DESCRIPTION

The computer's first stealth game series makes its debut on Xbox with the release of Thief: Dark Shadows. Players slip into the leather boots of Garrett, a thief who earns his living by slinking into the homes of aristocrats and pilfering their valuables. Played primarily from a first-person perspective, players must navigate the City, a sprawling medieval landscape filled with castles, mansions, cathedrals, dungeons, museums, and more. The goal is to sneak into these buildings without being detected, which means hiding in the shadows, snuffing out candles with well-aimed arrows, picking locks, and blinding foes with flash bombs. Garrett can also scale walls using special climbing gloves, which can be viewed onscreen at all times. The development team at Ion Storm (Deus Ex, Anachronox) refers to this inclusion as "body awareness," allowing players to see hands and feet while climbing, peeking around corners, and picking locks to suggest a sense of placement within the 3D world. It is also possible to switch to a third-person perspective at nearly any time, for an immediate sense of the character's place in his surroundings. Awareness within the gothic environments is important if not essential, since Garrett will have to deal with guards, thugs, monsters, and more during his pursuits. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide