With its release only days away, Thief’s hype train has reached critical velocity since its announcement back in 2009. The launch trailer, available today via the game’s official YouTube channel, gives players a peek into lead character Garrett’s past and his possible motives going into the story.
Developer Eidos Montreal–the same team that worked on Deus Ex: Human Revolution–has made a commendable effort to modernize the series without compromising its heart and soul. Like the Deus Ex series, Thief games were always about choice and consequence; a locked box and hapless guard should never be overcome in the same way twice.
This trailer presents scenarios that are surprisingly action-oriented, though, with Garrett scraping his way across balconies and into uncharacteristically exposed situations. Everything feels quite cinematic, which may lead to a deficiency in the subtle presentation that we’re expecting. If there’s any game that should reward patient observation, it’s Thief.
As for notable features, advanced players will have the option to disable the user interface, thus removing all directional and targeting hints. There will also be an Iron Man mode, which essentially functions as perma-death, requiring a full game restart if Garrett dies. Activate both of these features and you’ll be white-knuckled in no time.
Thief launches in North America for PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One this Tuesday, February 25th.
