Thief™ Gold

I would probably give a middling review if you could, but this game, as it stands, deserves a non-recommend due to how frustrating and exhausting it is.

Firstly I was playing with TFlite and did the hardest possible difficulties since the higher difficulties give you more objectives to do so it felt the intended way to play.

The good:
Some levels are clearly well thought out and are interesting, such as return to haunted cathedral, lord baffords house and the one with the 4 towers.
Sneaking mechanics are generally servicable, nothing too ground breaking though.
Cutscenes and overall story is pretty good.
The architecture of some levels is pretty cool (Although dated).
No quest objectives, static maps etc. demand you to pay attention to your mission and what you're looking for making it more immersive.
Garrett

The bad:
Tons of levels in this game are just downright confusing. Lots of things look the same so you'll end up getting lost... A LOT.
Some of the objectives to complete a level are moronic. The best example I can bring to mind is the one where you sneak into a hammerite temple dressed as one of them. To complete the level you have to find 5 levers that are strewn about the level with 2 of them seemingly having no cohesive reason for their locations. Think trying to do an easter egg in a game where the devs put a random bunch of esoteric bullshit to get the easter egg. Obviously thats fine for an easter egg since its not part of the main mission, but hopefully that gives some perspective into how bad some of these objectives are
Lots of missing random critical items that blend in far too easily etc.
The geometry feels clumsy. You'll end up knocking into things that kill your movement and get you caught.
Enemy AI is very basic, bordering on bad.
Noticeable dip in level quality near the end of the game.


The main reason the game is bad is due to the confusing nature of a lot of levels. Have to give this a big NOT RECOMMENDED from me. I suggest looking over the positive reviews and seeing how many people mention that are a large portion of the levels suck BUT "its groundbreaking, was ahead of its time" etc. The latter comments aren't valid reasons for a positive review and it seems many people are giving positive reviews due to rose-tinted glasses or feeling they need to give it a positive review since its heralded as a classic. Only play this if you're dying to play a stealth game that is considered a classic I guess.

another banger from the thief series

thanks tyler

i like stealing and having things that belong to other people

As you progress, the junk becomes increasingly noticeable, AI becomes unreasonable, and levels become confusing. However, this game certainly has its charm and is definitely worth checking out at least for its aesthetics and top-notch voicing.

An excellent game for the most part, it may be old but the amount of detail within the world is incredible especially given its age.

The gameplay mostly holds up bar a few levels that are honestly truly scuffed. The game shines brightest when there is no light and you're free to skulk in the shadows undetected. Combat isn't the games strong suit and it knows that, however some levels throw you into fights to progress and it's a chore to get through those segments.

One of the most impressive aspects of this game is rarely propagated by its contemporaries and that's the use of sound design within the environment. Walking on carpets are silent, tiles are not and if you can properly enable EAX emulation you're in for a treat.

On the whole the mandatory combat doesn't make the game any less enjoyable and I'd highly recommend if you enjoy stealth games.

relived i love it

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Very fun stealth game that is oozing with charm. Would recommend to buddies.

Very much worth your coin

Thief is a weird game in that it feels unfair to call it the "best" stealth game, given so few games really drew on it as inspiration and thus much of its direct competition are fundamentally different experiences. As a result though it still feels almost wholly unique, as always I recommend buying it on GOG over Steam though.

It's a great game bro, trust me bro. What do you mean it's a stealth game where the stealth is completely broken bro? You just don't appreciate any game besides Call of Dooty bro!

It's cool but it's sooo slow and I wish there were auto-saves

Great stealth game but kinda falls off halfway through where you're mostly fighting zombies and other random shit instead of thieving. The sequel greatly improves on this aspect.

Listen. Yes, this is a super old game with super old graphics.

Yes, you will need a mod to make it run, because it was not made in a time with Fancy Computers.

But also, yes, you should still 100% get this game.

And you know what? You're not only going to get this for less than a buck, but because it is indeed an old game, it will download in no time flat. You'll be able to SAVE and LOAD in zero seconds. And you know what you're getting in return for all of that?

Well, a game that basically helped found the stealth genre, doing so with cool unique artistic direction (mixing in art and live action shadows in cool ways) along with a rad story and interesting levels that do great with the stealth and thieving elements. It's a genuinely enjoyable game with a super cool setting that will keep you interested. Plus, you can adjust the challenge level for each stage if you want, which I think is pretty cool.

Also Garrett is just a snarky hot mess of a thief that is so fun to listen to and is responsible for like most of his own problems. Which is funny.

Anyway, get the entire Thief series, it will be cheaper than any groceries you ever get, and it is just a whole bunch of fun. Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

if you are planning to buy this game or have gotten it on a sale for cheap like I have and intent to play it. please don't play on higher diffculty than normal. the higher difficulty gold requirement will all but guarantee you will be looking at a walkthrough for on most levels, especially on a first playthrough.

the diehard thief fan will convince you to play on a higher difficulty than normal, DO NOT TRUST THEM. Only pain and staring at a walkthrough await you after wandering around a level for fucking hours trying to find that one item you need to progress hidden away in some dark corner you looked over because you didn't have your gamma turned you to the max.

Also some of the levels in game are absolute labyrinth monstrosities which you will be forced to traverse with some fucking crayon drawn ass map. if you are planning to play this game, good luck.

good

Honestly this is a classic for a reason, however there are a few levels (about a quarter of them) that are kinda stinkers. Real hit or miss experience but overall a positive one that was pretty groundbreaking and is worth the respect its garnered

Well, it’s fantastic, but everybody knows that. Had so much fun solving all of its many levels. Play it on expert and without a guide, if you can, or you’ll miss 70 percent of the intended experience.

One of my defining games. The 9 hours played does not reflect my real ingame playtime.
The game itself is perfect, genre defining, the atmosphere can reach the bones. Goosebumps.

It's old, but with the must have mods/fixes it is totally enjoyable. The caveat is, that these tools should be included by default if it is sold in a webshop. They should write a script with options to download and apply these fixes, to be able to play. Because just the original game itself can be hard to even run on modern systems.

Otherwise the game itself is remarkable.

Taffer!

Very mixed feelings about this one. I really like many elements of it. The world and atmosphere are top of the craft, as the player is mostly kept in the shadows and the exposition is quite slow and methodical, which builds up the mystery and makes the inevitable twist in the story much more meaningful. The intro cutscenes before each level really add to the overall immersion as well. The story, disappointingly, kicks off very late, but when it finally does, it is quite good, especially for 1998, where many FPP games were still purely gameplay-focused.

That said, gameplay-wise first Thief aged worse than many hardcore fans of the franchise might want to admit. It's clear that the developers didn't intend this to be a stealth game from the very start. This fact alone makes some levels stand out in a particularly bad way. The new levels added in Gold add even more insult to the injury (look at the infamous Thieves Guild for example).

When it comes to the level design, many important clues are very difficult to stumble upon, while at the same time being strictly required in order to progress. I had to search for guides on the Internet numerous times, even though I often felt as if I've already searched every possible corner. The combat mechanics are really stiff, which is partly expected, since it's supposed to be a stealth game. Garrett, the protagonist, is not a sword fighter after all. This becomes a significant problem though, when the game forces you into combat-heavy levels, which is especially the case towards the end.

All in all, I would recommend trying it out, but keep in my mind that it's not entirely a smooth ride and definitely requires some patience. Thief 2 supposedly fixes some of those issues, so I'm hoping for a better experience when I'll get to play it.

really outdated gameplay, havent found any mods to fix it

I suggest this game for those who enjoy stealth mechanics and are open to some horror elements. Personally, I found the levels featuring undead creatures unappealing, which led me to stop playing. Engage in a thrilling pursuit for stolen treasures using your blackjack, sword, and a variety of specialized arrows. Steal for profit while uncovering the hidden motives of both allies and adversaries in a narrative filled with deception and revenge. Navigate a world where shadows are your only companion, trust is a luxury, and encounters can lead to fatal consequences!

This game is truly remarkable! I am unsure why it took me so long to experience it, but I cherished every moment. Although the gameplay is less intricate and somewhat clunky compared to contemporary stealth titles, it remains highly rewarding. The atmosphere is exceptional, even with graphics that are nearly 25 years old. There’s an indescribable charm to this game that makes it stand out. I haven't enjoyed a game this much in a long time, and I highly recommend it to stealth game enthusiasts!

While it may be a bit rough around the edges, it becomes quite enjoyable once you acclimate to the mechanics. It requires tfix, and I opted for the minimal installation to ensure smooth performance without altering the graphics. The immersive experience is enhanced by excellent locational audio that accurately indicates the positions of guards or enemies, along with an effective lighting system to aid in stealth. You also have access to various tools, such as water arrows to extinguish torches, rope arrows to create new entry points, and moss arrows to move silently on noisy surfaces. These tools contribute to a fun experience if you're looking to relax and engage in some thievery.

Runs so good, but it runs so ugly!

Amazing stealth game.
Still great to play even though it is ancient.
Install T fix or Tafferpatcher to have a better experience on modern systems.
10/10

This is the best Thief game, the best stealth game in my opinion, it is very fun!

Played a lot of the demos as a kid. When PC magazines were still a thing. Now I finally beat it. It was pretty good. I see why people asked for the super natural elements taken out of it all. They kind of drag the highlights of the game down.

The greatest stealth game of all time.

it's THE stealth game, like the grandfather of stealth games!
.. i never really like getting attached to my elders though..

This game is incredible! I have no clue why it's taken me so long to play it but I absolutely loved every second of it. It has so many similarities to Dishonored, which is one of my favorite games ever, and is very very impressive given it came out over 25 years ago. I haven't enjoyed a game as much in a long time and I can't wait to play The Metal Age!

not as good as 2 but still OG

I don't have much playtime on this Steam version yet, BUT I played the original back in the good ol days when we walked 15 miles in the snow and used disc drives to play hard copies of PC games.

This is the mother of all stealth games, being the first one to have such an intricate enemy detection system based around sound, lighting and environmental cues. Much of this stuff is standard in today's stealth games, but Looking Glass Studios was the first to fully define the stealth genre as we know it. They did it so well, in fact, that Thief's mechanics can compete with modern day stealth games. (In many cases, its stealth system can flat-out beat modern triple A designs.)

Graphically, it's a bit blocky and dated. You may even need to install TFix to get it to work properly on modern systems (just google it--it's on a forum post with a google drive download link). But once it's up and running, it's a great experience. It nailed the vibes of being a medieval thief while throwing in some supernatural elements for a richer story and more variety across the levels.

Garret sucks at combat--but that's the idea. You're a klepto nerd, not a chad barbarian. If you want to take enemies out of the picture, you'll usually be sneaking up from behind for the KO with your handy dandy blackjack or perhaps limiting their vision by dousing a torch with a water arrow. If they find you, then it's time to run and hide. Their AI won't provide any Alien Isolation levels of cat-and-mouse, but it works well enough when you have multiples of guards roaming around looking and listening for any environmental cues from you, whether it be the result of you dashing through a strong light source, or you stepping from the soft rug onto the obnoxiously loud marble flooring, or one of them just finding their buddy who you left ass-up and unconscious in a corner somewhere.

If you're goin' in blind, be prepared for a worthwhile twist in the latter portion of the game. But just know that it won't all be as smooth as the first level. You may find yourself lost at times or getting frustrated at loot requirements on the higher difficulties. But in my opinion, this game's juice is worth the squeeze.

So go do what the Wet Bandits couldn't do: rob Kevin McAllister blind this holiday season and show him who's boss with a high loot score, ya filthy animal.

9/10

This is my review of Theif 1 Gold. From what I could guess this is Theif 1 but with extra content. From what I played after finishing I did like the presentation for the game. The AI is great, the atmosphere is awesome. This is from my experience. I'm not saying this is an awful game. I just feel like it has a game design that feels very dated. One level has a mission that lasts way too long since it has missions with objectives that sound simple but require you to get certain things to finish them. There are levels I fully skipped because I got so annoyed by the levels. The enemies are literal tanks in the game since they don't go down unless you hit them for god knows how long. It's the same problem when with old games like this. It's not bad when it comes to gameplay. Just when it comes to game length for certain levels, I have a problem with it. If you want to get this game then go ahead. Just that this game took some patience out of me. I give this game a 9 out of 10.

Don't really even know where to begin with this one. It's one of the first, true blue stealth games, and still one of the best. Other games have stealth mechanics in them, but there are few games where that's the entire focus and done so well. The atmosphere of the levels, the characters, the light but interesting world-building, the stylish and charmingly dated cutscenes, it's all so good. Even the primitive graphics don't really put me off, since simpler models make everything more readable and the game just runs well at all times. If you like stealth games, retro or just old games, you should play this.

Comparing it to its closest modern cousin, Dishonored, in that game you feel constantly like you're playing with one hand tied behind your back, because you have all these cool powers, but just going crazy and killing everyone is the "Wrong" way to play the game. Playing non-lethally and stealthily not only feels like the right way to play Thief, but you basically have to play that way to get through the game, and you feel like a bad-ass for doing it successfully. It's tense, it's scary, and it's also very often funny.

It's not without faults. There are some awful levels, or levels that go on for too long, and there is a lot of jank in the mechanics. But overall, this series easily landed in my top 5 of all time favorites once I finished it.

For the best experience:
-Download and install tfix or tfix lite to make it run halfway like a modern game.
-Play on Expert if you're even half-decent at stealth games, but also look up the skip level cheat code, in case you just get bored in some of the less good levels and just want to skip them.
-Play Thief 2 after you finish it, as it's just more and better, and I really think they're just inseparable as a combined experience.
-Play the amazing fan campaign The Black Parade, once you've beaten both. It's fantastic, easily the best mod I've played in any game.

Oh man, Thief is one of the best games I've played! Stealth FPS at its prime (at 26 years ago yikes!), I played this game when it came out with a friend who had a computer that was able to run it, exchanging turns playing it! Aside from the huge nostalgia factor, the game (along with Thief 2) has aged fairly well - I installed the HD textures mods available on Moddb, tweaked a bit steam input for controller support (as I grew into playing with a controller almost exclusively for the past 10 years), kicked my feet up my desk, and enjoyed it as much as I did back in the day but with immensely improved graphics. That's a slow-paced tactical stealth game, and always, I repeat always, play with a decent pair of headphones - sound is as important as the shadows in this game, and you need to pay attention. It is amazing how they mapped the audio engine back in the 90s for this game for what was available at the time.

In any case, make sure you get TFix, HD textures mods, and whatever you can find to update the visuals. The audio engine is something else, but the graphics, even at launch in 1998, were questionable at best.

You taffers.

i gave it a fair shake and i figured that stealth games just aren't for me. i still want to take the time to commend this game's tremendously thick atmosphere which is still almost unmatched to this day

pretty good
save frequently though because its an old game
oldie but goldie :)

This game is very good, don't play it tho, I don't want new people to join in on this community, I am gatekeeping this, it's for me and my eyes and my hands only please don't buy it, it's mine get your hands away from it you dirty little silly.

I've played this game so many times for years, and even to this day, I'll still play the whole campaign all the way through (except the thieves guild...)! Just an absolute gem this game is; my favourite stealth game still! (I also love playing the fan-made missions!)

A bit rough around the edges but pretty fun once you get used to the mechanics. Requires tfix, and I only installed the bare minimum so it runs well and doesn't change the graphics. Pretty immersive experience if you want to do a little thieving since it has great locational audio that tells you exactly where the guards or enemies are, as well as a great light system to help you sneak. You also have a bunch of different tools such as a water arrow to put out torches, a rope arrow to create new entry points, and moss arrows to sneak on noisy surfaces. These tools create a pretty fun time if you just wanna chill out and steal some stuff.

I grabbed these games for cheap to see what the fuse was about with "Thief" alongside the TFix nmod it was 100% playable. Definitely re-keybind as the tutorial doesn't cover a whole lot and just covers basics; everything else is learned within game.

With that said, the game does a fantastic job with sight and sound mechanics. The developers really want you to use the shadows (poor lit areas) to your advantage! .... with that said, the level design is by far the worse.. Especially the mission involving the "vase" you know the one.

The previous levels before that were straight forward, and linear with maybe a few "turn around" moments. But the SIXTH level ... yikes. Not sure what the developers were thinking but if they wanted to go for a "let's throw everything at the wall and see what sticks" method... then yeah they succeeded! And succeeded in getting me to DISLIKE the game. I couldn't even bother to finish it because this level represents what is wrong with the game overall

- Lack of direction
- Too much volume
- Big environments that are just there for visual tastes and not for sake of gameplay

Unplayable on my machine:
- On the first mission, the game crashed when a guard was about to fight me, twice
- Some meshes become invisible at various points, which I don't mind, but it interfered with gameplay when I couldn't see the things that I could hide behind

The main critique of Thief 1 & 2 is the jumping, latching, and climbing before the inevitable slipping, falling, and dying. There's a certain amount of skill to it, but the Dark engine will always feel like trying to parkour while giving a shoulder ride to someone covered in soap. You should be okay with saving & reloading repeatedly to play these games, because sometimes the jump you want to make will take a few attempts.

Moving on. I was always more familiar with Thief 2, and I'm honestly here to play The Black Parade. The Thief games make literally every other stealth game seem completely incompetent by comparison, that's just how immersive and engaging they are. I'm only about half way through this totally free mod campaign, and you know what? I already suspect The Black Parade has just about the most jaw-dropping level design I've EVER seen. Every level stretches astonishingly deep and not an inch of it is wasted, looping back through itself repeatedly, always some new path to discover. I never get bored after hours in each one, and somehow usually never feel lost.

Anyway. The original Thief Gold campaign is fantastic too, but I'm a bit hazy on it to go into much detail. Incredible games, the third one's okay too. Play The Black Parade.

Really liked the game up until the last 3 missions. Before this you felt like an actual thief that had to stealth around, avoiding enemies and knocking them out if possible (played on expert). Also some of the most confusing levels I have ever seen but still extremely well crafted.
However the last 3 levels completely throws this out of the window. The game adds an insane amount of enemies in the last 3 levels for no real reason. They are now everywhere and the game even gives you a quest where you have to KILL them (it makes sense story wise but still...just why?). This feels extremely bad since the combat is the weakest point of the game. I got to the end of the second to last level, only to realize I had to backtrack through like 50+ enemies all the way back to the beginning of the level. Ended up skipping it using the in game cheat and at that point.....why even bother playing? Guess I'll never see the ending but I can't force myself to play through something this bad when the rest of the game was like 8 or 9/10

Classic boomer stealth. Don't let it's aged appearance scare you away, other stealth games still haven't reached this level of peak.

takes time to get the controller set up, but well worth it!

Aw he’ll yeah baby. Incredible Garrett representation here, probably the best Garrett in games. I can’t even believe there’s like two just-as-good titles in this series that are waiting for me when I’m done with this Garrett. Can you imagine what it’s like, growing up with a name that sounds like at least three other normal male names? To have to endure almost half a lifetime of thinking that other people my age might have been calling for me, only to turn around and remember oh yeah, I’m a friendless, chubby, unpopular dork, and that cool guy was actually calling for some other jerk named Erik, or Derek, or even Jared sometimes? To endure years of taunting rhymes as to what my favorite and most-consumed orange vegetable must needs be, along with which small domesticated rodent is most like myself, upon other heaps of indignities? Only to years later play a game where a mysterious figure greets me after a job well done with “good job, Garrett!” Reader, I felt more self-inserted in the narrative in Thief: Gold than in any master-chief-ass fps I’ve played to date, and Garrett actually talks! He has lines, and motivations, and a worldview! He has a real DnD alignment, folks. Can you say the same about Gordon Freeman?

What’s that, how’s the game? Oh, it’s pretty good. Thief 1 comes packed with major Gare-core features: an anachronistic historical setting (this one medieval times meets the Industrial Revolution), satisfying stealth, non-Euclidean geometry, and whack-a-doo religious cults. The stealth, the exploration in these weird medieval stained-glass windowed mansions, your arsenal of creative weapons to get you through those spaces, and the emphasis being on stealing stuff rather than killing is all a lot of fun.

Unfortunately, just about everything else isn’t. Thief 1 is by the same studio that developed system shock 2, and it shows. I have to admit I tried getting into this game a couple times this year due to long stretches of maze-like basements and sewers full of zombies and mutant poison-spitting beasts, which is appropriate in SS2, but not here. Worse still, those zombies and mutant beasts are very hard to kill, but inexplicably very easy to run past and ignore (at least on normal difficulty). I much preferred the ornate indoor levels with dumb talky guards and lots of treasure to steal. Even so, thank the Builder for that quick save button, because while I did enjoy the stealth here, the game is uniquely a load of butt when the stealth fails. When the mook turns to face you tiptoeing, the game all of a sudden sucks, worse than any other stealth game I’ve ever played, Hitman, or MGS, or what have you. Swordplay is basically non-existent, try as you might to swing your sword or parry, a soldier who spots you only needs two or three swings and you’re basically the shrugging old man in the red sweater. And while dousing lights with water, spraying silent moss on the floor, and lurking in shadows is a lot of fun, the normal arrows seem to sometimes give you a chance to assassinate a guard in one hit, and sometimes just piss that guard off and make him come looking for you. When a dude gets smacked directly in the face with a full-drawn arrow, what happens to him in real life is fairly consistent, and I wish it was just so in this game, too!

One of the greatest games ever made and my personal favorite. Coming back 25 years later, this still holds up. Open levels with extreme detail and unparalleled immersion. Gorgeous aesthetics, dramatic and twisting stoyline brought to life with well-acted and produced cutscenes. The extra levels added in the Gold addition were great, too. Thieves Guild was HUGE. No wonder they didn't finish it in time. Be sure to install the Tfix mod -- it makes gameplay better.

Highly Recommended & must play but with caution as the visuals are strong and long term exposure as the game demands it due (min. 40 mins) it gets a bit disturbing, specially towards the end. Rest is fine as you will see in the screenshots.

A commendable efforts by the dev team for releasing a unique FPS-like game at that time. The sound is amazingly done adding to the overall ambience of the game.