is based on the set up
in the original.
This one takes place in the "Metal Age", meaning that the concept of
mechanical devices has come to recognition. The coolest manifestation of this is that your character is equipped with what can best be described as a 'bionic' eye. You can zoom in and zoom out with it, making scoping out your adversaries not only easier that in Thief I, but a lot of fun as well. You will also find yourself facing some mechanical adversaries, including a medieval rendering of a security camera. One of the scenarios takes place in a bank; tiled floors and these
'cameras' everywhere. Challenging to play, and
very satisfying once you finally get through it.
The weapons in your arsenal are mostly bow and arrow based. Water arrows,
rope arrows, gas arrows, noise maker arrows and broad head arrows are all at
your disposal, for a price of course. What I liked about this game, and the
first as well, is that the villains are not so despicable as they could
easily have been. They are bad guys to be sure, but the level of violence
and inhumanity so often displayed in such games is toned down considerably
here. I would certainly let my son play this game, as the violence and
mayhem are at a minimum. Thought and ingenuity mixed with controlled,
measured action is the order of the day.
Over all Thief II is a very enjoyable game. Look elsewhere if you want a
blood letting. This game is thought provoking, strategy-based and simply a
lot of fun to play. Turn out the lights, set your disbelief-suspension
levels on maximum, and lose yourself in the world of Thief II, The Metal
Age.
I promise, you won't be sorry.
by Galen
Wilding
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