Thief: Deadly Shadows

 PC
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 320 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 262 out of 320
  2. Mixed: 39 out of 320
  3. Negative: 19 out of 320
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  1. CatNight
    May 7, 2011
    10
    I love all of the thief games they are entertaining with interesting stories. This is a good game if you like to use strategy and be naughty. :p Not a run up and kill stuff and make everything explode sort of game. Hours of fun and glory.
  2. korthaj
    Sep 16, 2011
    10
    This is one of the best games i have ever played, the story and atmosphere just sucks you in to this world of its own. Every single level is a masterpiece and all of the supporting voice acting, sounds and music is there to spellbound you, it feels like every single character in this game has a personality. This is really a thriller with a story that makes you want to find out whats goingThis is one of the best games i have ever played, the story and atmosphere just sucks you in to this world of its own. Every single level is a masterpiece and all of the supporting voice acting, sounds and music is there to spellbound you, it feels like every single character in this game has a personality. This is really a thriller with a story that makes you want to find out whats going on and whose dark hand it is moving the pawns in such a sinister way.

    What is locked - can be opened. What is hidden - can be found. What is yours - can be mine    … Expand
  3. Amy
    Jan 8, 2005
    8
    Graphics are good. If you have a some-what good system it is not slow. The story could have been better, but overall it was a great game. I enjoyed it a lot.
  4. Billtalent
    Oct 7, 2012
    10
    This game was the first game I had ever seen or played. It was what got me into gaming and it made me love stealth. Now whenever I play an FPS I find a way to be sneaky when its not what the game is about. If you dont care about graphics then pick up this game. If I could describe it in any outher way it would be a double rainbow all the way.
  5. RyanD.
    Jun 1, 2004
    10
    Outstanding.
  6. MichaelG.
    Apr 1, 2007
    10
    Best game on steam so far - until thief 1 or 2 comes out. Do yourself a favour and play a different computer game for once...this one!
  7. ZuffuluZT
    May 1, 2008
    10
    The athmosphere in this game is absolutely incredible! I have never seen anything like it. (and I am playing PC games since 1992) Once you got started, there is really no way that you can put it away before you have finished it. Especially that level in the cradle was just stunning. The gameplay and atmosphere in there just cannot be described, because there is simply no other game that The athmosphere in this game is absolutely incredible! I have never seen anything like it. (and I am playing PC games since 1992) Once you got started, there is really no way that you can put it away before you have finished it. Especially that level in the cradle was just stunning. The gameplay and atmosphere in there just cannot be described, because there is simply no other game that has anything likewise. I would even say that it is worth buying the game just to see that level - it's a MUST PLAY. The only weakness of the game is the ending, which I felt was a bit weird, but that is probably just me and I don't want to spoil anything, so you can find out yourself.… Expand
  8. MoneyGanster
    May 27, 2004
    10
    Sweet. Like theif 1 and 2, really good.
  9. RICE
    Oct 7, 2010
    10
    Absolutely amazing, ive played it 4 times and still ain't sick of it, lot of whining going on from old fans, but theres no reason for it. I grew on on theif 1 and 2 and think they did a great job with this game, and made it up to par with the old ones. Get It, atmosphere is unbeatable!
  10. Mr.Kadish
    Jun 8, 2004
    9
    AWESOME game. Lots of fun. Couple glitches that need some attention, but this is a truly Immserisve, and best of all entertaining game. I cant believe i am saying this considering that i HATED the game, Deus Ex invisible war which was a console piece of crap and considering that Deadly Shadows has a similar engine, and similar physics...i had feared it might take the same route. AWESOME game. Lots of fun. Couple glitches that need some attention, but this is a truly Immserisve, and best of all entertaining game. I cant believe i am saying this considering that i HATED the game, Deus Ex invisible war which was a console piece of crap and considering that Deadly Shadows has a similar engine, and similar physics...i had feared it might take the same route. Fortunately not! It's WAY longer than invisible war, and every moment is filled with tension and crafty joy. BUY IT!… Expand
  11. DougS.
    Jun 9, 2004
    10
    Wow Ion Storm really outdid themselves with this game! I'm sorry to hear they had to lay off people!
  12. DonK.
    Jun 30, 2004
    10
    Speechless...
  13. JosephJ
    May 20, 2009
    10
    Classic game, Beastly, You cannot find a better stealth action game anywhere, Except for maybe Thi4f
  14. DoobyM.
    May 31, 2004
    9
    My fears are allayed, they kept the most important thing from the first two games: the unmistakable thief ATMOSPERE. There are a couple of design decisions that I don't agree with, but it feels like thief, and its just as fun and as engrossing
  15. Ok
    Aug 22, 2004
    9
    I DO feel that this game is a true Thief sequel in heart and soul, the developers obviously having spent a lot of time on the trademark series dialog and ambience. I have no beef with the third-person camera (it's useful and, best of all, optional) and I found myself occasionally picking my jaw up off the floor. Recommended without reservation.
  16. PatrickG.
    Apr 12, 2007
    10
    An amazing game, not quite on par with the previous prequels but for what it lacks free form design it more than makes it up in atmosphere and plain intrigue. If your in the mood to try something with a different pace and style of its own then this game is a must buy especially for 20 bucks!
  17. AmeriallaA.
    Nov 6, 2007
    9
    Very good, not just amazing graphics, but good level designs and use of lighting, as we're used to from the other Thief games. Definately my favourite of the series.
  18. MattH
    Apr 26, 2009
    10
    I have to say that, although not the longest of the trilogy, it had the most involved gameplay. I really enjoyed the more freedom that living in the world offered instead of the pre level purchasing in the originals. The graphics were incredible and the cradle level freaked me right out. Thanks for another great game!
  19. McFinnegan
    Nov 3, 2011
    9
    Although this game is dated, I still found it thoroughly enjoyable. Great stealth system (may not be the best in today's standards, but definitely above par). Fun gadgets and great story.
  20. Samtam90
    Apr 19, 2007
    9
    The concept of the city is handled in a great way, not to mention the AI is one of the best i've ever seen in a game and it retains all the old glorious features of the previous Thief games. And it manages to be even funnier.
  21. JaredL.
    Apr 9, 2007
    9
    After playing the first two titles over and over, I can't say how pleased I was with their follow up. The best stealth action game to be released in a long time.
  22. S.S.
    May 25, 2004
    10
    Great.
  23. K.M.
    May 26, 2004
    10
    A great game, worthy of its predecessors. While the rope arrows will be missed, and despite the various nitpicked issues about it, it still upholds the high standard set by the previous two games. As some fans of the series would agree, I'm just glad to be seeing the continuation of a great franchise. Thumbs up.
  24. BradB.
    May 31, 2004
    10
    A very well designed game. Very similar to Thief: The dark project. Although it doesn't have any huge outdoor spaces like thief 2, this game does have great level design that is decidedly non-linear. Veterans of the series will notice some details from past games missing (in Thief 1 and 2 having a bow or sword out made you more visible and things like that are missing in this game) A very well designed game. Very similar to Thief: The dark project. Although it doesn't have any huge outdoor spaces like thief 2, this game does have great level design that is decidedly non-linear. Veterans of the series will notice some details from past games missing (in Thief 1 and 2 having a bow or sword out made you more visible and things like that are missing in this game) there is still so much fun to be had that I have to give this game a ten.… Expand
  25. NiklasB.
    Jul 27, 2004
    9
    Requires a pretty hi-end machine to be fully enjoyed. Good graphics, good sound. Excellent story as usual. The Thief series has provided me with hours and hours of quality amusement! If you liked Thief 1&2 you will definatly like (love...) this game! Even though I still think that the first thief is the greatest of them all (even though the sequels outperfom it when it comes to graphics Requires a pretty hi-end machine to be fully enjoyed. Good graphics, good sound. Excellent story as usual. The Thief series has provided me with hours and hours of quality amusement! If you liked Thief 1&2 you will definatly like (love...) this game! Even though I still think that the first thief is the greatest of them all (even though the sequels outperfom it when it comes to graphics it still has the best story...). I also miss the rope arrows! Why did you cut them out ION Storm??? Climbinggloves are less fun :) Oh and btw... If you don't plan to make another sequel please sell the filmrights or I'll miss Garret terribly he's my NO 1 anti hero of all games!!! //Nick … Expand
  26. Paul
    Feb 25, 2005
    9
    I have a Athalon 1700+, 256MB of ram, and a GeForce 6600GT and the rendering and framerate are fantastic. As a hardcore fan of the previous two titles, I'm very happy with the gameplay and level design. They've included all the little details that put this title over the top. There are the patented plot twists, a decent amount of exploration and enough tools to let you try a I have a Athalon 1700+, 256MB of ram, and a GeForce 6600GT and the rendering and framerate are fantastic. As a hardcore fan of the previous two titles, I'm very happy with the gameplay and level design. They've included all the little details that put this title over the top. There are the patented plot twists, a decent amount of exploration and enough tools to let you try a variety of tactics in any situation. This game is flat-out fun. I just spent two days in a row putting in 10-hour shifts on this game. That hasn't happened in a long time. The only reason it doesn't get a ten is because of a lack of modding tools. I would also like a larger "sandbox" of a city, but I'm glad it is there for between missions and it is big enough and detailed enough to not cost them points.… Expand
  27. JeroenS.
    Jul 23, 2007
    10
    Best soundscapes ever!
  28. GlennS
    Nov 14, 2008
    10
    I just love this game where you don't have to kill everybody. I like sneaking around. Another sneaky game is Splinter Cell, which I also enjoy very much. I noticed that many comment on light and shadow effect. This is all fine but, to me, all that matter is that its a good game to play. I mean, what's the point with all visual effects in a game, when it is perhaps boring to play?
  29. OldSkull
    Nov 18, 2009
    8
    I would sign under what Reiver wrote, but there is a Shalebridge Cradle (one of most scary locations in games), Garret by Stephen Russel and sound by Eric Brosius. Game is very buggy, there is no AI, there is AS (Artificial Stupidity), very linear, without true darkness (everything is glowing blue), with many unlogical situations (Pagans under Hammers nose, masacres on streets, Keepers I would sign under what Reiver wrote, but there is a Shalebridge Cradle (one of most scary locations in games), Garret by Stephen Russel and sound by Eric Brosius. Game is very buggy, there is no AI, there is AS (Artificial Stupidity), very linear, without true darkness (everything is glowing blue), with many unlogical situations (Pagans under Hammers nose, masacres on streets, Keepers who are really blind and stupid, Enforcers killing innocents etc.), but still: "among the blind, the one-eyed man is king" - there is a lack of true stealth games (btw: Garrett has only one eye).… Expand
  30. LA_DOTTORE
    Oct 10, 2012
    9
    Thief is an interesting game that offers brave new concepts of stealth. It offers it in a sleek and original way that no other game I've played can compare to. The graphics do their job well, they're average but understandable for the age of the game but the real great thing is how many items there are to steal per level and also how many routes you can take through every level which isThief is an interesting game that offers brave new concepts of stealth. It offers it in a sleek and original way that no other game I've played can compare to. The graphics do their job well, they're average but understandable for the age of the game but the real great thing is how many items there are to steal per level and also how many routes you can take through every level which is amazing! The diverse tools of your trade include many different arrows for your bow as well as a blackjack, for knocking people out, and a knife for those life-or-death encounters. The bow works amazingly with it's different arrows whether they water arrows for torches or sound arrows for guards to be fooled by. Overall, a brilliant game that can, however, drag on after a while but still worth the experience of a true stealth game at its best!… Expand
  31. wowtgp
    Mar 7, 2012
    8
    i recently finished this game.i have to say i have never played a game like this before.you have option to either kill or sneak through.AI is excellent.the only thing lacking was a good map system.it doesnt tell the player position or destination which can be frustrating at times.
  32. Nerung
    Nov 22, 2012
    10
    To me, this is the peak of the "Thief" series. It takes what was best from Dark Project and adds a new layer of surreal horror to it that results in one of the best games yet. The setting is similar to the first installment and the story becomes similarly weird and mysterious. The controls are way better than in Metal Age and enable a flawless exploration of the world. The story is whatTo me, this is the peak of the "Thief" series. It takes what was best from Dark Project and adds a new layer of surreal horror to it that results in one of the best games yet. The setting is similar to the first installment and the story becomes similarly weird and mysterious. The controls are way better than in Metal Age and enable a flawless exploration of the world. The story is what really tops the two previous titles. If you like the first two parts, this is a must-play.… Expand
  33. Batfan
    Nov 30, 2013
    10
    The third installment in the greatest video game series of all time is extremely engaging. It is full of twists and has one of the scariest levels in all of video games.
  34. AAT
    Jul 2, 2020
    10
    Absolute classic. Very dark and strong atmosphere and interesting world. Masterpiece
  35. aralath
    Aug 7, 2018
    9
    One of the best stealth games with its predecessor. Highly recommended.....
  36. OttoKill
    Sep 3, 2011
    9
    This game is one of the all time greats! I thought I would never get to play it again because it would not run well or at all on Win XP. Thanks to Steam and Eidos they have updated it so it will run on the newer OS's. The story line and graphics are excellent, until you finish the first 4 levells. After that you have to start fighting gouls and monsters that your weapons just don't alwaysThis game is one of the all time greats! I thought I would never get to play it again because it would not run well or at all on Win XP. Thanks to Steam and Eidos they have updated it so it will run on the newer OS's. The story line and graphics are excellent, until you finish the first 4 levells. After that you have to start fighting gouls and monsters that your weapons just don't always work on. At that point it's still OK but it was better when you were a sneaky thief having to rely on stealth and outwit the law. The graphics are superb considering when this game was published, and the AI's are excellent also. They really come up with some funny funny little stories when they talk to each other or when they are looking for you. This game will entertain you for hours. I wish they would get Thief Gold updated to run on the newer OS's. and The Dark Project. I would purchase both of them even though I already have the original retail versions that don't work on anything but Win 98.… Expand
  37. oliver1h
    Nov 16, 2012
    8
    Not as bad as some gamers claim it! Thief:DS is definitely the weakest addition to the Thief series. I think the reason behind that are the innovations the developers tried to implement in the game. Innovations like the new open city, the player can explore between missions( In the previous games the player were placed from mission to mission) , the cutscenes now use simply animationNot as bad as some gamers claim it! Thief:DS is definitely the weakest addition to the Thief series. I think the reason behind that are the innovations the developers tried to implement in the game. Innovations like the new open city, the player can explore between missions( In the previous games the player were placed from mission to mission) , the cutscenes now use simply animation (previously they used partly animation, and partly motion capture technology). The developers tried to update the game to 2004 gaming standards, and I think it was not liked by many old fans of the series. I have to admit that the story is somewhat weaker this time (The villain in the game is not as charismatic as Karras or the Trickster.) Above all I still enjoyed the game. It had the same stealth mechanism as the previous games. The atmosphere of the old games was still present, the graphics were improved, it had great music, and really good missions ( Like the Cradle). The story of Garrett came to a full circle in this last installment.… Expand
  38. BlakeM
    Jan 13, 2010
    6
    It's a great basic engine, and I always had heaps of fun running around the city robbing people and places, but about a quarter way through the plotline goes pants-on-head stupid and the game suffers for it. I wanted the game to be like the first two or three levels, but once you've robbed the Hammerite cathedral the game apparently feels the need to include strange monsters and It's a great basic engine, and I always had heaps of fun running around the city robbing people and places, but about a quarter way through the plotline goes pants-on-head stupid and the game suffers for it. I wanted the game to be like the first two or three levels, but once you've robbed the Hammerite cathedral the game apparently feels the need to include strange monsters and the like, none of whom respond well to a whack on the back of the head. It would have been one of my very favorite games - and is in my imagination, regardless - but, sheesh... The game starts off as nothing short of revolutionary, but unfortunately goes downhill fast as soon as the zombies pop up.… Expand
  39. MikeL.
    Feb 27, 2005
    6
    Clearly weaker than Thief 1 and 2 in terms of gameplay. I'm also surprised that som many thought the graphics were excellent. The gfx must have been developed with the Xbox in mind and I was bothered by that fact, a lot. Also the gfx isn't fluid, no matter how fast your pc. The sfx are great even though the vioce acting doesn't feel as fine tuned as in the prequels.
  40. VisserEight
    Mar 6, 2012
    7
    Yet another disappointing game dumbed down by the console crowd (oh the list goes on), nowhere near the level of its predecessor, but still a solid stealth game and probably one of the last of its genre. Despite the developers has put in a lot of effort into recreating the world of Thief, the limit of xbox forces it to limit the map size and many mechanics (rope arrow, scouting orb)wereYet another disappointing game dumbed down by the console crowd (oh the list goes on), nowhere near the level of its predecessor, but still a solid stealth game and probably one of the last of its genre. Despite the developers has put in a lot of effort into recreating the world of Thief, the limit of xbox forces it to limit the map size and many mechanics (rope arrow, scouting orb)were removed, a damn shame for lovers of the old Thief.
    To those who only played Deadly shadows, I am quite sure you remembered the museum level, amazingly huge with large areas to explore right? well, almost every level in Thief 2 is of the same size and quailty, that should speak a lot about its predecessor.

    But despite all this, shalebridge cradle is one of the most amazing levels I have played in video games, I am giving 1 whole mark to my ratings simply because of its existence.    … Expand
  41. HarlandM.
    Mar 30, 2007
    1
    A rather disappointing follow up. The game was sadly dumbed down for the xbox crowd. Still, it had a few good qualities.
  42. deuteros
    Jan 29, 2013
    2
    I bought this game on sale, since I remembered the original game from a few years back. It came bundled with Deus Ex so I expected a great time. Unfortunately I can't say much has changed since the first Thief. The enemy AI is laughable and the hit detection isn't much better. You get a choice of different arrows and items, but their functions often overlap -- and the "moss arrow" wasI bought this game on sale, since I remembered the original game from a few years back. It came bundled with Deus Ex so I expected a great time. Unfortunately I can't say much has changed since the first Thief. The enemy AI is laughable and the hit detection isn't much better. You get a choice of different arrows and items, but their functions often overlap -- and the "moss arrow" was probably the worst idea of them all. Guards and citizens spawn infinitely in city stages, making it great fun to knock them out or outright murder them (it doesn't seem to make a difference) just out of boredom. As you'd expect of a game called "Thief", every quest is a fetch quest, but some of them are just gratuitous, making you go to far away parts of town and back just to speak to someone. The level design is completely linear, meaning unlike in an RPG, you can't complete other quests along the way -- you're stuck to your objectives. Luckily, they're clearly and briefly stated, as are the important notes you pick up along the way. Lockpicking in this game is a monotonous and pointless task, that involves searching for the 'right spot' and clicking. Rinse and repeat several times for the "gold" locks. The voiceovers, aside from the very husky and manly Garrett, are plainly hideous. This is the company that brought you Deus Ex and Tomb Raider -- and this was the third game in the series! Eidos was not some Indie developer without a budget. I played through it just to get my money's worth, and fortunately there was some fun to be had, and I especially liked the cinematic style, though the non-cartoon cutscenes are horribly compressed and look even more dated than the in-game graphics. Finding your way around is a chore, since your position is not indicated on the maps you steal, and the maps are nearly useless, one of them I recall showing two rooms adjacent as if they were on the same floor when they were on different floors completely. It should also be noted that the graphics are more dated than I originally expected, and all available resolutions are 4:3. The game is also incredibly buggy; I fell through the wall to my death several times, just for turning the camera the wrong way. The whole game is excruciating if you want to play as a legitimate thief, i.e., sneaking and stealing. The wait is just not worth it, and it's more fun to kill stupid AI drones than it is to wait around, pretending there's any feasibility at all built in. The loading screens are horrendous, even on a modern computer -- and you're kicked out of the application temporarily every time you load because of the resolution change (unless you have a 4:3 monitor, which nobody does anymore.) This makes fetch-quests across town even more torturous. I may just be unobservant, but I spent most of the time (tens of hours) in this game just searching for that one piece of loot that I missed -- a real pain since it's not always clear what you can steal and what you can't, since the only indication is a sparkling animation that's not always present and that's not always easy to see, on items that are identical to non-stealable ones. I was masochistic enough to play on "expert" difficulty, which simply means you need to steal more, because the enemy AI doesn't improve and everyone is still extremely easy to kill. There is absolutely NO REASON for the rating to be this high, as it is with a lot of nostalgia titles, even after they become stale and outdated.… Expand
  43. [Anonymous]
    May 31, 2004
    3
    This is not a PC game. Good example of a game that is made especially for consoles and after it to PC. Horribly small levels, crashes, horribly bugging and very low resolution graphics, AI is very limited and stucks into corners and even archers run very next to you and after that they start shooting. I loved Thief 2 and especially Thief 1. But this 3rd Thief... it has some of the This is not a PC game. Good example of a game that is made especially for consoles and after it to PC. Horribly small levels, crashes, horribly bugging and very low resolution graphics, AI is very limited and stucks into corners and even archers run very next to you and after that they start shooting. I loved Thief 2 and especially Thief 1. But this 3rd Thief... it has some of the atmosphere as older Thiefs had, but still it looks, feels, smells and sounds like a crappy console port. Sorry, no bonus!… Expand
  44. Yekrats
    Aug 24, 2011
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Thief: Deadly Shadows is truly the weakest game in the series, partially due to it being produced for the XBox. The levels are small, and the mini-maps are linked by this unexplained purple gas to connect them. Thus, you don't go through any of the city gates, but actually go around them through the purple gas. Other characters don't travel through the purple gas. As a result of the small levels, I found the cities somewhat boring. Further, some of the fun features of previous Thief games were removed (i.e. rope arrows) and were replaced with a wall-climbing ability, but it just wasn't as interesting. They really missed out on the opportunity to create a much more complex map (utilizing the "Thieves' highway" of the rooftops. Travel through water and flooded areas - once an interesting puzzle - has been disallowed. If you accidentally fall into water, you sink like a rock. No swimming, as in past games! A voice comes through and says you've been captured and taken to prison, which is fun to escape from -- once.

    Going through the city and picking pockets is an interesting diversion for a while, but having to sell your stuff at a fence can get tedious.

    You can befriend the Pagans and the Hammerites by doing things for them to increase your friendliness ranking. (Okay, that could be interesting... but...) But this just prevents them from attacking you later, and possibly defending you, and if you steal from them, your status goes down. Whether the faction noticed you stealing or not, they still lose respect for you. Also, the favors you do for them are pretty odd. Pagans, for example, like you to shoot moss arrows at green cornerstones to increase your status with them. Hammerites like you to shoot at dog-sized bugs which explode when you shoot them. (Huh?) To make matters worse, I encountered a few annoying bugs. Occasionally, the protagonist would get stuck in a jump and not descend until I exited the level. Occasionally, you could lean just right an look through an object to the horizon. Expect a few little screwball errors like this.

    The storyline, as opposed to Thief: The Dark Project, was lacking as well. You don't want to think about it too hard. The villain of the story uses inconsistent resources throughout the story, as if the level designers did not consult with each other when designing the characters or levels. So sloppy all around.

    So, yes, Thief 3 is a little disappointing, but possibly worth playing if you can get it cheaply and keep your expectations low. The game was obviously rushed to market, and could really have used another month or two of play-testing.    … Expand
  45. Nark
    Feb 21, 2011
    0
    Crappy console port. But that's the least of its problems. The awful engine means that loading screens are plentiful and levels are small. It's been streamlined for the Xbox crowd and features a bunch of nonsensical elements which were not present in previous Thief games (also known as "lore rape"). Very buggy and crashes constantly even on top notch computers. Getting stuck in the sceneryCrappy console port. But that's the least of its problems. The awful engine means that loading screens are plentiful and levels are small. It's been streamlined for the Xbox crowd and features a bunch of nonsensical elements which were not present in previous Thief games (also known as "lore rape"). Very buggy and crashes constantly even on top notch computers. Getting stuck in the scenery is not a rare event, and the ragdoll physics are lazy and unnatural compared to what they should have gone with - good animations. Quite a disgrace to the stealth genre and the Thief series as a whole, simply does not live up to the legacy. The game has a stupid City hub rather than the assumed natural progression between missions ala Thief 1 and 2. Deadly Shadows is also a lot more linear, and suddenly rope/vine arrows don't exist in the Thief universe and Garrett has forgotten the ability to swim (he dies the instant he touches water). I don't know why people seem to think of it as any better than Invisible War is to Deus Ex, it's honestly just as bad.… Expand
  46. Demo
    Jul 22, 2009
    0
    Crashes, crashes, and more crashes. I finished the first mission but now can't get past the opening screen. Tried all the affinity hacks, etc. that I could find on the web but no dice. I am severely disappointed in this game, it ought to be a crime to sell something this lame and without any support past the ancient v1.1 upgrade.
  47. JohnJ.
    Jun 11, 2004
    5
    My comment about this game: Do not expect this to be the 3rd game of thief series. Try and act like it is a some sort of new spin off game. I say this because of 1) the game play is similar to that of the other horribly eidos third person stealth games. 2) The game (much like all the other 3rd person eidos games) relies heavily on lighting. The previous thief games was not such of a My comment about this game: Do not expect this to be the 3rd game of thief series. Try and act like it is a some sort of new spin off game. I say this because of 1) the game play is similar to that of the other horribly eidos third person stealth games. 2) The game (much like all the other 3rd person eidos games) relies heavily on lighting. The previous thief games was not such of a graphics whore. 3) The engine used for this game is known for its poor performance. Ontop of that, there is a graphics filter option which you can NOT turn off, makes your framerates drop dramatically. One other thing, there has been a known major bug in the console ports. Sadly enough, this shows through on how much this game was a rushed job. If you have an extremely fast computer, and are typical gamers who have bought farcry , hitman 3, and unreal2k4, you will enjoy this game solely because you have the money to pay for it and it is something new.… Expand
  48. DopeyJoe
    Jun 22, 2004
    5
    Graphics are s ... l.... o .... w ..... even on my somewhat respectable rig (Athlon XP 2800, 512 MB 333Mhz RAM, nVidia GeForce FX 5700 Ultra 128 MB DDRII vid card) the gameplay suffered horribly, until I turned down just about all the graphic options. Absolute poo. (by contrast, Unreal Tournament 2004 *freakin' flies* on my rig, as does BF: Vietnam, others). Don't buy this game Graphics are s ... l.... o .... w ..... even on my somewhat respectable rig (Athlon XP 2800, 512 MB 333Mhz RAM, nVidia GeForce FX 5700 Ultra 128 MB DDRII vid card) the gameplay suffered horribly, until I turned down just about all the graphic options. Absolute poo. (by contrast, Unreal Tournament 2004 *freakin' flies* on my rig, as does BF: Vietnam, others). Don't buy this game new ... wait for it to drop in price, else you'll be continually annoyed by the stuck-in-molasses framerates. Unless, of course, you own an absolute top-of-the-line PC. Overall: Story, missions, gameplay, sound: great. Graphics: crap.… Expand
  49. Reiver
    Jan 17, 2008
    6
    A good game in the wrong engine and not enough polish. The games main feature: stealth, is sadly broken and as such the good story, great acting and strong ideas can't overcome the niggles that cause prolonged play to be a keyboard smashing pain. The game is now more about the light detecting crystal at the bottom of your screen than true sneaking and planning. I found myself A good game in the wrong engine and not enough polish. The games main feature: stealth, is sadly broken and as such the good story, great acting and strong ideas can't overcome the niggles that cause prolonged play to be a keyboard smashing pain. The game is now more about the light detecting crystal at the bottom of your screen than true sneaking and planning. I found myself constantly watching it as much as the enviroment since, often, the amount of light onscreen and how hidden I was did not correlate. Not that it matters much as the inconsistent AI will sometimes "detect" you motionless in the dark and othertimes miss you running infront of their nose waving a torch in their face and bellowing out rock anthems. "Oh,it must've been a rat". Where the Ai seems to have the most problems is when it's scripted. The NPCs will be told to start fighting each other by some Ai routine and their state of alertness raised to attack mode. Unfortunately that often results in them forgetting about killing each other and either homing in psychically on your hidey hole or beginning to search for you. If they do kill each other, even if you remain hidden, they'll begin looking for you. These bugs are 100% replicable and one in particular (a merman homing in on me) happened everytime no matter what i did. This lack of testing extends to the enviroment and the AI's pathing as well. I found myself stuck on objects far too often and other times had to make several (loud) jumps to get up or on to ledges only to find myself sliding off and unable to do anything but slowly fall. These aren't obscure locations. This is a largely linear game with little deviance from set paths. It just shows a lack of testing! The other area where the enviroment causes trouble is to those mindless AI drones. I dropped a book I'd swiped by mistake (due to the occasional difficulty in targeting loot, very annoying when you're trying to time a quick grab) next to a fireplace. The AI swerved it... And walked to a firey death. I've observed other NPCs throwing a wobbly and falling off platforms to their death without any intervention from me. Discovery of these bodies puts the AI into search mode and once again you're paying for the games bugs. At the end of each level you're given your mission stats. A perfect thief will glide through the level undetected leaving only empty shelves as a sign of his passing. No deaths, no knockouts and no alerted guards. For the reasons above this is impossible the AI stupidity means that even if you go through the level undetected you'll still not have perfect stats thanks to the dead bodies of the suicidal AI. So with no true incentive to play the game in the true Thief style you're cajoled into playing like an action game. there's no reason not to just knock the guard out or to run through the level grabbing everything with a train of guards at your back, you'll just ditch them at the next load point!… Expand
  50. HwoDragon
    May 28, 2012
    5
    Thief was very strong in some elements and very weak in others. The combat system is not very good, as it mostly involves taking out your dagger, your only combat weapon other than your bow, and clicking as fast as your little arm can swing, while the enemies swing at you with big heavy swords. It is, of course, a sneaking game, but I would still like a few more options on head to headThief was very strong in some elements and very weak in others. The combat system is not very good, as it mostly involves taking out your dagger, your only combat weapon other than your bow, and clicking as fast as your little arm can swing, while the enemies swing at you with big heavy swords. It is, of course, a sneaking game, but I would still like a few more options on head to head combat, other than stabbing or flashbanging them. As far as the sneak system goes, it's good, if a little choppy. If enemies are looking for you, they can see you even in a dark room, pressed against a wall, but I do enjoy the feeling of being a spy when I backstab a guard, who probably has parents who love him, maybe a girlfriend, and he instantly dies (Which does leave me to question how I'm supposed to be the good guy in this.) I like the variance in bombs, mines and arrows that I can use, but I think the normal bow is not powerful enough, considering it has an effective range of half a foot. The plotline is interesting, but like I said, I still don't understand how I'm the good guy in it when I murder an innocent man over a silver candlestick worth 25-75 bucks. Now about the audio... I guess its nice that the guards talk, but first off, who jeers at me by asking me "Are we fighting or dancing?" while I jab him to death with my pointy little needle of doom, and secondly, all the voices hurt my ears. Apparently they had 2 voice actors for the guards. One with a Wallace Shawn voice, and the other with what I guess is supposed to be a manly deep gravely voice but I believe is really a bear. What else haven't I covered? Oh, glitches. I hope you're one of the people that doesn't mind an occasional glitch because I found thief to be very frustrating. Not frustrating in the "Awww... i got killed by the final boss again" sense, but in the "Oh look, while hiding in the dark with my light gem as dark as it can go,the guard somehow found me" or the "Oh, apparently that guard has a neck of steel because I just drove a knife into the back of his neck and he turned around and smashed my head open with a hammer" sense.… Expand
  51. Mike251
    Mar 7, 2014
    5
    So far,as much as i know people who like this game aren't really familiar with Thief. Where did those stupid monsters come from? Why don't they make a modern military shooter out of it? I mean since they decided to completely miss the point of Thief and all. It's in the name,see Ion Storm? No monsters or any **** like that. In first person if you are attacking with a weapon only the armSo far,as much as i know people who like this game aren't really familiar with Thief. Where did those stupid monsters come from? Why don't they make a modern military shooter out of it? I mean since they decided to completely miss the point of Thief and all. It's in the name,see Ion Storm? No monsters or any **** like that. In first person if you are attacking with a weapon only the arm holding the weapon is animated,although while in THIRD PERSON the animation is 10 times better with the Garrett's upper body entirely animated,it actually uses a separate animation for third person! Kinda defeats the purpose of putting the viewpoint on the actual character model,i believe a separate animation for first person is called a viewmodel. It's not easy to tell if you are crouched or not. Also there is this hub world,The City. You can see civilians having conversations and walking around which is kinda nice. Though everyone in this city seems to be care-free,since i would be alarmed if i felt something touching my money bag and not notice it an hour later like these people do i mean you would think if the money bags don't fall of them that it would take some time and some noticeable force to take it but NOPE. Seems like all people in the City use cheap glue for their MONEY. I mean if you are able to get Chronicles of Riddick Escape from Butcher Bay instead of this then by all means get THAT game.… Expand
  52. Skitte
    Feb 22, 2015
    7
    Played many times, but never finished. I wanna say things I like and dislike.

    Pros:
    - Good. Title for a stealth
    - Good protagonist
    - okay tasks

    Cons:
    - Repetitive gameplay
    - Boring story
    - Unfocused attack

    All in all, is a good 2004 title which deserves a remake , totally
  53. ThisIsCam
    May 16, 2015
    4
    After playing Thief: The Dark Project, and Thief: The Metal Age, Thief: Deadly shadows came as a monumental disappointment.

    First - The graphical fidelity was years ahead of its time, I will give it that. The light pillars, character models, 3d rendering, and particle effects are of a standard the rest of the industry wouldn't see until around 2007. The animations for characters however    After playing Thief: The Dark Project, and Thief: The Metal Age, Thief: Deadly shadows came as a monumental disappointment.

    First - The graphical fidelity was years ahead of its time, I will give it that. The light pillars, character models, 3d rendering, and particle effects are of a standard the rest of the industry wouldn't see until around 2007. The animations for characters however were pretty terrible.

    Second - The free-roaming aspect was new to the Thief series, and they couldn't have missed the point any more. For one the map is almost unusable, where the first and second Thief games showed a highlighted area that you were in, this was just a static map that gave no indications to your location. The individual instances being South Quarter, Stonemarket Plaza, Stonemarket Proper, Old Quarter, Docks, and Auldale were small, confusing and disjointed.

    Third - The AI, the stealth was almost useless and the AI especially in free-roam was bad. For example guards will pursue you and kill you without any reason, and stay when you leave an instance, so they could camp there until the next time you zone in and kill you immediately. The stealth was awful, where in the first game you could glide by an enemy and knock them out with the blackjack in passing, in Deadly Shadows you had to wait for Garrett to enter a special "mode" before knocking out making the entire game incredibly clunky.

    Fourth - The loading times were abysmal, and for some reason in Windows 7 it shows your desktop before and after loading. SneakyTweaker fixed this, sort of, but makes the game crash frequently.

    Fifth - Overall gameplay wasn't anything special rope arrows (vine - TMA) were replaced with climbing gloves which only worked on stone surfaces, the climbing itself was slow which left you open to attacks for a few seconds. Other than that there weren't any new weapons, and the special potions from TMA were taken out. Sword replaced with a dagger. Ion Stoem tried to really play up the "keeper" story which showed signs of laziness and relying on "glyphs" to force the story to work. However I should point out, this had a much better final mission than TMA. Unfortunately you can't free-roam afterwards.

    Sixth - Factions, the factions were a fun new aspect of the game, albeit buggy and disjointed from the rest of the series. For example the Pagans are supposed to be exiled from the city and killed on sight by guards, and yet they have their own territory in Deadly Shadows, right in the middle of The City's districts. But sometimes, unfortunately my allied factions would attack me for no reason, especially on the final mission where everything is in disarray.

    Overall I would give it a 4.3/10 and Not Recommend it to anyone who has played Thief: The Dark Project (gold) or Thief: The Metal Age.    … Expand
  54. Bullz
    Jan 31, 2017
    4
    Habe das Spiel mit dem Gold patch gespielt. Dieser entfernt die Ladezonen innerhalb eines Levels und behebt andere kleine Fehler. Trotzdem bin ich mit dem Spiel nicht warm geworden. Ich spielte bis etwa in der Mitte vom Spiel und schaute mir dann ein lets play bis zum Ende an und kann so das Spiel ganzheitlig bewerten. Die Story kam mir ein wenig zu spät in die Gegend und erst nach 70 %Habe das Spiel mit dem Gold patch gespielt. Dieser entfernt die Ladezonen innerhalb eines Levels und behebt andere kleine Fehler. Trotzdem bin ich mit dem Spiel nicht warm geworden. Ich spielte bis etwa in der Mitte vom Spiel und schaute mir dann ein lets play bis zum Ende an und kann so das Spiel ganzheitlig bewerten. Die Story kam mir ein wenig zu spät in die Gegend und erst nach 70 % nahm sie richtig fahrt auf... was mir den Spielspaß genommen hat war das man eigentlich ungestraft alles töten durfte. Bis auf Zivilisten im höchsten Schwierigkeitsgrad. Oft hatte ich keine Lust mehr mich wo anzuschleichen und hab einfach alle Kalt gemacht auf Schwierigkeitsgrad " Schwer " ... Das Movment der Freinde war immer gleich. Egal obs ein Mensch, Fischmensch, Riesenratte .. das Modell war anderes aber bewegt haben sich alle gleich. Die Levels waren nur Richtig stimmig in Häusern ... Levels die nicht in Häusern gespielt haben hatten einfach eine langweilige Grafik. Große Flächen ... die Engine von Thief eignet sich gut für Innenräume aber eben kaum für detaillierte Außenareale. Die Animationen sind selbst für ihre Zeit kein Augenschmaus. Auch die häufigen Ladezonen fand ich nicht nötig. Klar das Spiel ist älter. Eine zusammenhängende Welt ( bis auf die Levelns ) währe Sympatischer gewesen. In Summe zum empfehlen für Leute die gerne den Dieb spielen. Ich kam mir einfach zu overpowert vor ... mich hat das Spiel nicht gepackt aber vielleicht gefällt es ja dir ?… Expand
  55. Bullzz
    Apr 21, 2017
    4
    Habe das Spiel mit dem Gold patch gespielt. Dieser entfernt die Ladezonen innerhalb eines Levels und behebt andere kleine Fehler. Trotzdem bin ich mit dem Spiel nicht warm geworden. Ich spielte bis etwa in der Mitte vom Spiel und schaute mir dann ein lets play bis zum Ende an und kann so das Spiel ganzheitlig bewerten. Die Story kam mir ein wenig zu spät in die Gegend und erst nach 70 %Habe das Spiel mit dem Gold patch gespielt. Dieser entfernt die Ladezonen innerhalb eines Levels und behebt andere kleine Fehler. Trotzdem bin ich mit dem Spiel nicht warm geworden. Ich spielte bis etwa in der Mitte vom Spiel und schaute mir dann ein lets play bis zum Ende an und kann so das Spiel ganzheitlig bewerten. Die Story kam mir ein wenig zu spät in die Gegend und erst nach 70 % nahm sie richtig fahrt auf... was mir den Spielspaß genommen hat war das man eigentlich ungestraft alles töten durfte. Bis auf Zivilisten im höchsten Schwierigkeitsgrad. Oft hatte ich keine Lust mehr mich wo anzuschleichen und hab einfach alle Kalt gemacht auf Schwierigkeitsgrad " Schwer " ... Das Movment der Freinde war immer gleich. Egal obs ein Mensch, Fischmensch, Riesenratte .. das Modell war anderes aber bewegt haben sich alle gleich. Die Levels waren nur Richtig stimmig in Häusern ... Levels die nicht in Häusern gespielt haben hatten einfach eine langweilige Grafik. Große Flächen ... die Engine von Thief eignet sich gut für Innenräume aber eben kaum für detaillierte Außenareale. Die Animationen sind selbst für ihre Zeit kein Augenschmaus. Auch die häufigen Ladezonen fand ich nicht nötig. Klar das Spiel ist älter. Eine zusammenhängende Welt ( bis auf die Levelns ) währe Sympatischer gewesen. In Summe zum empfehlen für Leute die gerne den Dieb spielen. Ich kam mir einfach zu overpowert vor ... mich hat das Spiel nicht gepackt aber vielleicht gefällt es ja dir ?… Expand
  56. sufflaminandus
    Jan 7, 2019
    6
    Thief: Deadly Shadows is a solid stealth game regaling us with another adventure about cynical, seemingly indifferent master thief Garrett. The new developers, Ion Storm, managed to retain one extremely crucial aspect: atmosphere. Traversing the steampunk-themed dark-engrossed City in a newly introduced free roam mode; mansions, caves, ships, asylums, ruins in a mission mode is asThief: Deadly Shadows is a solid stealth game regaling us with another adventure about cynical, seemingly indifferent master thief Garrett. The new developers, Ion Storm, managed to retain one extremely crucial aspect: atmosphere. Traversing the steampunk-themed dark-engrossed City in a newly introduced free roam mode; mansions, caves, ships, asylums, ruins in a mission mode is as enchanting as ever was. Figure of Garrett is still amazes with its awesomeness. Non-confrontational gameplay, where you have to silently steal some objects in maze-like level full of secrets, is well-done and entertaining… if you are not acquainted with previous installments.

    Comparatively to T:TDP and TII:TMA the level design is just weaker. The missions are smaller, more linear (usually no more than two useful ways to reach destination). The secret system was removed and replaced with special loot which is a severe simplification. The count of usable items is just two times shorter than in TII. For some unknown reason they removed such applicable devices as invisibility potion, speed potion, slowfall potion, eatable fruits etc. But the gravest insult: they removes rope arrows! They replaced it with climbing gloves but didn’t provided *any* fun ways to utilize it.

    Another blunder of Thief III is that it doesn’t manage or even tries to offer anything new on a higher, general, level. Thief I introduced us to initial, magical-oriented, setting, Thief II replaces all fairy parts with urban ones. And in Thief III… we are back in Thief I, trudging the same old caves filled with monsters, zombie-infested ruins, ghost-haunted houses and, of course, mansions and cathedrals... again.

    Thief: Deadly Shadows is a strong game which enchants you with its dark brooding atmosphere, legendary protagonist and classic, finely tuned stealth gameplay. Yet if you are fun of TI and TII don’t raise your hopes up because Thief III, sadly, loses to them on all fronts.    … Expand
  57. AlexeySoltan
    Oct 14, 2021
    8
    wow . .
  58. Izoeros
    Aug 19, 2022
    7
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  59. hippo
    Jan 7, 2013
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A decent game and has some good points but clearly no where near as good as thief 1 & 2. It does add some improvements over the original. These include 1) giving Garrett a dagger to fight with instead of a sword (making hand to hand combat harder) which is how it really should be for a thief. 2) The lock picking mechanism, while frustratingly long in some scenarios, is better than interchanging two different picks as in 1 & 2. But many of the changes are just plan stupid. 1) Instead of rope arrows, which worked wonderfully in the originals, you get climbing gloves? And you can only climb certain types of stone walls? Ridiculous. 2)You can't swim through water, in fact you die if you enter it? Completely stupid! The earlier Thiefs used water to such good effect I really can't understand why they changed it. 3) Being able to walk through the city, buy and sell in real stores and pickpocket people is a novelty to begin with but it soon gets tiresome and becomes a chore.... especially when you realise that if you take out any member of the City Watch they are replaced straight away, in some cases while you are hiding their body! Being able to enter buildings is great but you soon realise that there really isnt many places to go or see. 4) The story. Compared to the previous games this one is more than a bit lackluster. The pagans have been turned into evil stupid idiots that don't even really live in the wilderness, they live in dilapidated buildings with a few vines (I guess they couldn't or wouldn't make a proper outdoor environment). At least the Hammers are left alone. The worst thing about the story is the addition of zombies and stone enemies that can't be taken out in normal ways, instead you need fire arrows or holy water. In Thief 2 you did have the robots but at least you could take them out with water arrows and they were far and few between. Finally the ending......probably the least exciting way to end the game, running around the city you've been thorough a million times before, planting objects in places, and then that's it, over. 5) Length of game is only about 11-12 hours, maybe 15 hours playing time , which isn't too bad but I did every single thing I could. Would've liked a few more missions. CONCLUSION Despite all this the game does deserve credit for maintaining the thief atmosphere and keeping the series going. It was still very enjoyable to play. 8/10… Expand
  60. Master_Taffer
    Aug 13, 2014
    8
    Deadly Shadows is a Thief game bursting at the seems with ideas, with most of them working out. It dared to experiment with the Thief formula, adding things like the City hub among others to the proceedings. While missions are a bit smaller than previous outings, they are tight and well designed and bursting with a gorgeous aesthetic. Where it trips are some of it's larger ideas notDeadly Shadows is a Thief game bursting at the seems with ideas, with most of them working out. It dared to experiment with the Thief formula, adding things like the City hub among others to the proceedings. While missions are a bit smaller than previous outings, they are tight and well designed and bursting with a gorgeous aesthetic. Where it trips are some of it's larger ideas not panning out as expected, such as some of the eccentricities of the AI within the City hub. Gameplay is tense and intuitive, while the story is full of twists and turns. It's easily the best plot and storytelling in the series thus far, providing a satisfying conclusion to the original Thief trilogy. Well worth your time.… Expand
  61. KolesAdlerov
    Dec 3, 2022
    9
    The third top notch stealth action with the scariest mission in the videogames industry and with legs! Never listen to purely negative "reviews" about this one. Deadly Shadows is a true Thief-game from the same dev.team. GOLD MOD is strongly RECOMMENDED!

    Gameplay: combat mechanics 6/10 stealth 9/10 atmosphere 10/10 Gameplay as im.sim: 8/10 Story 8/10 Graphics [very good    The third top notch stealth action with the scariest mission in the videogames industry and with legs! Never listen to purely negative "reviews" about this one. Deadly Shadows is a true Thief-game from the same dev.team. GOLD MOD is strongly RECOMMENDED!

    Gameplay:
    combat mechanics 6/10
    stealth 9/10
    atmosphere 10/10
    Gameplay as im.sim: 8/10

    Story 8/10

    Graphics [very good first-person, but why are the shadows so bright?] 8/10

    Sounds & music 10/10

    .
    A great game cursed with invalid console technology.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

21
#21 Best PC Game of 2004
19
#19 Most Discussed PC Game of 2004
17
#17 Most Shared PC Game of 2004

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 45 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 41 out of 45
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 45
  3. Negative: 0 out of 45
  1. Boomtown
    80
    A taut, atmospheric and engrossing experience. The only real gripe is that The City sections become long-winded, lacking as they do the focus of the story missions and as a result make the game feel a little bloated.
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  2. Adrenaline Vault
    90
    Even though some of Ion’s design decisions, like the removal of the rope arrow and the inclusion of the third-person camera, will disappoint purists, it would be difficult for anyone to deny what a splendid experience this release is.
    Read full review
  3. Times Online
    80
    It’s the creepy atmosphere and the easy-to-pick-up-but-tough-to-perfect gameplay that most impress, and there are enough quirks and twists to ensure that you will do your damnedest to complete this compelling title.
    Read full review
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