Thief Review

An exciting return, 14 years later.

Version tested PC, PS4

Square-Enix has decided to entrust the studio Eidos-Montreal, in addition to the Deus Ex brand, also the reboot of the Thief, popular stealth video game, the last episode of which (Deadly Shadows) was released in 2000. After a wait of 14 years we can therefore return to play the role of Garrett, thief who returns to steal in the city without a name. A flop, a good play or a great return? The work done by Eidos Montreal deserves to be analyzed from top to bottom.

A great comeback

Thief it bases its foundations in a plot that is not exactly original, but nevertheless stimulating, which convinces the player to go on for its entire duration. The Baron keeps "The City" in check and Garrett's return to this place turns into a mission to free the citizens and the city from the terrible tyrant who has starved the population. Therefore, despite a decidedly non-original plot, the game redeems itself precisely for the first-person involvement of those who will guide the Thief for his main and secondary adventures and missions. Unfortunately, there are some narrative holes that do not help the nature of the title. Despite everything, you continue to play just and exclusively for the sake of continuing step by step.  

Stealth Approved 

The biggest problem with Eidos Montreal was not displeasing the original fan base of the saga. After 14 years, in fact, and given the not exciting return of another rather anticipated video game like Duke Nukem 3D, the choices of the Canadian software house had to be as much in line as possible with those who had never abandoned the love for Garrett. The mission was 75% successful, in favor of a stealth title that proves to be functional in this respect. In fact, there will be many situations where we will be forced to arm ourselves with all our patience. Every beam of light or noise, even the smallest and most irrelevant of them, would lead us straight to the possibility of being discovered by enemies and therefore find us running away or fighting. And it is precisely on the combat system that we must be clear: very spartan and not very overwhelming, we must however both remember that we are not playing Assassin's Creed or GTA or Skyrim, but rather that for all the 8/10 hours that will take away the campaign we are impersonating a simple thief, who has no experience in combat which therefore takes place in a decidedly superficial form. Despite everything, if the combat component has been neglected in favor of a very high identification we are happy: Garrett will in fact be able to turn off the light sources, lean out, break in silently and skillfully, thus making us real high-class thieves. A prerogative that is certainly apt and functional.

The real problems, however, arise later: the AI ​​is not very consistent and very often we found ourselves in dangerous situations after a minimum of movement and it was enough to hide well and take advantage of the dark areas to make sure that the NPCs in very little time went away, as if nothing had happened. In addition we find (as already specified at the beginning) a narrative and a plot not really at the highest levels and finally, this we regret to say, the title has a stealth soul as good and bad as the previous ones, but unfortunately it follows the basic path of these generations: to meet, albeit to a much lesser extent than other games, also the new groups of players and people who are approaching the brand for the first time. Five years of gestation of the title certainly did not help in this sense.  

Who really needs powerful graphics

Another element that is very dear to the players is certainly the graphic design and the technical sector of the game. The graphics and the technique in general are very well done and offer the player very clean and above all alive environments. The steampunk level design that has always characterized the saga is set aside a little to favor a setting that they are not afraid to define as Victorian. Having said that, however, ancient elements are mixed very well with some of the future immediately following. Therefore, for those looking for Thief not only a stealth game but also steampunk and ukrainian elements will not be 100% satisfied. Sore point the dubbing in Spanish, much lower than the English one that will surely give you more joy.  

Final comment

Thief it is really difficult to evaluate: it is in fact a very welcome return on many fronts. The problems that afflict the title are not the fault of its nature, but rather of biblical development times and a generational change of gamers. A problem for which there is no remedy but only a palliative and Thief is just that title that was needed. Stealth, with a high degree of challenge, a level design and technical sector promoted with flying colors, a very stable and solid gameplay that never collapses and a longevity of 10 hours for the main campaign and about 20 hours for 100% completion puts players in front of a choice, especially next-gen ones: to continue waiting for a new IP for Xbox One or PS4 or to immediately invest money on the new jewel of Eidos Montreal? The answer is certainly the second. With all due respect to those waiting for other titles.

Thief's vote cannot therefore be assembled only on some textures or on the solidity of the plot and the involvement, but on the return of one of the pillars of the genre, which is reconfirmed, and in the immersion in Garrett.