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The sequel to the original adventures of Garrett the thief, Thief 2: The Metal Age once again sees our stealthy anti-hero trying to uncover the evil doings of a sinister cabal of technology users and find out more about his purpose. From the outset you realise that this isn't just another first-person shooter: here, all-out violence is more likely to get you killed and it's much better to avoid conflict than seek it. As well as this twist, you get a fantastic narrative story, brilliant mission design and some really immersive gameplay. Your priority is to stay unnoticed as you go about accomplishing your objectives within each scenario. Garrett can stand very still and becomes effectively invisible if he stands in darkness. He's easier to detect if he draws his weapons or moves around, and even when he can't be seen he can still be heard if he makes a lot of noise. You can gauge just how noisy you are by listening to your footsteps echoing around the corridors and how visible you are by means of a colour-coded gem. Like its predecessor, Thief 2 also sounds incredible. Plug in your earphones and immerse yourself in the atmospheric ambient sound. First-rate voice acting also brings the game to life. The cynical Garrett is never at a loss for smart remarks, but he knows when to be silent so that he can listen to the guards bantering, to religious fanatics whistling hymns and more. Garrett's inhuman enemies, including all manner of undead and man-beast hybrids, sound positively terrifying. Sneaking and climbing around won't be enough to keep Garrett out of trouble, so he is armed with a sword, blackjack and bow. But the emphasis is on subduing the enemy before they even know he's there rather than on all-out combat. Garrett's most versatile tool must be his bow: as with almost every play mechanic in the game, the archery strikes the perfect balance between great control and just enough realism. Thief 2 is one of the most atmospheric games that you can play. It looks great, sounds fantastic and offers a real antidote to hack and slash action. --Iris Headley |
