I'm very pleasantly surprised. Today I expect hardly such quality of big publishers.

After over 10 hours of play I now present my opinion of times to play "Thief".
I play from the start on the difficulty level "master" and did most graphics settings on "maximum".
My graphics card is not the newest (GeForce GTX 570).

In the installed benchmark to reach average 30 fps. What in the game leads to occasional judder. What the game flow, but rarely hurts, because it is not so much on rapid response arrives at "Thief" such as in a Battlefield or similar

First, a little about the story.

Since I am not yet very advanced in the game after 10 hours, also no big spoilers are revealed.

"Thief" is set in a medieval town, which is currently in the industrialization. There prevails a malignant disease, before no one seems to be sure. The melancholy.
This makes the game so far felt that the people are very, very depressed. What wonderfully fits into the concept because in Riverside never the sun shines. It is a single endless night. Good for thieves, bad for people.
The City Riverside is controlled by a tyrannical Baron, the apparently no one has ever seen.
The city guards treated the population (at least the poorer segment of the population) like cattle.
Who takes the time and the dialogues of NPC (artificial intelligence) listens, learns many interesting details about the story and also about a possible stolen goods. It is worthwhile to enjoy the game and not just durchzuhetzen like yes in most games unfortunately is so common today.

Atmosphere:

Who plays the game so as it was intended, namely on the highest difficulty, which will consider carefully the latest after the first discovery every step. The game is on this level of difficulty is a huge challenge, without being unfair. Each captured stolen property, and no matter how worthless is because a huge sense of achievement. Not to mention the unique items, which are often very well secured. What indeed makes sense.
The dynamic music can be described with one word: Phenomenal! The music and sound effects to hear not only good, but also have a task. Inform the players. The best I've seen in a game before.

Artificial intelligence:

The AI ​​is fantastic and does not forgive the slightest mistake. If you get caught, you can either fight or run. Fighting is only recommended as a last resort. Especially when more than one opponent faces. Running is always the better alternative. The "cool down period" from alarmed guards is alarmingly high and that's a good thing. After all, you're a thief and the nature of things are not just get in front of him to get caught. If you still get caught, the guard is amplified (doubled), making the company planned not necessarily easier. Especially since the guards are now also much more attentive than they were before. If you are caught, can only reach certain stolen goods with extreme Risk.

Gameworld:

The Riverside City is designed so that, if one of a quarter to another would inevitably need to Garrett's bell tower over. What I think is good, because you so regularly "at home" comes along and brush up his equipment or may already captured "goods" can look again.

Negatives:

In the meantime, there is anecdotal climbing positions in the third-person view which are designed very loveless and feel as if they had been inserted at the request of the publisher at the last minute. Such actions can you Next time please leave Lara Croft.
The appearance of the player character. Garrett looks a bit like the resurrected Abraham Lincoln, when the strange Shawl he wears as looks as Bart. But that's just my subjective opinion.

In conclusion, I can only say, who has had enough from the hustle and games in his spare time prefers to enjoy than to hunt through levels, which is the right place! Absolute buy recommendation!