Thief 2014? Did anybody like it? Possibly worth playing?

[AppleBlade]

I've been playing catchup with games I missed from last gen. I have found that many games that I was interested in but skipped due to reviews I ended up liking more than the reviews suggested (i.e. The Order 1886, Quantum Break) when I went back to it.

Another game that I was interested in at the time of release was Thief 2014. However the reviews were so bad that I just skipped. Well I just purchased it for $3 during a sale and now it's time to decide if it's worth my time. I've been playing a lot of shooting, racing and action games and think that Thief might be a nice change of pace. I remember the art style and atmosphere of the game very much appealed to me at the time. I'm a big fan of dishonored, if that means anything.

Any chance I might actually like this game.

 

[Javier23]

You'd honestly be much better off playing literally any other game in the series. The first two are true classics that withstand the passage of time perfectly well and will run on a toaster.

 

[Deleted member 19626]

It was enjoyable at parts but it wasn't good, I also remember a horror section I wasn't a fan of. The story wasn't engaging and the thief sections felt like playing a thief in Skyrim more then a game built around it

 

[spineduke]

I found it middling. Not great, but not terrible either. I didn't really like how they moved away from the more open ended levels, everything is just far more hand holdy.

 

[Mushlikeahusky]

I'd recommend playing dishonored if you haven't . I played this game and it wasn't as miserable as people make it out to be if you can get it for 10 bucks or so then it's worth trying but nothing to write home about

 

[FanZeroEx]

It's an OK game just did not live up to the expectations because the first two games were so good.

 

[Deleted member 13798]

This is a weird critique, but I honestly think it released too early. If it came out later in the generation, you'd probably have an experience a little bit more like Dishonored, more open sandbox levels to sneak and steal in.

I really haven't played it since around release so my memories are a bit foggy on it, but I recall liking some elements of the plot, but overall the game is kind of boring. if you like sneaking in thieving, that's what you can do, and that in and of itself is fine, it just doesn't have a lot of engaging features to it and the relatively small sections hurt it quite a bit.

If you can get it for five dollars like I've often seen it on sale for I'd say it's worth giving a try if it in anyway interests you. I wouldn't by any stretch call it a bad game, But the first two games and to some degree the third are classics and despite them being dated in appearance I think they are more engaging and fun to play.

 

[DeadeyeNull]

If you already own it then sure. It's not awful, just worse then the original games.

 

[Hoggle]

I enjoyed it at launch, but I tweaked the difficulty and turned off all the hints and combat.

 

[spam musubi]

Not only is it a terrible game, it's also really buggy (there are many videos of this as it happened very commonly)

 

[Fizie]

I went in with pretty low expectations and enjoyed it.

 

[FliX]

I went in with pretty low expectations and enjoyed it.

Click to shrink...

Same, I remember it being ok. I've even been thinking of replaying it because of a Thief video essay recently.
Obviously not Thief 1/2... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[barbarash22]

I really liked it, but it has it's problems, especially in the hub areas (wrong spatial audio, you can' jump freely, etc.).

The levels are pretty good.
The asylum level is a must play imho.

 

[KDC720]

I tired playing it a few months back and sort of dropped it. It wasn't terrible or anything, but it's just so unremarkable.

I think I will go back to it at some point, but I totally went in with proper expectations. It's nowhere near the quality of the older Thief games or even something like Dishonored.

 

[Buff Beefbroth]

The visuals are neat, and you can turn off a lot of the handholdy stuff, but it's still kind of bland and repetitive. Only play it if you think you might like the setting for the 7 or so hour running time.

 

[KORNdog]

It's a pretty good stealth game to be honest. Just a pretty bad thief game.

 

[Aaron D.]

Download the Game | The Dark Mod

www.thedarkmod.com

I thought Thi4f was alright. Doesn't reach the highs of the earlier titles, but it's not too shabby either.

The biggest downfall was the cringy main characters trying too hard to be edgy. Levels felt kinda partitioned as well. But outside of that it was fine.

If you're looking for a more modernized take on the Thief formula, you might want to look into The Dark Mod if you're on PC.

It's a total conversion standalone mod that is completely free, featuring dozens of super-high quality fan made levels. Many of which feature full mini-stories with multiple chapters.

After you install and populate the Missions download page, you can sort by most popular that will give you a quick indication of the best ones. Here's some leads.

 

[Legacy]

You'd honestly be much better off playing literally any other game in the series. The first two are true classics that withstand the passage of time perfectly well and will run on a toaster.

Click to shrink...

.

 

[Mau]

It wasn't bad if you want to be objective about it. But as a super fan of the series it most certainly does not deliver.

Oh man Thief was everything to me back when I was a teen. I remember browsing and posting on a forum for Looking Glass games, obsessing about when Thief 3 (deadly shadows) would be announced.

 

[Duxxy3]

I liked it (til the end boss), but then again that was a point in time where I had no money and got the game free. I don't really remember much of the game.

 

[Sprat]

The only thing I can remember is that it has an obscene amount of loading screens for simple things like climbing out of a window or opening a door.

 

[Fiery Phoenix]

I never played the originals but I really liked it. My biggest issue with it was the loading screens, though.

 

[Cryoteck]

Where the originals were more open ended I their level design, Thief 2014 is much more linear and feels very different. I do think the open hub world had some potential for the future of the series though from a structural perspective.

 

[Chibs]

I remember enjoying it quite a bit actually, but I know I'm in the minority on that one.

 

[Gavalanche]

I just found it boring. Its okay, I didn't hate it, its just... I dunno, just boring. I am not often bored with a game, I usually like it or not like it, but I have no lasting impression of Thief 2014 other then that.

Its probably worth a shot for $3 though.

 

[Erpy]

I actually enjoyed it quite a bit and the game has a large amount of customization options so you can play the way you like it.

 

[Oneself]

It might be playable on PC but on consoles performance is quite bad. Also, it's the worst Thief game and especially after playing (the infinitely superior) Dishonored, you should just skip it.

 

[Liam Allen-Miller]

I worked on the game for about the last year and a half and even I'd say it's pretty mixed! It really has its moments- the Asylum and Bank Heist levels in particular are two levels that had an extended development time (surviving from an earlier iteration of the game) and they really shine. Pretty much every other level was made in part or in whole within the last year or so as far as I recall. I think we're all pretty proud that it managed to ship out as good as it did considering the state it was in around a year before launch.

 

[Tremorah]

I remember buying it on release and couldnt finish it, too boring and buggy

 

[Mau]

I worked on the game for about the last year and a half and even I'd say it's pretty mixed! It really has its moments- the Asylum and Bank Heist levels in particular are two levels that had an extended development time (surviving from an earlier iteration of the game) and they really shine. Pretty much every other level was made in part or in whole within the last year or so as far as I recall. I think we're all pretty proud that it managed to ship out as good as it did considering the state it was in around a year before launch.

Click to shrink...

:O

That's crazy to hear. It's nice to read stuff like this.

Did you play the previous games in the series?

 

[Z-Brownie]

i would suggest you play dishonored instead. Both are similar, but thief is buggier and not a great game in general.

 

[Liam Allen-Miller]

:O

That's crazy to hear. It's nice to read stuff like this.

Did you play the previous games in the series?

Click to shrink...

Only a little bit of the first two when I was much younger- but I was on the compliance team anyhow, not in much of a creative position. Still, it was easily my biggest contribution to a game of this scope and I'm very proud of the work I did!

 

[SuperRaddy]

i liked it to be honest, might not be as good as the originals but was enjoyable on my og xbox one back in the day.

 

[GrahamGoring]

It's... not great.

1) Many levels are overly linear rather than about exploring spaces organically.
2) Makes the actual thieving almost optional (whereas in the original you had to steal X loot to even complete a level).
3) The interaction animations are too long (all the actions feel laborious, like in the Metro games).
4) You can see how troubled the development in the latter stages with some real continuity errors between the rendered scenes and the actual levels.
5) Getting around the city becomes a real slog compared to the comparable stages in Thief 3.
6) Garret's hands are psychic. This is a total nitpick, but I couldn't help notice that when you open a draw with something in it to steal versus an empty one, the animation is different before the draw is even opened.
7) On the plus side, there are good bits, but they're in amongst a lot of not good bits.

 

[Bony Manifesto]

I thought it was fine. I didn't love it, but I thought the violent rage that Gamers had -- and still have -- towards it was incredibly overblown. I think it's problem was that it did that familiar thing of taking a popular hardcore franchise, and tried to bring it to a wider audience by streamlining it, filing down the rough edges, and adding AAA production value. "Look at the critical and commercial success of Bioshock" I'm sure somebody said in the pitch meeting.

 

[Theorry]

Funny enough its the only Games with Gold game i finished haha.
It was overall fine. Started doing everything. But after a while i just followed the story. And i remember i enjoyed my time with it.

 

[spam musubi]

I thought it was fine. I didn't love it, but I thought the violent rage that Gamers had -- and still have -- towards it was incredibly overblown. I think it's problem was that it did that familiar thing of taking a popular hardcore franchise, and tried to bring it to a wider audience by streamlining it, filing down the rough edges, and adding AAA production value. "Look at the critical and commercial success of Bioshock" I'm sure somebody said in the pitch meeting.

Click to shrink...

"filing down the tough edges and adding AAA production value" is a very ironic thing to say about this game when it was clearly unfinished, buggy and generally just janky.

 

[Matzpxl]

I liked it a lot back in the day... because I didn't played the originals. After playing them, yes, it is the worse in the series. Still fun, tho

 

[Bony Manifesto]

"filing down the tough edges and adding AAA production value" is a very ironic thing to say about this game when it was clearly unfinished, buggy and generally just janky.

Click to shrink...

Maybe it was because I played it on PC a couple of months after release, but I never felt it was particularly buggy or janky. The AAA veneer was a bit thin in places though, I admit!

 

[dex3108]

I liked it and Asylum level was amazing for me :P Yes there are tons of loading screens due to segmented map but overall i enjoyed the game and i wouldn't mind to see sequel to that story.

 

[kurahador]

It's an extremely generic PS3/X360 game. If you know nothing about Thief franchise and how it plays, you'll find enjoyment out of it.

 

[SRTtoZ]

It has it's moments but you can tell towards the end that it was in a rush to be done so the ending is a complete joke tbh.

 

[FallenGrace]

I tried to convince myself I was enjoying it but saw through my own lies and quit it halfway through.

 

[Shock32]

I really enjoyed the atmosphere and city a bunch and ended up plat'ing the game. And there's one section of the game that goes legit scary.

 

[eXistor]

There's some good bits, but mostly it's a frustrating mess. Whoever designed the hub needs a good smack in the face.

 

[Yossarian]

Have you played Dishonored? It's a similar sort of deal done orders of magnitude better.

 

[ClamBuster]

I tried to convince myself I was enjoying it but saw through my own lies and quit it halfway through.

Click to shrink...

i love honest opinions like this

bravo

 

[CatAssTrophy]

I actually quite enjoyed my time with it and I think a lot of the poor reception was from people that played the previous Thief games, unlike myself.

If you play it as just some game some people made called Thief it's not too bad and I think it's worth $10 or less tbh. As soon as you start looking at it as being a part of a highly regarded series then it falls short.

 

[BratmanDu]

As a long time thief fan, I though it was just ok - the hub world and traversing it becomes tedious as you have to avoid the same set of enemies between every mission.

The missions themselves are alright, though not as good as previous entries. More linear as folks have said.

 

[talecrafter]

It's a "glass half full or half empty" situation.

Are you gonna be disappointed it's not as good as the first Thief games or Dishonored, or will you be happy about having another stealth game? Because the core gameplay works just as good as ever or at least good enough, in my opinion, and you don't get a lot of these games.