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THIEF OF THIEVES: SEASON ONE (XONE)
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Publisher: Skybound Entertainment.
Developer: Rival Games. Released: November 2018. Genre: Narrative Adventure. Other versions: PC; SWI. Posted 21st October 2022. By Shane Battams © 2022 |
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Perhaps fittingly given its subject matter, Thief of Thieves disappeared about as quietly as it snuck in for its launch in 2018, garnering almost nothing in the way of coverage from the mainstream press, despite representing Skybound Games’ first foray into adapting their own comics since Telltale’s collapse. This episodic, story-driven stealth adventure is a game of two halves: the first a fantastically articulated narrative with reasons to return, the other a half-baked stealth game that ranges from functional to frustrating. It also suffers from a lack of polish, but if you can look past these teething pains, Thief of Thieves may still prove captivating.
Focusing on Celia, a tattoo-clad thief who appeared in the comics, this four-volume story is spread across multiple locations, as you partake in casing, heists and other robber activities. The general thread of the narrative involves Celia being sweated during an interrogation, as events are recounted to the player as well as an investigating officer. But your input can also change the direction of the story, not so much as a whole, but notable changes which alter certain scenes. Lasting around eight hours, the game appears brisk, but you may be enticed to return for seconds. The story is easily the strongest part of the experience, with Fryda Wolff providing a good performance as Celia, delivering the kind of dry wit and sass that is more charming than irritating. There are some interesting backstories behind others you meet, keeping things engaging until the end.
Thief of Thieves' comic-book narrative is a major strength, though its stealth gameplay underwhelms
Thief of Thieves, when not telling its story, focuses on stealth. After downtime between missions, including occasional choice-making in terms of preparation, you are thrown into miniature levels with multiple objectives, often requiring you avoid detection from guards. Casing is often a key part of this, as you explore future heist locations to gain a lay of the land. Optional objectives can often prove beneficial later on, such as scanning cameras for the tech guy which – helpfully – marks them during the actual heist. Speaking of which, the heists often prove the highlight of the game, offering several approaches to the end goal. The initial heist sees you infiltrating a rich guy’s party to extract a bike. You can either manipulate a drunk to gain entry as his +1, or cause a scene to distract the guard instead. These little kinks add a lot of incentive to replay levels, often altering the outcome of the scenario depending on your playing style.
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Unfortunately, things somewhat fall apart when the mechanics begin to strain. The A.I., for a lack of a better term, is poor, often seeing guards getting stuck on doors, detecting you without warning or missing you entirely. With many scripted sequences relying on competent A.I., you can find yourself frustrated when a sequence of events is ruined due to the erratic nature of patrolling guards, especially when they lack any indication of their field of vision. The stealth is extremely basic, with a limited range of actions, such as throwing cans or simply hiding in darkness. The interactions can also feel cumbersome, sometimes requiring severe shuffling of the analogue stick to highlight the key interaction you need, which is tiring when some parts require pinpoint precision. Uneven stealth may have been more forgivable as a smaller component, but because it anchors most of Thief of Thieves together, such issues become more noticeable as you progress. It’s a shame, because as mentioned, some of the scenarios are excellent, including a thrilling heist on a train which sees you in competition with a rival group.
Thief of Thieves also boasts striking presentation, one which heavily leans on its comic inspiration. The panel art which bookends each chapter is gorgeous, with some striking moments which benefit from the art style, and in-engine footage looks decent too, with the heavy cel-shading and muted colour palette looking gritty. The audio is excellent on the whole, with great voice acting, mostly solid writing and catchy music which leans towards synth and indie guitar. Unfortunately, the technical failings of the engine stick out, with severe performance dips during certain moments. Bug cause audio to drop out, NPCs become stuck and even cut-scenes start glitching out, forcing a restart.
Thief of Thieves had potential to match the upper end of the narrative-driven episodic format, but unfortunately is undone by a mix of technical faults and uneven stealth. The distinctive style, excellent story and unique scenarios are worth experiencing, but you have to wade through a rather thick layer of missteps to experience the highs. If you’re a fan of story-focused adventure with a chance to alter the outcome, Thief of Thieves’ debut season may still be worth a look, but only if you can bear its faults.
Thief of Thieves had potential to match the upper end of the narrative-driven episodic format, but unfortunately is undone by a mix of technical faults and uneven stealth. The distinctive style, excellent story and unique scenarios are worth experiencing, but you have to wade through a rather thick layer of missteps to experience the highs. If you’re a fan of story-focused adventure with a chance to alter the outcome, Thief of Thieves’ debut season may still be worth a look, but only if you can bear its faults.
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VERDICT
"Thief of Thieves' debut season has a distinctive style, excellent story and unique scenarios, though some of the good work is undone by technical faults and uneven stealth" OVERALL: 6/10 |
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