Renault on 9/5/2017 at 14:43
Mann Mansion
Posted in Reviews, Thief 2, Guards
July 2nd, 2006 by Renault |
Very simple beginner FM by Tithian, only has about 5 rooms, one AI and one loot objective. This can be finished in all of about 3 minutes if you take your time. For die hard completionists only.
Renault on 9/5/2017 at 17:59
The Cell Next Door
Posted in Reviews, Thief 2, Hammerite
June 30th, 2006 by Morrgan
Garrett was on his way to meet a friend after a job in order to split the loot, when he was arrested by Hammerites and is now locked up in a cell. Garrett plans to leave, but not before he finds out where the loot from the previous job is and how the Hammers knew where to find him.
According to the readme, Frank Mitchell used Lord Baffords Manor from Thief 1 as inspiration, which is apparent from for example the sewers in the mission. Those of you who (like me) lovingly played the Bafford demo and Thief 1 to bits all those years ago, will appreciate the nostalgic memories this mission brings back. Otherwise though, The Cell Next Door is quite different from Baffords.
Gameplay focuses on stealth, especially at the start, but at times you run into the irritating problem of shadows on the ground not corresponding to what the lightgem shows, making the sneaking a matter of trial and error. Some reloading is practically inevitable at the start, as you have no equipment and avoiding an alert guard in a small space is almost impossible. (Still, there's fun to be had even in these circumstances. How about locking up those pesky guards in their own cells, or perhaps squishing them underneath an elevator for the more sadistically minded?) The somewhat unpredictable shadows become less of a nuisance once you’ve found your equipment and have more options for what to do if you're discovered.
This mission is generally well-built – there are no exceptionally pretty scenes to be seen, but the architecture is solid throughout the mission, with no plain areas either. I especially appreciate the little details one can find. Many of them tie story and location together and do much to make the mission seem like a real place with a life of its own.
The Cell Next Door is simply a charming little mission. It wont take very long to play through it, but with a file size that’s as tiny as 685 KB and more enjoyment than many larger missions, there’s no reason not to give this one a try.
Pros: Solid all around; many ways to play the mission and have fun while doing it; nice details both architecturally and storywise.
Cons: Some unpredictable shadows; few challenges; some risk of the mission turning into a loot hunt if you're not observant.
Bottom Line: A fun little mission, offering more enjoyment than you might expect from such a small download.
Renault on 9/5/2017 at 18:01
Saturio Returns Home
Posted in Reviews, Thief 2, Mansion, Crypt, Undead, Guards
June 30th, 2006 by Morrgan
A woman has contacted Garrett, offering him a reward in shining gems if he will accept the job she offers. She wants Garrett to find out what happened to Saturio, her bridegroom.
At the start of Saturio Returns Home by Robin G., Garrett jumps down the chimney of the gardeners house and gains access to the mansion grounds in this way. The gardeners house is small and looks simple, but once inside the courtyard the view becomes very pleasant. The architecture is clean and stylish, and the main building is effective in an unpretentious way. This style is continued throughout the level. Several more unusual architectural features can be seen in the screenshots: details like these give the mission a personal look and atmosphere.
One way into the main building goes via the catacombs. Here we have something that I have seen before in other missions and always wonder about. Why are they haunted? People don't rise from their graves without a reason. Call me overly nitpicky, and I admit I am, but I like explanations even for something like this.
Inside the mansion I got sucked into the quiet atmosphere of the building. The combination of an irregular but easily navigated layout, logical room placement and very nice architecture makes this seem like a real location. The ambient sounds are subtle, with a few enjoyable intermissions in the form of guitar music from the victrolas. Although I normally wish for a subplot or two to follow as I play, the lack of any in this mission didn't make me feel like anything was missing. The story itself was enough to keep my interest up this time. Romance, conflict, deception, greed Its got just about all that is needed for a good story.
There are alternatives for how to proceed, but especially on Expert they are restricted. As I played I sometimes got the feeling I was following a planned route. On several occasions I had only two options: the straightforward approach that would most likely lead to bodies piling up, and a way to sneak past unnoticed. On Expert no kills are allowed, and I prefer to avoid confrontations anyway, so for me there was just one path to choose. Adding to this feel of limited options is the fact that many tempting wooden surfaces exist, but there are no rope arrows to use. Getting past guards by using higher ground would have been a welcome option. Other than this, I have little to remark on as far as gameplay is concerned. A few clues regarding the main objective can be found, and together with the map they give enough information to have an idea of where to go next. The necessary keys are conveniently found on the way. There are no hints concerning the whereabouts of the keys though, so if you don't keep your eyes open as you advance through the mansion then you will end up backtracking until you spot them.
Finishing this mission was quite a satisfying experience and made me feel like I had done a good deed; a rare and refreshing feeling to have after a night of sneaking and thieving. As unbiased as this may sound for a reviewer, Saturio Returns Home is one of my favourite FMs. It is well-designed, fun to play and has all the elements needed for a good mission.
Pros: Personal and very pleasant architectural style; the objectives are of the more unusual kind.
Cons: The mission has no significant weaknesses.
Bottom Line: A very good mission in all aspects. It has the gameplay and atmosphere of an ordinary mansion mission, but a story and a style that stands out a bit from the other FMs out there.
Renault on 9/5/2017 at 18:04
Hedgerows & Hammerites
Posted in Reviews, Thief 2, Crypt, Hammerite, Undead, Contest
June 29th, 2006 by Morrgan
Garrett has a group of Hammerites on his tail; in an attempt to escape, he enters a hedgerow maze owned by Lord Rickshaw. He must now find a way out of the maze, and at the same time both avoid his pursuers and grab all the loot he can find.
I must admit I was a bit worried after reading the word maze in the mission description. I have never had any good experiences with mazes; most of them have been unnecessarily complex and I have usually ended up completely lost, feeling more than a little annoyed. However, there is no need to worry about that in Hedgerows Hammerites by Gumdrop. As I soon found out while venturing further into Lord Rickshaws maze garden, the maze is fairly simple and easy to navigate in. It contains some unusual elements though, mainly for the puzzles. The oddities are explained by the eccentricity of Lord Rickshaw, of whom we know nothing except that he owns a maze garden and is supposedly rich.
The mission has no weak points as far as visuals are concerned; though not fantastic, architecture and terrain is pleasing to the eye all the way through. Also, even though this is a contest mission with restricted size, none of the areas make this fact obvious.
The mission relies heavily on puzzles, which are compulsory for finishing the mission. These puzzles are varied, original, and not overly difficult to solve. Theyre not easy either, and in many cases the solution is not obvious. Fortunately there are hints that guide you in the right direction, and usually this is enough to figure out the rest. Still, if the hints dont help, it is easy to get stuck and this is potentially frustrating for the player. This is especially true if the player is not too keen on puzzles. There are also a few secrets the player must find with no hints at all. This is not as irritating as it may sound though, because the secrets are not too hard to find if youre observant and the missions small size leaves little space to hide them in.
Garrett lost most of his equipment during his attempts to get rid of the Hammerites, so at the start of the mission he has only his blackjack (and sword on normal) and a couple of scouting orbs. This is not much of a problem as there are plenty of shadowy areas to hide in, balanced by well-lit spots where good timing is needed to get past unnoticed. One thing that may annoy quite a few players is that it is impossible to advance at certain points without alerting the AI, and may mean having to wait for a bit to let them calm down.
One minor gripe is with the amount of loot. The 4000 that is needed on Expert would be a high amount for any ordinary mansion; in a small mission like this it is unbelievable. The high loot requirement on Expert also means that on that difficulty gameplay risks turning into an irritating loot hunt. Another complaint is that story-wise the mission has little to offer. However, this didn't lessen my enjoyment of this particular mission, as story was never intended to be one of its strong points. Overall, Hedgerows Hammerites is a well-made mission that provides about 20 minutes of fun.
Pros: Solid architecture in all areas; several interesting puzzles.
Cons: Not much of a story; the interesting puzzles can turn out to be frustrating.
Bottom Line: A well-made but small mission, worth the download. If you like puzzles, this is something for you.
Renault on 9/5/2017 at 18:06
Unfinished Business
Posted in Reviews, Thief 2, Series, City, Guards
June 29th, 2006 by Morrgan
A certain Cooper Barlett tried to have Garrett killed but failed. Its time for revenge. Barlett has managed to piss off the Downwind Thieves Guild as well and you have made a deal with them - kidnap Barlett and drop him off in their capable hands. However, Barlett decided it would be a good idea to go underground for a while and left the City, so you need to find him first.
Unfinished Business is the sequel to SlyFoxx's first FM called Fletchers Final Mistake. Playing that mission first gives a sense of continuity, but isn't strictly necessary as the introduction provided with the readme of Unfinished Business quickly fills you in on the previous events.
You've followed Barlett to a small town called Dunshire, so its fitting that this mission has its own style when it comes to visuals. Architecture is generally decent and detailed, although some choice and alignment of textures is questionable. Even the streets have received a fair amount of attention: many of them are uneven to walk on or consist of a pathway with raised edges. Lighting is generally used well enough, with a good balance of brightly lit areas and shadows, but the coloured lighting is way overdone in certain areas.
The missions strongest appeal is its variety of traditional gameplay styles. The layout is excellent, using all three dimensions and offering several routes to choose from as you proceed. I particularly appreciated the roof-hopping. The many options for dealing with the guards give room for variety when it comes to playing styles. Its even possible to go on a murderous rampage if that's your thing. The guards are not too difficult to avoid but still provide a decent challenge, making stealth fun even for someone as blackjack-happy as me. The goals are varied and there are also a whole four secret bonus objectives to find.
Overall though, the mission is a bit unpolished. While its a solid mission in most respects, it suffers from little technical glitches and inconsistencies (albeit ones that are easily overlooked). For example, the artefact that is the goal for one of the objectives can be dropped from the inventory, the use of ambient sounds seems a bit random, and although I got the impression that Dunshire is a small town, the sky art shows a big city.
Storywise, there's much intrigue in this small town. All the characters in the mission have their own backgrounds and motivations, and many of them are involved in tonight's events in way or another. Even the guards have names and are mentioned in readables once or twice. This kind of attention to detail is rare and commendable, but its a pity that most of the information comes in the form of diaries, which makes the presentation of the story a bit one-dimensional. The mission also suffers from a bad case of bad guy needlessly writing down incriminating information in diary, which reduces the credibility of the characters in question. This is especially an issue in the case of the judge; he of all people should really know better. Additionally, many texts seem like they are there just for the sake of the player.
Still, don't let the previous paragraph keep you from giving this mission a try, for the gameplay is certainly worth it. Unfinished Business is a fun mission to play, offering an hour or two of good thiefy entertainment. The lack of restrictions combined with the different routes to choose from should appeal to a wide range of players with different playing styles.
Notable Bugs/Problems:
Up on the rooftops you can get a long view of most of the map. In some places this can cause weirdness on your screen or even make the game crash.
There's a long conversation that starts once you get close to Barlett, but it triggered only once during the three times I played through the mission.
Although I never encountered this particular problem, some people have reported that the mission wont end for them due to the kidnap objective not ticking off.
Summary:
Pros: Fun gameplay; good use of all three dimensions to create layout with multiple ways of getting from one place to another; intrigue among the characters.
Cons: The readables have believability issues; writing could use some variation in style; odd use of textures at times.
Bottom Line: A detailed city mission, although a little rough around the edges, with an individual feel and very well-executed traditional thiefy gameplay.
Renault on 9/5/2017 at 18:08
Curse of the Hammerites
Posted in Reviews, Thief 2, Crypt, Hammerite, Guards
June 29th, 2006 by Renault
In reality, this isn't so much a mission as it is a series of walls and doors all lined up next to each other. There's no real attempt at serious architecture in this FM by Henri the Hammer, and I think the author would be the first to agree. The same goes for plot, and what little story there is seems to be based on inside jokes known only to the author himself. There are a few simple objectives, but they're pretty basic, mostly just the “steal an item” variety. One positive might be that there is a considerable amount of loot to discover, if you're into that kind of thing. A classic objective blunder is made here, however, as there is no “return to where you started” objective, which may prevent players from being able to maximize their loot count.
You'll find many different types of AI throughout the level, but they are set up so that there's not much of a challenge in defeating them. Most players can fly through this entire mission in about 30 minutes, max. The sound is pretty awful in most areas, allowing you to hear AI in adjacent sections that you probably weren't supposed to. Although I praise Henri for what appears to be his first full mission release, if youre a discriminating FM player with limited time, you probably will want to pass on this one. However, if you've got a couple of extra hours to kill, you might get a few moments of simple pleasure from Curse of the Hammerites.
Renault on 9/5/2017 at 18:11
In dubio pro Garrett
Posted in Reviews, Thief 2, Mansion, City, Sewer, Guards
June 29th, 2006 by Renault
In case you're wondering, the title of this FM translates to “giving the accused the benefit of the doubt.” I have to admit, I'm not completely sure how that applies to this FM created by the team of Dainem and MH.TheFreak, but it sounds cool. These guys have released an entertaining mission that provides a nice jaunt through The City and should keep the player busy for over an hour, at least. The story is quite good with a couple of fun twists, and the player is given a generous variety of tasks to complete along the way. There is some treachery in the air tonight, and of course Garrett is caught right in the middle, as usual.
The layout of the mission is good, with several key locations to check out, including a mansion, sewer, police station, and some standard City streets. Architecturally, things could have been a bit more diverse and creative; there are far too many right angles in the mission and most of the buildings are the same height. A little variety would have enhanced the atmosphere, but that's not to say that you wont enjoy the journey. There is some custom texturing apparent here, but overall the mission doesn't look that different from whats in the standard Thief2 package AI placement is good, and will provide a nice challenge, especially if you play on hard (5 KOs) or expert (ghost). Sound was decent throughout, except for one specific area when we are treated to a sort of techno soundtrack, which I personally found annoying (but maybe you wont). Still, there's lots to do and explore here, and the mission will definitely keep you moving. Just a side note, I had to laugh near the beginning, as you overhear a shorted version of a conversation from Thief2, where one woman states “The City Watch are all over the place!” Funny thing is, they aren't. In fact, they're nowhere to be found except in the Police station.
The only “deal killer” with this FM was that I wasn't able to complete the mission on “hard” when I returned to my starting point. This might be a glitch on my particular system as I did not see it mentioned on the TTLG forums. Even so, if you're able to make it this far, it likely wont spoil the satisfaction and fun you'll have in getting there.
Renault on 9/5/2017 at 18:14
The Haunting
Posted in Reviews, Thief 2, Mansion, Contest
June 28th, 2006 by Ganac
Revenge for murder.
This mission is one of a kind. Not only do you not play a thief, but you dont even play Garrett. You are a ghost, and you are going to do what ghosts do best.
A man has been offering a lot of money to buy your home, but since you love this house, you are not going to give it up. His offers become higher and higher, until they become threats.
These threats lead you to a gaping chest wound in the middle of a back alley. He quickly moves in and steals your home. Now, as you find yourself a ghost, you will do anything to get him out.
In this mission, there are so many things a ghost can do in this house. I would leave it up to the player to find all of them.
There is a lot of new and custom textures, scripts, and things never seen in an FM before. Its worth a laugh the first time around, although it does get a bit tedious after awhile.
My only real complaint that there could have been more in this mission, for example, hallucinations, flying books, falling pots, etc. But the best part is, you can walk through walls!
If you want a different taste for Thief, I would highly recommend this FM.
Nameless Voice submitted this for Komag's Contest 5.
Happy Haunting!
Renault on 9/5/2017 at 18:16
Reflections
Posted in Reviews, Thief 2, Mansion, Outdoors, Guards, Underground
February 28th, 2007 by Renault
You probably don't want to wander into this FM looking too hard for a plot. That really isn't Ricebug's intention anyway with his recent release, Reflections. As anyone could figure out by the title, this level is more of a showcase for some fancy reflective effects, seen throughout the mission in water, shiny floors, and furniture surfaces. And they are impressive, if not a bit overdone (I know, that's the point). In order to avoid releasing a pure demo, the author did at least make an attempt to insert a minimal story, some loot, and a few hidden areas to keep the player interested beyond just the fancy effects. Overall, you should be able to wrap this one up in just under an hour. There's an amusing area that not-so-subtly takes a swing at bad dromed mission practices, including weak plots (oh the irony), and this just confirms that Reflections isn't meant to be taken very seriously. The players best bet is to know this going in, and just enjoy the scenery.
Renault on 9/5/2017 at 18:18
Dracula Part 4: The Darkthrone
Posted in Reviews, Thief 2, Campaign, Mansion, Crypt, Outdoors, Undead, Mages
February 25th, 2007 by Renault
This is a fantastic FM put together by Sensut, fourth in the Dracula series, and in my opinion, the best of the series to date. Truth be told, there's not much to criticize here, and one has to wonder where the author is finding time to put out such quality FMs so frequently. Seriously, this mission has it all - a strong (albeit confusing) plot, a huge detailed castle to explore, dark moody music to accompany the theme, some technical wizardry fully integrated with the story, and plenty of custom material to please the eyes. This fairly long level will take a good 2-3 hours to complete, and while the primary setting is the aforementioned castle, the path to get there is very intriguing and spooky in itself. Sensut has obviously put a lot of time and effort into this FM, and it shows in multiple areas. The Dracula series was originally a bit of a departure from the standard Thief setting, but The Darkthrone brings the player back a bit closer to the origins of Thief. I think the only downside here may be that there is too much to live up to when we finally see the next installment.
Back to the plot - it is a perplexing one. Ill admit when I got to the end of this mission, I wanted to say what did I just do there? Part of this originates from not having played the previous three chapters recently, but I think another part is the authors extreme enthusiasm for the material. He probably knows the story so well in his head that he forgets sometimes that the player does not. Even so, this is a extremely minor criticism, and the player can still achieve a great sense of accomplishment without knowing the intricate details of the storyline. All in all, this is one of the best FMs to come out in the past year, and should be on any fans short list of levels to play.
