Thief (computer game)

The Thief series of computer games are first-person action role-playing games where the player takes the role of Garrett, a thief in a Steampunk world resembling a cross between the middle ages and the Victorian era, with some primitive technology thrown in. Garrett starts out each game as an amoral character, but ends up saving the world.

The main concept behind Thief was to turn the first-person shooter idea on its head. Most first-person games are about killing enemy after enemy in a Rambo style until bored or until the game is beaten. But Thief takes a different approach; the main tactic of the game is to avoid fights and not to kill and to instead take a stealthy approach. Indeed, killing an innocent will often cause you to fail a mission; on higher difficulty levels, killing anyone, even an angry guard out for your blood, will result in mission failure. Clearly, Thief emphasizes brains over brawn. Thief is sometimes described as either a first-person sneaker or first-person looter to emphasize this difference. Stealth games in 3-Dimensions (Splinter Cell chief among them) are common these days, but Thief was the first.

Through careful use of sound effects and a very involving plot line, the player is drawn in to the milieu of the game.

Of particular interest is the success with which Thief creates a living, breathing steampunk world for the player. There are three primary factions: The Keepers, the Hammerites/Mechanists and the Pagans.

The Keepers are an ancient sect of expert observers, dedicated to preserving order in the world. Garrett used to belong to the Keepers, and uses the clandestine skills he learned as a Keeper purportedly for his own evil uses. He always ends up saving the world, however, so it works out in the end.

The Hammerites are a group dedicated to technological innovation; the burning force of progress in the Thief world.

The Mechanists are a splinter sect of the Hammerites, lead by the charismatic (and insane) Karras. They're even more fervent than Hammerites about technology, and have even invented robots to act as servants, though rumor has it the robots might be intended for more than just subservience... The plotline of Thief II: The Metal Age revolves entirely around this sect; they're barely mentioned, if at all, in the other games in the series.

The Pagans represent the forces of nature and retrogression in the Thief world. Needless to say, they're not very friendly with the Hammerites and Mechanists, or, for that matter, with the ordinary people. The average citizen in the Thief world represents an approximately Victorian level of technological advancement, with a few exceptions: electricity is commonplace, for example, and no firearms exist, which is actual a step back from Victorian sophistication.

One of the main draws of the Thief series has always been their intricate, engrossing storylines.

Thief: The Dark Project was originally developed in 1998 by Looking Glass Studios, which went out of business in 2001. Eidos Interactive publishes the Thief series. Thief II: The Metal Age was released in 2000. The long-anticipated third game of the series, Thief: Deadly Shadows, was developed by Ion Storm Austin (the team includes many ex-Looking Glass employees), released on May 26, 2004, and is believed to be the last game in the series (although there have been comments suggesting a continuation, they have not yet been confirmed).

The game uses the imaginary expletive "taffer" (meaning something like scoundrel or fool), which is sometimes heard among fans.