Neb on 16/4/2010 at 02:48

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I've just completed Deadly Shadows for the first time in years, and approached it as a fun game rather than a Thief sequel. It was worse than I remembered.

Maybe this was down to the terrible controls, but my favourite moments were finding readables. The pacing is so monotonous that most of the levels are beyond dull. There are no puzzles, and because there is a constant trickle of resistance, there is little reward or thrill for completing an objective.

The overall pacing increases after the Enforcers are released, but the 'epic' city battles quickly descend into silliness. Apart from street navigation becoming erratic and tedious, it was really sad seeing the Enforcers butchered so quickly by the city watch and then later listening to Keepers arguing that they couldn't be used to dispatch Gamall, because she is practically invulnerable.

Why did I have to meet a fence in The Old Quarter, only to find his/her note telling me to go home, only to find another note telling me to go back to the area that I was originally in?

Between the Enforcers going berserk, Lauryl scaring all of The Old Quarter, and those stone golems going berserk, what the hell was happening in Stonemarket Proper? Mages fighting Pagans fighting everyone, while women pirates (I'm not certain) happily fight The Watch and Pagans and Mages. I know that the devs probably wanted to play factions out against each other, but that was just stupid.

My favourite moment was oiling the peer at The Docks and watching Gamall's lumbering body slip into the prison-inducing waters.

It's been really interesting to play through to the end for a second time, but I'm not convinced that it's even a great game apart from the Thief series. I enjoyed it a lot more when I begrudgingly gave it a chance as a sequel.

Beleg Cúthalion on 16/4/2010 at 08:43

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Did I get this right, you liked TDS more as a Thief sequel than as a fun game...?! Are there any stealthy fun games?