IAmTheWalrus on 8/4/2018 at 12:02
A thread to rank official Thief levels from the original trilogy of games. NO fan missions. You can provide a sentence describing why you ranked the level the rank you did, but please leave it to a single line as the comments will already be large enough if all of the game's levels will be included. You can also rank in whatever way you like, be it out of 5, 10, 100, whatever. You can also order them best to worst if you wish.
Thief the Dark Project/Gold - 5/5 - Easily my favourite game in the series. I love the supernatural, and the level design is by far the best in the series. Not too complicated, but very detailed and fun to play.
1. A Keeper's Training - 1/5 - It's just a training level so it doesn't really matter, but I do think it could have been better anyway. It doesn't look anything like any keeper facility we some from other games.
2. Lord Bafford's Manor - 5/5 - A brilliant introductory level. Very, very replayable even though it's quite small. Perhaps the perfect first level.
3. Break from Cragscleft Prison - 3/5 - It's a lot of fun but it's not a great design to roam about, and not setting alarms off is quite a task. You can work around that, but what's really annoying is freeing Basso.
4. Down In the Bonehoard - 4/5 - The atmospheric in this game is nigh unmatched, and this level is filled with it. Lots of interesting exploration, and blowing up zombies is lots of fun.
5. Assassins - 4.5/5 - One of the best straight thieving missions in the series. Awesome intro that last as long as it should, with a great break in and case the place setup.
6. Thieves' Guild - 2.5/5 - I quite enjoy it, and I actually don't mind the huge size, it's just that if you don't do it in a specific order there's a lot of pointless running around and infuriating backtracking.
7. The Sword - 5/5 - My favourite level in the whole series. This level is genius, and absolutely mind-blowing. It's a masterpiece of level design if you ask me. Stuff the series, maybe my favourite level of any game.
8. The Haunted Cathedral - 5/5 - Almost as good as The Sword. The best example of Thief's superb atmosphere. It's low-key horror at its very finest, and exploring a haunted town is just incredible to play.
9. The Mage Towers - 4.5/5 - A very different atmosphere to the rest of the missions, but also unmatched. Cool enemies and a unique concept of casing 4 different towers with different gameplay elements. Amazing.
10. The Lost City - 4/5 - Sniping flame balls is enjoyable, but it's somewhat confusing. Large with multiple interesting areas to loot.
11. Song of the Caverns - 3/5 - Another amazing intro to a level but it's not amazing. Still a lot of fun to loot, though, like every mission in the game, it's just the layout's uninteresting.
12. Undercover - 1.5/5 - It's good once, but it's a gimmick that doesn't make for any good replayability whatsoever.
13. Return to the Cathedral - 4.5/5 - The cathedral part of the haunted cathedral series. Again, impeccably good atmosphere. The only very slightly annoying aspect of the mission is collecting the 2 bodies.
14. Escape! - 4/5 - I once thought this mission was legitimately the worst mission ever made. One day, about 4 playthroughs in, it finally clicked for me. Lots of fun with an awesome environment.
15. Strange Bedfellows - 3.5/5 - Monster hunting is the least enjoyable aspect of Thief, but it's still fun and there' still a lot of stealth here. Another cool environment.
16. Into the Maw of Chaos - 2/5 - I do like it, it's just very short and not a lot of stealth or fighting. More environment exploring, which Thief does brilliantly, and this is yet another awesome environment.
Average rating: 3.56
Thief II: The Metal Age - 4/5 - A disappointing sequel in my eyes. Still one of the best games ever made, however. I thought it was equal to Gold the first time but now definitely not. Level design is weak.
1. Running Interference - 4/5 - Probably the weakest intro level in the series, and it's still really damn good. Pure stealth in a basic residential environment. Burnin' and a lootin' tonight.
2. Shipping... and Receiving - 3/5 - Wow, this level is tedious, which is admittedly how I feel about a lot of this game. It's still great, with some brilliant story telling and world building. Just not amazing.
3. Framed - 4.5/5 - Not being able to knock anyone out makes this level unique, difficult and a ton of stealthy fun. One of the best examples in the game of its awesome story telling.
4. Ambush! - 2/5 - Look, it's not the worst thing in the world, but it's not fun. Barely any looting to do, and exploring the city is confusing with few landmarks to help. Really needed more explorable buildings.
5. Eavesdropping - 2.5/5 - Another example of cool story telling, and the use of undead is well done, but it's another one that isn't much fun to replay, with this one being due to its small size.
6. First City Bank and Trust - 5/5 - At first I despised this level, but damn is it a joy. My favourite level in the game. Huge and intricate. Also the difficulty is perfect.
7. Blackmail - 4/5 - Cool intro but an annoying break-in. Lots of stuff to explore and loot to loot and another good use of the undead. The top floor isn't much fun, though.
8. Trace the Courier - 1/5 - What a snooze fest. There's a reason this concept was only used as an intro the Assassins from the first game. Not enjoyable in the slightest, and managing to get all the loot is tough.
9. Trail of Blood - 2/5 - The levels in Thief 2 might be larger, but most of them are far more linear imo. Great environment, but each step forward being tiny stealth arenas does not make up for good gameplay.
10. Life of the Party - 2.5/5 - The most overrated level I've ever played. Its size is more novel than anything, as it's mostly empty. The main issue is the watchtower itself which just isn't much fun to infiltrate.
11. Precious Cargo - 4/5 - Beautiful atmosphere that's almost comparable with Gold and DS stuff. Interesting secrets and decent layout. Not much to loot though, and the submarine isn't fun to infiltrate.
12. Kidnap - 1/5 - The second worse level in the game, but more annoying. It's difficult, it's incredibly tedious, it's just a massive chore.
13. Casing the Joint - 0.5/5 - An average level with a mind-numbingly dull environment, but in itself is quite fun. I gave it a 0.5 for butchering any enjoyment in the superior next mission by being the same thing.
14. Masks - 3.5/5 - This is far superior to the previous, but is ruined by how pointless the previous level is and replaying almost the same thing but better is incredibly frustrating. It makes no sense for the lasttoexist
15. Sabotage at Soulforge - N/A - 138 hours on base game and I've never once finished this. It's huge and incredibly difficult and after the last 3 terrible levels I have little desire to play anymore by this point.
Average: 3.46
Thief: Deadly Shadows - 4.5/5 - The perfect blend of Thief 2's straight thievery and Gold's heavier focus on looting and supernatural. Infinitely better than its predecessor, but the citylacks and more levelsare needed.
1. Checking Inn, Cashing Out - 1.5/5 - About on par with Gold's training level, but gets half a point more for better atmosphere. Boring and uninteresting. Not a bad intro, though.
2. End of the Bloodline - 5/5 - Also almost equal to Gold's first mission. Very big intro level. Great storytelling, level design and atmosphere.
3. Into the Pagan Sanctuary - 4.5/5 - I want to give it a 5 but it's not quite perfect. Thief's unmatched atmosphere is back for sure, baby, and although the Pagan's voices peeve me off this is damn fine in every way.
4. St. Edgar's Eve - 4.5/5 - Straight looting mission again. This time, Hammerite theme. Great to explore, very large and ultimately a ton of fun.
5. House of the Widow Moira - 5/5 - The soundtrack is phenomenal, and yet again, atmosphere encapsulating. Another cool intro, lots to loot, and interesting objectives with a little unique moral choice. Cool, cool.
6. The Sunken Citadel - 3.5/5 - The weakest level in DS, and I still like it more than the vast majority of Thief 2's levels. Not amazing, and a little odd admittedly, but still quite good.
7. Killing Time - 4/5 - Short, small, but still really great. Could have been better, though.
8. Of Brethren and Betrayers - 4/5 - Short, small, but still really great. Could have been better, though. Yes, same complaints as the previous level, and about on par.
9. Robbing the Cradle - 5/5 - The infamous horrific Thief level. This one always takes me by far the longest to complete in the series. The scares ware off somewhat quickly, but the atmosphere stays enriching.
10. Still Life with Blackjack - 4/5 - A great straight thievery level, but relies on too many nostalgia tricks and is ridiculously glitchy. Fix the glitches and it might have been a classic.
The City: A letdown. Small and confined, but some places shine especially later on and there are some truly awesome moments to be found such as Gamall and the Keepers. I would've traded it in for more levels, tho
Average: 4.1
zajazd on 10/4/2018 at 07:07
Thief The Dark Project 10/10 the best game ever after Deus Ex, the sequels not so good :p
IAmTheWalrus on 10/4/2018 at 08:40
I knew this would happen, I knew it would be the very first comment. Thing is, neither of these are still active. One is from 2016, and is only regarding Thief Gold, and one is from 2002, so Thief DS isn't even included there. This is also more specific and slightly different than the others, and there are many new Thief players every year. Comments like these are annoying. Stop it.
IAmTheWalrus on 10/4/2018 at 10:01
Quote Posted by Starker
If you knew it, why didn't you link to those threads yourself? They are quite relevant, don't you think?
Also, so what if they are not active? The information in them is still good.
No, because if people wanted to speak then they would've. And if I'm creating a new thread on basically the same topic, why would I link people to other threads? People get annoyed when necro, and they get annoyed when same thread. I only knew of the 2016 one.
The information may be fine, sure, but like I already explained, there are many new players who haven't gotten the chance to say their own.
I just don't get why it's even a problem and why you felt like mentioning it. Who cares if it's been talked about twice within 18 years. Does it matter?
IAmTheWalrus on 10/4/2018 at 10:02
Quote Posted by zajazd
Thief The Dark Project 10/10 the best game ever after Deus Ex, the sequels not so good :p
I love both sequels, especially Deadly Shadows. I can agree with the rating and it being second only to the masterpiece that is Deus Ex though.
Starker on 10/4/2018 at 10:41
You know what, screw it. You can delete your posts and then there won't be these dreadful links in your precious thread.
zajazd on 10/4/2018 at 11:10
Quote Posted by IAmTheWalrus
I love both sequels, especially Deadly Shadows. I can agree with the rating and it being second only to the masterpiece that is Deus Ex though.
T2 was one of the biggest disappointments in gaming for me, the level design was so plain, it went from masterpiece in T1 to mediocrity in T2, and I didn't dig the mechanists at all, and there was hardly any atmosphere unlike T1 with atmosphere that you could cut with a knife, I still have sour taste after all these years, but the fan missions make up for it I guess.
Deadly Shadows was good but didn't feel like a Thief game to me.
Haplo on 11/4/2018 at 03:41
Interestingly, Soulforge is my absolute favourite OM. I loved the 3D nature of it and how all the parts connected to each others (this is why I'm a big fan of JIS's missions too). It is challenging, but it is fun. I have finished it many times and successfully ghosted it on expert (except for the turret room...what a room!).
Proliffia on 11/4/2018 at 04:08
zajazd, what do you think it was that set Thief 1 so far above 2 in terms of atmosphere?
zajazd on 11/4/2018 at 10:12
Everything, but I guess level design and visual style the main things. Compare the first missions of both games - Bafford's Manor is a masterpiece, while the other (I don't even remember the name) is some generic half basement.