As an iconic saga within the interactive medium, Thief features several of the best stealth games in history.
The work of Looking Glass Studios, Ion Storm, and Eidos Montréal has helped shape the genre’s landscape since its inception, creating pioneering first-person infiltration experiences.
Related
10 Best Boss Fights In Stealth Games
Even the most careful infiltrations can lead you to an unavoidable combat.
While they differ from their modern counterparts by not offering satisfying ways to abandon stealth, they embrace the shadows with such purity that it’s the ultimate delight for the genre’s fans.
With four installments under its belt and a long wait for a hypothetical fifth, it’s an essential franchise that left its mark on everyone who could enjoy its adventures at the time.
Therefore, it’s time to pay tribute to one of the most significant stealth sagas of all time with this list of every Thief game, ranked.
4 Thief: Deadly Shadows
Great and Unsurprising
Thief: Deadly Shadows
- Released
- May 25, 2004
- Developer(s)
- Ion Storm
- Publisher(s)
- Eidos Interactive
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 2
- ESRB
- m
- How Long To Beat
- 17 Hours
Based on the premise that there’s no such thing as a bad Thief game, Thief: Deadly Shadows certainly stands out as one of the series’ two less-valued entries.
Although it rarely occupies this position, as the community is clear about which entry is furthest from perfection, it’s the one that generates the fewest surprises and sensations.
Related
8 Best Stealth Horror Games
High-stakes Hide and Seek
It’s a great stealth title, with revamped mechanics and cutting-edge graphics, but it feels excessively continuous with past entries despite being unable to reach its predecessors’ heights.
It has intelligent level design and an outstanding story whose narrative is strong and interesting, but its gameplay falls short of expectations for both the franchise and the video games of its year.
I hold it in high regard, especially since it’s the first installment I had the opportunity to play, though it contributes the least to Thief as an IP capable of renewing itself and setting trends within the genre.
3 Thief
An Underrated Comeback
While I assume the community will disagree with this position, Thief is an underrated video game whose value seems invisible to the franchise’s fans.
Besides bringing the series back after a decade of slumber, it shouldered the responsibility of doing so in a context where the stealth genre was far past its golden age.
The story is by far the worst in the series, but its stealth, exploration, and movement mechanics are the most fluid, fun, and satisfying Thief offers.
Coupled with a setting that fully meets everything one could expect from the series, as it’s magnificent and can intimidate you despite it not being a horror title, the latest Thief deserves much more credit than it receives.
I understand the disdain it suffers due to its inconsequential plot, lack of soul, and terrible HUB. However, I proudly stand among those who defend it as a great open-world stealth game.
A Tremendous Sequel
Thief 2: The Metal Age
- Released
- March 21, 2000
- Developer
- Looking Glass Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Eidos Interactive
- Engine
- Dark Engine
- ESRB
- t
- How Long To Beat
- 20 Hours
- Metascore
- 87
Honestly, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve finished Thief 2: The Metal Age. It’s among the most memorable and complete sequels of all time.
Its immense gameplay and high levels of immersion have always been appealing, but the game has stood the test of time impressively.
Related
15 Best Stealth Missions in Video Games, Ranked
The art of infiltration is responsible for some of the best levels in the history of video games.
Despite having to continue the legacy of a title that defined an entire genre, Thief 2: The Metal Age has unforgettable, bigger, and more polished levels that truly make you feel the best of first-person experiences.
Losing yourself for hours on each map, discovering its secrets, and merging with its surroundings makes the adventure feel real, giving you the tools to become a true thief, both mechanically and mentally.
I’d say it isn’t surprising at almost any time and can feel slow due to how overwhelming and lengthy its missions are, but Thief 2: The Metal Age is an icon of the stealth genre, with levels like Life of the Party being living video game history.
1 Thief: The Dark Project
A Genre-defining Masterpiece
Thief: The Dark Project
- Released
- November 30, 1998
- Developer
- Looking Glass Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Eidos Interactive
- Engine
- Dark Engine
- ESRB
- m
- How Long To Beat
- 13 Hours
I don’t know to what extent there’s a consensus about Thief: The Dark Project being the best game in the series, but for me, there’s no argument about it.
The relevance of Garrett’s first adventure is so great precisely because we’re dealing with a masterpiece that shaped the stealth genre in its own image.
Between the radical departure from other first-person experiences, thoughtful level designs with enemies whose intelligence you had to prepare for, and a wonderful story of deception and twists, Thief: The Dark Project is unparalleled.
Although so many titles have followed in its wake, the first entry in the franchise still feels unique, as if it were a one-in-a-million experience whose personality, atmosphere, and ideas are no longer within the genre’s reach.
Whether there are titles that have surpassed it or not, Thief: The Dark Project‘s inventiveness, creativity, and influence can never be matched, making it one of the best games ever made, even outside the stealth genre.
Next
10 Games To Play If You Love Assassin’s Creed Mirage
Assassin’s Creed Mirage is a game that returns to its roots. Here are some games to play if you love it.
