Raven on 31/1/2014 at 09:51
From a very small wall?
Hmm, I really don't get it. Perhaps it is the weather, perhaps it is the January blues, but I find myself really looking forward to playing thief!
Sure, we know it will not live up to the brilliance of the originals. And yes, I do still have a back catalogue of games to clear (I still have the Dishonored DLCs to play)... but this is thief (kinda)!
I was a total 'want to believe'er for thief 3. Each revelation about just how much the pooch had been screwed was horrifying. Before release, despite the massive amounting evidence, I still held hope it would be a great game (just with no rope arrows, swimmable water, a stupid interface and frankly a massive drop in quality of lore, writing and settings). Sure, I shouted from the high heavens that it looked like it was going to be crap, but I so *wanted* it to be good! In the end I pretty much hated it.
This time though, I have no such expectations. I seriously think the game will be merely average (Batman Arkham Origins is my definition of average) at best, but damn it, I am still looking forward to the game!
I think the worst thing that can happen is if I attempt to play the game like thief and I can't; that is what will ruin the game for me.
I loved Dishonored. When I started to play that game 'like thief' it was the best game I have played in years. The stealth mechanics were not as great as thief's, but that is okay. I could forgive the game as I knew it was not thief; it didn't pretend to be and it actually tempted me to play in different ways but also allowed me to play as I like. I am still looking forward to playing the game as a murderous, spell flinging, weapon firing maniac. It would seem that my default attitude should be to approach thief differently; to expect it to be as in depth and as subtle as the original thief games. If I did take that approach though I know I would be sorely disappointed. What I find strange, maybe I am just older, or just now jaded... but I just don't hold those expectations.
What I do expected is to be able to sneak around in first person, bonk guards on the head and reach my goal while feeling like I have been nice and stealthy..... Now I think on it, I guess one fear is that in the end I may have no influence in actually being stealthy, but a “cover system”, a “swoop to win” button and “white guys can't jump” features will take control away from me. (Ala far cry 3 on rails sequences and quick time sections).
Anyway, is anyone here actually looking forward to playing this game, and what gives you such seemingly unjustified hope?
I love climbing, and one of the worst falls I have had is losing 4 front teeth falling from a 1.5 foot wall (I was very young).
henke on 31/1/2014 at 10:42
Quote Posted by Raven
This time though, I have no such expectations. I seriously think the game will be merely average at best, but damn it, I am still looking forward to the game!
Yup, this.
King No One on 31/1/2014 at 12:52
I for one think people will be pleasantly surprised, so long as they've not invested too much of their identity and sense of self-worth in wanting it to fail (you know who you are).
Much of the critical reception has praised the improvements made to the game since the first playtests. Aside from the No XP and bug fixes the customisation options alone are to be celebrated. Rather than being Arkham Origins to the Dromed titles 'City I posit that the reboot will be the Arkham Asylum to Deadly Shadows 'Origins.
I can state with no small degree of confidence that the reboot will be better than Deadly Shadows because putting out a game on a par with a ten year old product is anathema to modern developers. Even if all it fixes are the flaws of DS it will be a worthy entry into the meta series. There'll be no two part missions, no horrible ragdoll physics, no climbing gloves, no loot glint if I don't want it.
People say at least it had the factions and Steven Russell but can anyone actually say they liked the depiction of the factions in DS? The Thiselaids are still touchy about the whole 'bes' thing, the Hammers bemoan the loss of the old outfits and you Do Not mention Keeper Assassins around any of the Balance Brigade. As for Steven Russell I've found that argument vacuous from the outset and have only been bemused at the frothing hostility to Romano Orzi so I don't feel invested enough to comment.
I understand people want a return to freeform exploration and physics puzzles. I know that people are reading this thinking "Being better the Deadly Shadows isn't enough, it needs to be better than TMD" but that just means people are forgetting that Deadly Shadows was actually a good game! In spite of the flaws I've mentioned above I had a blast playing this thing. The Cradle is still a horror experience people cite as top tier today. Overlook Mansion and The Keeper Sanctuary were well laid out, fun missions. Even the Kurshok Citadel, a mission you would think would suffer the most from the loss of swimming and spelunking was an excellent play.
The new game won't be perfect, nothing is perfect. Those wanting things to be perfect are being unrealistic, those who expect things to be perfect are being stupid. Thief IV will have flaws but it's how it works around those flaws that will identify its true qualities as a game.
After all it was flaws in the sword fighting system of a little game called Dark Camelot that paved the way to Thief.
So Raven feel justified in your anticipation; it only needs to be an enjoyable stealth experience.
By the way have you seen my pen?
SubJeff on 31/1/2014 at 13:36
Quote Posted by Raven
I seriously think the game will be merely average at best, but damn it, I am still looking forward to the game!
Thirded.
I'm sure I'll be disappointed. I may even hate it. But I'm still looking forward to it!
Queue on 31/1/2014 at 14:49
Same here.
... but, at the same time, I do find incredible glee in really good train wrecks. So, despite how awful I may think it's going to be, I'll probably enjoy myself in some weird, deep-seated, masochistic yearns. Hell, I LOVED Duke Nukem Forever.
Tomi on 31/1/2014 at 14:55
Good post, Raven.
I don't have very high expectations for the new Thief either, but I too think that it'll be a decent game at least. Just quite a bit different from the previous games. I certainly don't expect to be blown away like I was when I played the Dark Project demo for the first time all those years ago. Games have changed, gaming platforms and "standards" have changed, and I have changed - it takes something very special to impress me these days.
But I'm still looking forward to the new Thief, it'll be really interesting to see how it turns out. I didn't pre-order the game, but I will most likely get it at some point, and I fully expect to really enjoy my first play through at least. I'm just worried about the replay value of it, without an editor it obviously won't become a classic like the first two games (then again, T1 and T2 would also be long forgotten if we didn't have Dromed), but it'll be disappointing if the new Thief is a very linear game with not a lot of opportunities for different gameplay approaches.
june gloom on 31/1/2014 at 20:36
I'm just here for the fandom shitstorm. Got a bucket of popcorn ready and everything.
Brother Inquisitor on 31/1/2014 at 21:46
Quote Posted by Raven
I love climbing, and one of the worst falls I have had is losing 4 front teeth falling from a 1.5 foot wall (I was very young).
And now you'll loose 40 bucks on a 1.5 out of 10 game. Some things never change. Only this time you won't be able to use your young age as an excuse.
bartekb81 on 31/1/2014 at 23:23
Wait with those grades of yours till the premiere, oh Brother.
I bet it won't be that bad.
yxlplig on 1/2/2014 at 00:28
I've played games that I think are bad, but still enjoyed playing them. For example, I thought Zeno Clash 2 was a pretty bad game, but the art design is so weird I couldn't help but to keep playing just to look at all the strange looking people and places. However I find that really difficult to do with something like Thief. The previous games set a really high standard, and there is nothing clever or unique about this reboot, so I see no reason to waste my time with it. (Unless I'm arguing about it on the internet - then it is ok to waste my time with it)
Also, Thief is likely an 8+ hour game. Forcing myself to finish Hitman Absolution was brutal. If I'm going to play a game that is likely bad, I'd also prefer it to be 3-4 hours tops.