ToolFan2007 on 8/7/2008 at 17:39
I was upset with what Ion Storm did with the original Thief mechanics by changing the sequel into something which appeared so console-like.
This weekend I re-installed the game on my PC and downloaded a texture pack and some mods which improved the graphics and fixed a number of irritating bugs. The Vanilla actually shipped with the most ridiculous bug in history - if you saved the game anywhere the enemy AI defaulted to Normal difficulty! I would have been very irritated if I was an XBox gamer.
As well as adding on to the traditional Thief gameplay, Deadly Shadows had much smaller maps but were rich in detail and added a very fun and practical feature that allowed you to navigate the city in between levels, pick up free goodies, and instigate fights between friendly factions. This was all totally superficial but always exciting. There are some really entertaining fights you can start if you want a good laugh wandering the city.
The sound is also of incredible quality, especially the mansion by the sea level and The Cradle
I also would say although the FMV from the original games was FAR better, Deadly Shadows has the greater storyline. Players could also choose to not read the hundreds of scripts and scrolls littered throughout the game which added to the story and immersion.
To me the Vanilla is slightly shy of becoming the best in the series, but add a few mods and this is a perfect send-off for the Thief series.
So yeah, I think Thief Deadly Shadows is massively under-rated. There are few games of this quality on offer today. It's a first-person game with heart and does it better than anything which has come out since, Oblivion included.
I don't care if a Thief 4 doesn't come out, I love the series way too much as it is.
Kin on 8/7/2008 at 20:08
I believe the major mistake developers made with TDS is they restrained the freedom in the game with 3 major ways 1. creating loading zones(less space for exploration), 2. no swimable water (less space for exploration), 3. no rope arrows (again less less ways for exploration).
This is it. You can't imagine what changes in gameplay and story could be made from developers if those 3 things where correctly build in the game.
Then i believe the game would be far better.
If thief 4 is in developement i hope they build an engine from scratch because only then it will be original and could cover the needs of a demanding game like thief.
P.S. Ah and of course an easy to use editor is what the community needs. Then i will maybe start making missions:)
nicked on 8/7/2008 at 20:21
Just use Dromed. That's easy.
BAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!
pavlovscat on 8/7/2008 at 20:56
Taken on its own and not compared to T1 & T2, TDS is a good game. If I had never played the first two, I would have loved it. Unfortunately, the immersion and story line were not what they were in either T1 or T2 which are IMO far superior games. I am glad to see more TDS FMs being released which feel more like the earlier games.
If there is a T4, I can only hope that they give up on the console hybridization and go back to the idea of a game made for pcs so that they can use the flexibility of pcs to create a truly Thiefy experience. The modern graphic abilities combined with the compelling game play of T1 & T2 would make a fabulous game.
TheGrimSmile on 9/7/2008 at 01:47
TDS is a pretty amazing game, if you hadn't played the first two.
HOWEVER; the problem is, TDS caught the attention of people who had played the first two games. It didn't get a whole lot of attention in the advertisement department, so not a whole lot of people heard about it, or maybe not as much as needed to cure the dissapointed peoples of the Thief universe.
The thing is, I liked a lot of parts about TDS, but the errors seemed to be glaringly obvious due to the charming simplicity of the first two games.
It's harsh on TDS, but it just shows how devoted us Thief fans are!
First Keeper on 9/7/2008 at 02:17
I quite enjoyed TDS, before it came out i had already played TMA to death! and i couldn't get hold of a copy of thief gold until much later. So i when i bought and played DS it filled the void for me and i think the game carried the storyline of the series quite well, i liked how the Hammerites had come back into power and i wanted to know all about them as i hand't played TDP.
However i recently finished playing through TG and i thoght that the Sunken Citadel level in DS was nothing more than a modified version of The Lost City levels in the first two games, i think they could have made the Kurshock world much more unique and different to me they just added some fish and rat monsters, chucked a couple of pagans and a shiny crown into it and there you go. But that's just my thought what does everyone else think?
Gambit on 9/7/2008 at 03:26
TDS can be a disapointment in the start if you played the first two games.
The main problem is the engine (limited map size, no rope arrows, no water), some design decisions (atomic blue background), and a less fluid movement.
However once you get past these things the game slowly starts growing on you. You actually want to know how the saga will end. The Cradle alone is what makes the game all worth it.
theBlackman on 9/7/2008 at 05:49
Underrated for what it is. What it isn't is THIEF with the challenges and excitement.
ToolFan2007 on 9/7/2008 at 07:34
I don't like this comment which goes like; "good game on it's own if you haven't played the original two games".
I have played the original two games. Almost immediately after they came out.
What was it that you didn't like? Yeah, the levels are smaller. Yeah, there are more changes. Yes, Ion Storm could have done a much better job of the bug fixing. But there are some new features in this game which expand the series even more.
And the storyline is on par with the original games, IMO even more so. What is so bad about it? Were you expecting Thief 2.5?
