Stephane Roy of Eidos Montreal took a few minutes to show off some actual Thief gameplay at E3.
Good news for those of you who were unable to attend Eidos Montreal’s Thief presentation at E3 – Sony has posted a gameplay video of about ten minutes in length on YouTube, so you can finally get a look at what the studio’s “reinvention of this classic franchise” will look like.
The demo takes place at a point a few hours into the game, when Garrett sets out to rob the Baron, the ruler of the city, while his manor is under siege by angry, rebellious citizens. Roy explained that the game can be played in any fashion you like, from ghosting to non-stop felonious assault, and Garrett will have access to his usual array of weaponry, including his famed water and fire arrows. Clearing up some earlier confusion (at least on my part), rope arrows are back – Ion Storm eliminated them from Thief: Deadly Shadows – and he’s also packing some kind of universal pry bar/climbing hook.
The trailer also shows off “Focus,” a power Garrett can use to spot hidden items or locations of interest, and “Swoop,” which allows him to move quickly and unseen from shadow to shadow. Focus will apparently be replenished by poppies, while Swoop looks to be something he can use without limitation, beyond perhaps a cool-down period. Garrett is far less lethal than Corvo but there’s still a powerful Dishonored vibe going on here, especially with those powers at his disposal.
So what do we think? Is it Thief – or, more to the point, does this video hook your interest? Thief is currently expected to come out sometime next year for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.
