Renault on 9/5/2017 at 02:45
Jenivere De Ja Vu
Posted in Reviews, Thief 2, City, Guards
August 24th, 2006 by russellmz
Author : John Denison
Date Finished : May 31, 2003
Really liked the first half of this mission. Big old city design, inventive ways to get into buildings besides lockpick front door and some good little plots like missing keys and prisoner movements.
The problem comes from the loot limit. Theres just one difficulty setting and it has a 2000 gold requirement (out of ~2500). Considering Im the thief who likes to make a quick buck and run (sometimes getting as little as 50% of a missions loot before finishing a missions objectives), getting 80% of a large maps loot is crazy. I knocked out over 50 guards, practically memorized the map running back and forth, and after using the walkthrough, got 2014 gold. I was particularly pathetic when at 1917 gold I was chasing down one coin worth 5. Some loot is in weird places. Almost two hours on the part of the mission after all the guards are knocked out is madness.
The map was excellent but had one or two minor errors like a sign that you couldnt read the text on. Nothing serious but the loot requirement is a killer.
Definitely download, but non-experts like myself will need some help beating the loot objective.
Renault on 9/5/2017 at 13:48
Squeekys Secret
Review posted on January 26, 2008 by Ganac
Tagged with Bad Mission • Guards • Thief 2
This is surely Manos: The Hands of Fate Thief FM, one of the lowest of the low.
The story is lame. The settings are big bland and empty. There is no attention to design. The only loot is rings scattered RANDOMLY ON THE GRASS! One guard is glitched where you cant even knock him out. The ladders work poorly, and you cant even kill squeeky, which is kind of dissapointing.
Worst I have ever played. Not worth the .4 Mb.
Renault on 9/5/2017 at 13:50
Unfortunate Formulae
Posted in Reviews, Thief 2, Guards
August 24th, 2006 by russellmz
Author : Timon
Version : 1.0
22 January 2003
Good story, but it forces you to ghost. Still, even with my meager skills I was able to avoid getting killed (I got through with one health left plus four from apples and carrots). Of course with so few enemies and such a small map it would be pretty boring to slam a path straight through with a blackjack.
Loot was well dispersed: I had trouble meeting the minimum loot goal, and then when I looked at the stats I was amazed to see I barely got over the halfway mark! The problem is that if you did all the other objectives you cant explore and get the remaining loot easily.
There is at least one sickly labeled pretty item you can pick up.
Worth a download, but if you think ghosting is the devil (like me) you might take pause.
Renault on 9/5/2017 at 13:52
The Curse
Posted in Reviews, Thief 2, Mansion, Crypt, Undead
August 15th, 2006 by Weasel
The Curse (La Malédiction) by Ramirez Old Fat Burrick, original release date January 20, 2005
The Curse starts off as a standard break-and-enter mission in mansion thats reputed to be haunted. The thick fog and eerie sounds at the Herman estate give you an idea of how the reputation was earned, but everything looks empty and deserted at first. However, you soon meet the ghost of the man you intended to rob and he actually wants your help. He no longer cares about his riches, but simply wants help in lifting the curse that has befallen his home and his family.
With no weapons and no guidance beyond a letter the dead man has written for you, you set off (against your better judgment) to solve the mystery and break the curse.
The property quickly fills up with zombies, and you have nothing to dispatch them with. Luckily, the place is dark enough that you can escape from the zombies readily when you need to. Walk 5 feet away from them and they lose sight (or smell) of you and forget you were ever there. If you absolutely dont like zombies, you may not like this mission; but youll be missing out.
You eventually do get some weapons and learn about three deadly foes that must be dispatched before you can lift the curse. These three foes are well-designed (and very nice-looking), and you need more brains than brawn to defeat them. Along the way you gradually get access to more and more rooms of the medium-sized house and you venture into the family crypts beside it.
Every every room and every hallway has been given thought, and it shows. The architecture of the house feels unique, but at the same time very real. The house and crypts are just small enough that they never get repetetive or confusing without being too small. Some new textures and new paintings fit right in with the assets from the original games.
The sound is top-notch, and keeps you creeped out the whole time.
The story is revealed to you a little bit at a time and is integrated into the environment very well. Its easy to recognize locations that have been mentioned in the diaries and notes that you read, and just as easy to imagine how the described events unfolded before you arrived.
The one aspect of the mission that is potentially the most frustrating is finding the necessary keys and switches. They are hard to see, and you dont always know exactly when you need to be looking for one. The locations of some of the keys are hinted at in the readables, and you just need to be observant of everything as you explore. The functions and locations of all of the keys and switches do make sense as soon as you find them, so it never reaches the point of feeling unfair.
If you like to be creeped out and you can stomach the zombies, this is the mission for you. If you dont like zombies, you should get over it and play the mission anyway. The length is just right for playing in one sitting. Besides the possible moments of frustration before you find the next key or switch, there is nothing bad I can say about the mission.
The mission includes both French and English versions.
Renault on 9/5/2017 at 13:54
The Cistern
Posted in Reviews, Thief 2, Crypt, Undead, Sewer, Creatures, Underground
August 10th, 2006 by Weasel
The Cistern by Gumdrop, original release date December 12, 2002
Since as far back as Baffords Manor, sewer-diving has been a common activity in Thief missions. In Gumdrops mission The Cistern, its the main focus, and very few missions have done it so well.
Gumdrop admits that the level was inspired by Tomb Raider (the original, which has a level of the same name), and he even uses a few assets from that game.
The graphics sound boring when describedalmost everything ranges from gray to dark greenbut the precise texturing, the ambient lighting, and the subtle use of fog make the dim stone alcoves and tunnels beautiful. Some new textures have been borrowed from (or at least inspired by) Tomb Raider, and they fit right in. The architecture is unique and truly three-dimensional, and feels very real.
The story is no more than a sentence or two to get you started, but thats appropriate for a place that seems to have been forgotten long ago. The rest of the story, if you can call it that, is told through what you observe. You come across the bodies and bones of a few previous explorers, and you can only assume that they came for the same reasons as you.
The gameplay includes only a small amount of sneaking and thieving, and just as much swimming, key-hunting, and climbing (or descending). If youre looking for human guards, this isnt the mission for you. Your only foes through most of the mission are a cadre of bugmen, a rare sight in FMs or OMs. I found the bugmen annoying in Thief: TDP, but theyre used well here and add significantly to the creepiness of the place. You eventually find your way into a crypt at the end of the mission, and its suitably infested with zombies. You get a vial of holy water and a pile of water arrows when you start this section, and its not too hard to take out all the zombies if youre quick enough on the draw. Alternately, you can dodge around them and taunt them. Zombie-haters beware!
The real star of the mission is the sound. Theres a lot of water aroundsome flowing, some dripping, and some just sitting. Many different water-related sound effects are used, as well as some ambient creepy noises. Each area has a distinct soundscape even when the visuals are similar, and the different water sounds make it seem as though the water is being collected, pumped and channeled all around you. An ambient track and two foreboding songs from Tomb Raider are used in just the right places to set the mood.
The mission is rather short and the most difficult aspect is finding the keys (and on the hardest difficulty setting, enough loot to meet that requirement). The gameplay is not like that of most Thief missionsthe closest comparison is Down in the Bonehoardbut if youre looking for atmosphere thick enough that you can taste it, this mission has it in spades.
Renault on 9/5/2017 at 13:56
The Night Watch
Posted in Reviews, Thief 2, Campaign, Mansion, Guards, Creatures
April 7th, 2007 by nicked
This four-mission campaign from Fidcal is, at its heights, a thrilling, challenging and unique experience, filled with some inspired ideas and real depth. Originally envisaged as a single FM, the size clearly got the better of the author, and as such it has been split into four. This means that in places, you will be revisiting areas from previous missions, but rarely does this drag, as the author has filled each location with an evolving and intriguing story.
An associate of Garretts, Jack Midcoat, has got him a job as a Night Watchman for the mysterious Lord Drakan, a reclusive and powerful man who lives in a huge castle estate on top of a mountain. Your objective is to help Jack escape with his secret lover, a servant called Gwendoline. But things are much more complicated than that, and the synopsis barely scratches the surface of the deep and interesting plot that slowly unfolds. The story is told through many well-written books and scrolls, and my only criticism is that at times theres a little too much story to take in, and you may find yourself a little confused by the end.
Visually, there is a huge amount of custom content, including many new enemies and AIs, some of which require unique strategies to defeat. Occasionally it appears slightly disjointed however, as some of the new content seems a little out of place. Another nice touch is that some of the readable plaques scattered throughout the levels are made of custom textures that are readable from in the game - a realistic approach rarely taken by FM authors.
A lot of thought has gone into keeping the gameplay fresh throughout, and there are a vast number of unique and fun puzzles, although some of them can be frustratingly difficult, and the complex scripting behind some of them means it can be tricky to get things exactly right. Very rarely, a few of them break, requiring a reload, or even restarting the mission. Thankfully this is extremely rare, and the frustration is eased by a handy new feature - as important clues are revealed to you, Garrett takes down notes that you can refer to at any time, meaning its not so vital to memorize every conversation you hear.
Speaking of conversations, theres some fantastic new sounds, mainly a wide variety of new voice sets to accompany the wide variety of custom AIs. In particular the heroic voice of Jack is the icing on the cake and really helps you to invest in the character.
Things are kept fresh by a wide variety of locations - beginning with the giddying heights of one of the castle towers - a rickety ladder climb of vertigo-inducing proportions! Opulent halls, eerie, claustrophobic rooms, and a brilliantly-designed sewer section that is almost remeniscent of the bowels of the Black Mesa Research Facility mean that you will not be bored while pursuing your goals.
With four long missions to complete, you wont be completing this in a short sitting, but persevere, as there are some really great moments later on that you wont want to miss! Its occasionally rough around the edges and can be frustrating, and is quite often bizarre and unusual, but these are minor flaws in an otherwise exceptional game. The 90Mb download size is well worth it.
Renault on 9/5/2017 at 14:12
Through The Lookin Glass
Posted in Reviews, Thief 2, Mansion, Thieves, Underground
March 9th, 2007 by Renault
Its great to see a mission from Schwaa again, who's back at it after a 3+ year hiatus. There seems to be a mini-trend with old designers rejoining the scene, definitely a good thing. In this case, we're treated to nice mansion mission with multiple points of entry. Construction is very well done, and there are some good AI placements around the perimeter to keep the player on their toes. The plot is a bit strange, with reports of a cult living in the mansion and being able to extract diamonds from the sky. Even so, the story is revealed in pieces after entry into the mansion, and the player will be given a fair amount of things to accomplish via objectives. Overall, its definitely a satisfying Thief experience you should check out for yourself.
We also get some interesting new objects and technical effects, the primary one being alluded to in the title of the FM. Although not directly related to your specific goals, they really do add to the gameplay and create a unique atmosphere. With that in mind, there are a few chinks in the armor here, the main one being playing time. While this is a fun mission, its fairly short, clocking probably around 45 minutes to an hour. I remember thinking I was probably only about halfway through the level, when I suddenly realized there wasn't anything else to do. Also, despite all of the author's great new objects and effects, we don't get any new wall/floor texturing, which is surprising. Last, the level could have used a few more ambients to set the mood. These are minor criticisms, all in all this is an entertaining level, and one can only hope that the author will stick around for a while to crank out some more of them.
Renault on 9/5/2017 at 14:16
Broken Heart
Posted in Reviews, Thief 2, Mansion, Thieves
March 6th, 2007 by Renault |
Another month goes by, and we have another FM by Cardia1. This author really seems to be cranking out the missions, and this time the player is dropped into a seemingly deserted castle with an ominous history. This is definitely progress, as this time around (unlike in Citadel of Douro) there actually is a story present, and a pretty good one. But despite some impressive architecture (again) and pleasing soundtrack material (again), this author has fallen into a few of the classic traps of Thief FMs, namely a gigantic keyhunt and some excessive combat. Inspiring authors take note - these are not elements that the majority of Thief players wish to see in their ideal mission. Back to the story though, it could have been developed better, but the end result isn't bad and it has it's moments - right up until the point where the player is reduced to the role of a commando near the finale. It was certainly a bad omen when the keyhunt portion of this mission ended in the armory (but in all fairness, at least the player is equipped generously to tackle the job). Still, if you can stomach the violence, this mission is fun to play through, and I again can't help but notice the potential this author has if they could ever put it all together in one package. At the pace they're creating levels, there's a good chance we won't have to wait too long to find out.
Renault on 9/5/2017 at 14:18
Mystic Gems I - Unlucky Soul
Posted in Reviews, Thief 2, Series, Mansion, Warehouse, Sewer, Guards
March 5th, 2007 by Renault
I'm not sure if this FM by Wille is their first release (the info I have is a bit unclear), but if it is, they've certainly beaten the learning curve. Anyone who plays this mission for even just a few seconds will realize that it is as visually stunning as anything weve seen to date. I dont believe there there is an original Thief2 texture or object in the entire level. In addition to that, the attention to detail is unparalleled. Just browsing around the kitchens and basements and bedrooms, every location is full of objects, decorations, and readables, and the ultimate illusion that most authors seek is delivered - this is a actual place, and a real person was standing here just a moment ago. This is immersion by definition, and with Thief games, the impact is even greater than with other 3D games.
There's a solid story in play here, although not overly detailed or involved. Garrett needs to (yet again) steal the Mystic Soul gem that he first encountered in the Bonehoard level of the first Thief game (the other gem, The Mystic Heart, will be tackled in a future installment). In doing so, he'll need to traverse a sewer, mansion, and a warehouse. One interesting aspect of this mission can be noticed during the mansion portion, where there are several points of entry. This is refreshing, given the linearity of the majority of FMs out there. Not only does it enhance replay value, but it allows the player to think a little more about their actions.
Everything may sound too good to be true so far, and truth be told, it is. The major shortcoming of Unlucky Soul is that its too short. You can easily finish this mission in under an hour, and 30-45 minutes isn't unreasonable. And speaking of easily, this FM is exactly that. There aren't enough AI in place to give the player much of a challenge. Things get a bit tougher near the end when Garrett is forced to ghost (which may rub some players the wrong way,) but even then, its not going to cause most fans to break a sweat. Still, despite a few criticisms, this FM should not be missed, if for no other reason than it being one of those rare Dark Engine games that looks too good to be a Dark Engine game. And, you can at the very least envision the forthcoming sequel and hope that the experience will last a little longer.
Renault on 9/5/2017 at 14:19
Sisterhood of Azura Part 2: The House
Posted in Reviews, Thief 2, Series, Mansion, Mechanist, Guards
March 4th, 2007 by Renault
After a nearly five year hiatus, And has returned to bring us the sequel to his Sisterhood of Azura mission (Estheridge). That five years seems to have been well spent, and the result is a fantastic mansion mission, probably one of the best of its kind ever created. The player is treated to an extremely large house (hence the subtitle) with detailed architecture that is a blast to explore. Accompanying this great design is an intricate plot that really uses objectives as they were intended, driving the player towards their final goal. Some may argue that the mission is reduced to a bit of a keyhunt at times, but with Thief, this is occasionally just the nature of the beast. In any case, this FM has an extremely polished and finished feel to it, almost if it was straight out of Looking Glass Studios, and that's rare these days. Its also a fairly long mission, likely requiring anywhere from 3-6 hours to complete. If you're about to dig in, you better set aside an entire afternoon.
The House starts with Garrett locked away in prison, before being sprung by one of his Keeper pals. His first goal is to reach a specific area of the mansion to discover secret information, and along the way, the story is revealed piece by piece. I'm not a ghoster, but it seems this mission would be ideal for such a style, with lots of small dark places to hide but also an abundance of AI. On that note, the AI are placed extremely well throughout the mission, making it just difficult enough but not overly so. Later, as certain events unravel, new AI are spawned strategically in the players path, just to keep the gameplay from getting too dull. We've seen this tactic in a few other recent FMs, and its one I'm a big fan of. Related to this, there are some good subtle technical effects spread throughout the level, which keep the experience interesting and fresh.
In the end, there's not a lot to criticize here. Worth mentioning is the lack of custom material - specifically textures, which I believe are all stock Thief2 resources and nothing new. To be honest, while this is rare for an FM of this size and scope, its not that noticeable, mainly because the design and use of the standard textures was so creatively executed. A few times I did feel a bit stranded, stuck within this huge building and not quite sure where to go to achieve my next goal, but that's a problem I don't mind dealing with. Finally, there were a couple of sound issues, specifically one area where it seemed that certain AI could hear me even though they were one floor up, as well as some spaces with no sound at all. These are minor beefs, at best, and I guarantee this mission wont disappoint many fans. In the readme file, the author mentions that this is his last map, and if true, that would be extremely disappointing. I think the majority of the Thief fanbase would love the opportunity to visit the Sisterhood (at least) one more time.
