The reference in the genre

Actually, I was so afraid something before the 3rd part of the Thief series, because in my opinion, already the 2nd part of its predecessor rather lagged behind in terms of quality and atmosphere. And to make it short, the class of the first part achieved Deadly Shadows is not - not quite. anyway.
If they go in comparison with the Splinter Cell series, then it is already when playing the demo immediately clear which is the better of the two titles. Thief has unlike Splinter Cell an extremely dense, almost creepy atmosphere; the feeling when you're past creeps at a station more intense. While becoming in Splinter Cell, in the case of being discovered, simply slay the enemy with a few shots, so it runs in Thief proverbial for his life.
But first to the nüchteren Facts: The graphics are up to date and technically comparable well with Pandora Tomorrow. However Thief earned through his mystical transfigured graphic style a couple of advantages over the nearest rivals with its sterile office buildings and clean high-tech buildings.
The sound is also perfectly able to support EAX 4.0 is a real highlight. Initially annoys you though about the fact that a German language edition is missing, but I have to honestly say that I'm not sure whether it would have succeeded in the case of localization, the different dialects of the different groups (eg the Hammerites your unctuous Shakespeare English) equivalent to port into German. Subtitles offered are suitable, though not translated perfectly, but that bothers me the coarse Scripture and some loveless presentation of something, so I would have liked now and then to be able to turn off the subtitles, but what the heck. Despite this small criticism point of the sound in my opinion, beyond all doubt, and the overall picture is currently the best result in a slow game, especially since the English speaker extremely professional and genuinely sound - Kudos to Eidos for.
The control is genre-standard - easy to learn and not too complex. Beginners and professionals should thereto have nothing to complain about.
The playing time is by today's standards very, very good. While you have played through normal almost every top title the last 12 months within less than 10 hours, bites you look at Thief significantly longer firmly - so in about the 20 hours should any need for the game. Moreover Thief has in my opinion a fairly high replayability, since by different mission objectives and different levels of difficulty determined gearde beginners try to play the game in a higher level again. And the incentive, the city veilleicht something more to explore and meet all the side quests should give an incentive to sink into the deadly shadow again.
The presentation of the game is mostly succeeded, even if in some places but the console origin (or the simultaneous development for consoles) can be recognized: For the Start screen is very plain, almost ugly, the font slightly grainy and the menus by gross font and little thought out design very scroll-intensive. Nevertheless, by the very good and atmospheric cut scenes, and the successful color scheme presenting at least Genre standard.
The enemy AI is in my opinion a Spielwie Theif very good. There just do not work object of the game is to be discovered and many professionals determined anyway every time they were too flashy, Reload, falling occasionally, albeit on rather crude AI dropouts rather little.
A word about the use Havok physics engine: Unfortunately, here Ion Storm not exactly covered itself with glory - Dejected opponents bend away like straws and remain lying, Bock heavy boxes seem to be light as a feather when you though with fire arrows in very unrealistic poses bombards, they hardly move. However, it contributes enormously to the atmosphere when an already betrays the slightest jostling a box.
Now the most important thing - the atmosphere. As already mentioned is Thief in this discipline significantly better than comparably Splinter Cell. Contributing, the gloomy graphic style and especially the excellent speech at. But even the free-roaming city is not only a change or breaks filler between missions, but a thick atmosphere Plus, then on through the various groupings (Gentiles Hammerites) and the realistic behavior of citizens, and city guards, and the Quest a lot of fun Thieves Tour comes. Compared with the 1st installment of the series, the atmosphere is not quite as close: There was unfortunately only one or two missions that really did run cold my blood (which, however, already testifies to extremely dense horror atmosphere, but was part 1 still much more intense). The locations of the individual missions are very imaginatively designed and also very abwechslingsreich. Somewhat disturbing is that the levels are a bit small and thus in the middle of the mission was always a level transition exists. Had the whole city and each mission is divided in itself into a single level, that would have been in my opinion perfectly. However, I doubt that this would have been technish feasible.
The story, for me usually the centerpiece of the game is very well done; At first, she murmurs to herself so easily and is the end always dramatic - to thrilling final. It offers many surprising twists and fits perfectly into the Thief scenario. Even allusions to the other parts of the series (the last sentence uncredited - awesome !!) are plentiful, but also "new entrants" will be able to enjoy the story without having to play the predecessor.
Short Rating:
Graphics: 1
Sound: 1+
Control: 1-
Playing time: 1
Presentation: 2
KI: 2
Story: 1+
Atmosphere: 1+
Conclusion: All in all, a terrific game and worthy successor to the first two parts. Atmospheric almost perfect game technically mature and with a good story Thief is one of the best games this year. If you like going on with brains instead of shoot through enemy crowds this is the place.
Best play at night, then adjust some shock effects really great and you can tell impressively how important the atmosphere can be in a game.