Thief (2014 Reboot): Top 10 Facts You Need to Know

1. It Was Originally Announced as Thief 4

Back in 2009, this rebooted version of Thief was originally being developed/produced as Thief 4. At first, Eidos Montreal commissioned a small team of developers to craft the game. Some of the early gameplay mechanic concepts for this project revolved around having a new master thief, a 3rd-person perspective and even parkour elements that would be similiar to the ones seen in Assassin’s Creed. Later in 2010, Eidos Montreal expanded its team of devs for Thief. They eventually split off some of its team members and put them to work on the game’s multiplayer modes. In a March 2013 issue of Game Informer, it was revealed that Thief was going to make its way over to next-generation consoles and the consoles it was already announced for.

2. The Voice Actor for The Main Thief Has Been Changed

Stephen Russell.

Garret’s original voice actor through the entire series was Stephen Russell. Eidos Montreal decided to make a change to this long-running tradition by giving Garret’s voice actor role to a new actor named Romano Orzari. Fans were undoubtedly upset with this executive decision (some fans even went as far starting a petition to get Stephen Russell back).

Eidos Montreal eventually offered a statement on why they made this voice actor change:

We made the decision to record our actor’s voices and their movement at the same time using a full performance capture technique. The actor playing Garrett needed to be able to perform his own stunts. Garrett’s a really athletic guy. We could have pasted Stephen’s voice on top of the actions and stunts of someone else, but this wouldn’t appear natural.

3. The Plot Revolves Around A Location Known as “The City”

The storyline for this reboot focuses on a locale called “The City,” a fantasy-themed world that’s inspired by Victorian and steampunk design. Players will once again take control of master thief Garret as he returns to this place he previously resided in. A new tyrant that’s simply named “The Baron” now oversees “The City.” This city is plagued by a sweeping sickness, along with greed and rampant homelessness. Garrett comes back to town in order to exploit the rich and save the city’s lesser denizens. Check out the video trailer above to get the best details on the game’s overall plot.

4. Garret Retains His Arsenal of Weapons for This New Adventure

Garret employs a large number of items that help him put down enemies stealthily and get past most adversaries unseen. Garret carries around a blackjack that can be used to knock out unsuspecting guards, plus he has access to a compound bow. This bow-and-arrow combo comes with all types of arrows that fits all types of different situations. For example, the Water Arrows can be properly utilized to put out fire lanterns and further darken any area. Garret also has a claw add-on that can be used to grapple enemies and the sides of buildings. The game will provide players with even more weapons and supplies through the in-game currency system.

5. “Focus” Mode is One of the Newest Features Being Added to Garret’s Repertoire

One of the newer mechanics being added to Garret’s movelist is called “Focus” mode. This mode allows Garret’s vision to change and make everything onscreen take on a new shade of color. For example, the pipes that Garret can climb up onto become highlighted for players to notice in their environmental challenges. This mode also slows down time to make Garret perform his actions much quicker and enable him to perform more brutal finishing moves.

6. Players Can Still Eavesdrop to Obtain Important Plot Details

Stephane Roy, the producer of this Thief reboot, spoke with the UK PlayStation blog about the returning mechanic of eavesdropping:

Eavesdropping is still really important. We give a lot of care to support that voyeurism aspect of the franchise, where you can sneak around, listening to what people are saying, looking through keyholes and so on…

We want to make sure that the world is rich and interesting, so our writers are working hard and we’re producing a huge amount of dialog that the player will be able to listen to, as Garrett sneaks through the shadows. Some will give him information for his mission, some will unveil story elements, and others are just fun to listen to.

7. A Special Pre-Order Bonus Level Is Being Offered to Early Adopters

For those who pre-order the game, a special bonus mission will come with your final copy. The video trailer above shows off the loot and other secrets that this bonus bit of gameplay will entail.

8. It’s Launching on Past and Current Generation Consoles

Thief is making its way onto several consoles in 2014. Not only will it be playable on next-gen consoles, but it will also become available on past-gen systems. If you own a PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One or a PC gaming machine that can handle it, then you’ll soon be ready to hop up on some rooftops as Garret come February 25, 2014.

9. PC Gamers Can Pre-Order The “Master Thief” Edition

The biggest pre-order bonus is actually coming to PC gamers. This “Master Thief” bundle (which can only be purchased through Square Enix’s online store) comes with a wealth of goodies:

1. Official Digital Artbook
– Stunning concept art that offers a sneak peek into the shadowy world of THIEF

2. Digital Comic
– Delve deeper into the shroud surrounding Thief’s obscure world with this complete collection of digital comic books

3. Booster Pack
– Get access to an exclusive bundle of optional in-game consumables that can empower you and hasten your progression through THIEF:

– Quiver upgrade: increase maximum arrow capacity.
– Choke arrows
– Poppy flowers
– Gold
– Director’s Cut Original Soundtrack
– A remarkable collection of THIEF tracks.

4. The Bank Heist
– Infiltrate the City’s most secure location, Stonemarket First Bank, to steal a coveted family heirloom called the Star of Auldale. To this day, this heavily guarded and treacherous place remains impregnable, but that’s about to change…

– A challenging mission that will put your thieving skills to the test
– Outsmart security measures found exclusively in this mission
– Search for the Bank’s unique loot and many other secrets
– A true homage to the Bank mission in Thief II: The Metal Age

10. The Achievements/Trophies List Has Already Been Revealed

There may be some spoilers lying around in this online list of achievements/trophies for Thief, no doubt. But if you want a heads up on what needs to be done in order to increase your Gamer Score/Trophy count, then head to this LINK to see the full list.