TTK12G3 on 22/6/2013 at 22:55

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DISCLAIMER: I try to maintain positive until I have sufficient evidence that I should feel otherwise. In this case, I am getting an incredibly bad feeling, and I blame EM for it entirely!

My natural relative apathy was driven to new depths when we were given the announcement of "Thi4f" over four years ago. I was actually interested of hearing what was happening to a franchise that kept me from playing other things for a good decade or so. The back-peddling began immediately with claims that the name was a place holder and subject to change, despite the fact that EM was comfortable enough to use it as the announcement card.

(http://www.destructoid.com/thief-4-announced-real-name-is-thi4f-131698.phtml)

We were then treated with years of near-total silence, with the exception of indirect assurance that the game might be good when DEHR turned out to be OK. A year later, we received this:

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvOMLFex4nw)

Not much, but it was clear that there was some development. The equipment was modernized, though somewhat gimmicky. Nothing to worry over. Then we started receiving this kind of news:

(http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/122703-Thief-Will-Feature-a-Less-Goth-Garrett-UPDATED)

The implications of this were mainly centered around the fact that it appeared that the team in charge of Thi4f were actually unsure of what their own product was going to be. The implications were essentially confirmed.

(http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/04/27/yeesh-rumors-suggest-major-trouble-in-thief-land/)

So now we are left with a game that seems to focus on XP skill grinding and "timing events" (like QTEs, but relating to kill cams and "mash 'e' to not die").

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8pImL1FeaE)

I am pondering the possibility that it could be that the team is just that terrible at presenting their product that it just seems to be a complete mess, and that the actual product isn't going to be bad. I am worried about the "you can just turn it off claims", since I find such options bizarre when they conflict with the design paradigm of a game. That is, why would there be an option to turn it off if it was a major aspect of a game? Why is it there? What does it add? We know next to nothing of the story. Much of the major aspects appear to be done away with and the original character of Garrett has been gutted in every way to make way for realistic motion capture.

This game appears to be turning into one of "those" games that are maligned by fans of a series. TDS had shortcomings, but it followed the basic structure despite the supposed limitations of the engine. The mood, the character, the factions, the City, the lore were all there, and it had its own memorable moments. All despite the fact that our hero had become catastrophically hydrophobic.

What do you think? Is the game just being presented in the worst way possible, or is EM so obsessed with redefining Thief that they are not only going to torpedo the series for good, but also place their own studio in danger?

Shinrazero on 22/6/2013 at 23:57

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I became concerned when they decided to ditch Stephen Russell and everything since has been one more disappointment after another. There are others who have been resolutely optimistic and even they are finding room for concern with the state of the project. In the end, I had hoped EM would maintain some of the core pillars that made Thief the great series that it is. What the game is shaping up to be is another homogenized AAA title with a Thief skin slapped on it.