- One of the best PC games ever made is yours for less than $1 - 17 October 2023
Starfield . BioShock. Dishonored. Some of the greatest PC games of the last two decades owe their inspiration to the Thief series. Originally developed by Looking Glass Studios, of System Shock and Ultima fame, the third Thief, Deadly Shadows, would move to Ion Storm Austin, shortly after it shipped another stone-cold classic, the first Deus Ex. The team that helped build Thief 3 would eventually work on some of the most-beloved games of the modern era, including Skyrim, BioShock, and Starfield. Renowned for its superlative Shalebridge Cradle level, Thief Deadly Shadows is now all yours for less than $1. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: The best immersive sims are up to 90% off in a great Steam sale Modder snatches away Thief: Deadly Shadows' loading screens
- The best immersive sims are up to 90% off in a great Steam sale - 9 September 2023
The Deus Ex and Thief games are some of the best immersive sims ever made. Between the two series, you've got a slew of great stealth games that despite their age are still absolutely worth picking up today. Well, the good news is that these two series are in a great Steam sale right now, so you can nab any and all games from both for next to nothing. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Deus Ex's Adam Jensen says "no one called" about a new game Adam Jensen wants a new Deus Ex game Elon Musk sleeps next to a gun from Deus Ex: Human Revolution
- Journeying into The Cradle in Thief: Deadly Shadows - 30 April 2023
We're digging into the PC Gamer magazine archives to publish pieces from years gone by. This article was originally published in PC Gamer issue 146, March 2005. .. Read more.
- Great moments in PC gaming: The Shalebridge Cradle in Thief: Deadly Shadows - 29 July 2019
Great moments in PC gaming are bite-sized celebrations of some of our favorite gaming memories.  Horror's great when it's contrasted with not-horror. If it's all spooks all the time that can get tiring, but when you aren't constantly being frightened until your bones climb out your mouth and run away, you start to relax—and that makes the eventual explosion into real horror work even better. That's how it is with the Ocean House Hotel in Bloodlines, and that's how it is with the Shalebridge Cradle in Thief: Deadly Shadows.  By this third game in the series you feel like a proper master thief, able to slide into any building and immediately start taking it over, one unconscious guard at a time. When you break into the Cradle, a former orphanage turned asylum turned abandoned haunted house, that feeling gets turned on its head. The building i…
- The History of Ion Storm - 16 February 2018
This article was originally published in two parts across PC Gamer issue 313 and 314 . For more quality articles about all things PC gaming, you can subscribe now in the UK and the US .   Jake Hughes was working as a model designer on Starship Troopers when he received a call from Peter Marquardt. Marquardt was an actor—he played the bad guy in Robert Rodriguez’s first film, El Mariachi—but he also had a passion for games. The pair originally met on the set of Wing Commander IV, where Marquardt was shooting for the game’s cutscenes.  “He calls me up and he says, ‘Hey, John Romero is making a company and they’re looking for associate producers, come on out,’” Hughes says. “Peter was working on Daikatana, and Tom Hall was needing an associate producer. So I came out and I met Tom, and we connected instantly &#…
- The best Thief: Dark Mod missions - 3 January 2018
Are you feeling forlorn for the halcyon days of the Thief series? You may already be aware of The Dark Mod . It’s a fan-made standalone mod that recreates Thief, but isn’t set in the specific universe. With it, fans can create levels for others to enjoy. Having been out in the wild for years now, it’s amassed a huge library of missions.  If you’re new to The Dark Mod, I’m here to help you find the best the game has to offer. And if you’re a veteran taffer, I’ve picked out some of my favourite new missions as well. Fair warning to those eager to jump in, though, The Dark Mod can be a bit rough around the edges, with cringeworthy narration and more than a few bugs to interrupt your plans. It’s also worth downloading the tutorial mission . Whether you’re new to Thief or not, The Dark Mod does a lot of things in its own way…
- Have you played Thief: Deadly Shadows? - 8 December 2017
Have You Played? is an endless stream of game retrospectives. One a day, every day, perhaps for all time. I always feel a bit sad when I think about Deadly Shadows . Ion Storm Austin’s spin on Looking Glass’ landmark stealth series is an embodiment of frustrated ambitions. The developers had basically planned for Deadly Shadows to be an open-world stealth game, a sort of medieval Grand Theft Carriage. But the prioritising of the original Xbox combined with lofty technological ambitions meant that, like a man trying to fit an elephant into a fridge, Ion Storm had to mercilessly cut down the scope of its project. Even then, they could only include the important bits, like the trunk and a couple of the feet. (more…)
- The uncertain future of games like Deus Ex and Dishonored - 15 August 2017
Warren Spector is stuck in Prey. The director of Deus Ex, who has worked on many games since labeled "immersive sims"—in fact, he coined the term in a post-mortem of Deus Ex —has been playing the modern games inspired by classics like Thief and System Shock. But he hasn't finished Prey yet. Or, as he puts it: "The crew quarters are kicking my butt." He's enjoying it though, just as he enjoyed the other recent immersive sim from Arkane Studios, Dishonored 2. "I thought they were both excellent examples of what I think of when I say 'immersive sim,'" Spector says. "They removed barriers to belief that I was in another world and they let me approach problems as problems, rather than as puzzles. I'm really glad Arkane exists and that they're so committed to the genre. Without them I'd have fewer games to play!" Spector's not the only one…
- Of Crime And The City In Thief, Dickens And GTA - 23 November 2014
Every Sunday, we reach deep into Rock, Paper, Shotgun’s 141-year history to pull out one of the best moments from the archive . This week, Adam’s 2012 article singing the praises of videogame cities which are more than mere reconstruction, but are built from the bricks and mortar of ideas. I’ve been visiting various cities recently, which always fill me with confusion and wonder, then Dishonored made me think about how much I miss Looking Glass. Put the two together and this happens. Join me in a meandering word-search for cohesion and theme in the use of the city across Thief , and the selected works of Rockstar and Charles Dickens. Be warned, there are spoilers for all three Thief games. …
- Mid-Level Loading Be Gone! Thief 3 Gold Mod Leaves Beta - 1 August 2014
A mod removing the mid-level loading from Thief: Deadly Shadows is a good thing. We cooed a bit at the Thief 3 Gold mod before in May when the first beta version arrived–coo!–so now that Version 1.0 is here we’re duty-bound to coo longer, more intensely. CoooOOo! Along with smooshing mission segments into single load-free levels, Gold makes a few other tweaks, including adjusting wonky guard paths and positions. …
- Speedy Shadows: Thief 3 Gold Removes Loading Zones - 6 May 2014
With Square’s Thief causing a great many of the Looking Glass/Ion Storm faithful to adopt a bulldog chewing a wasp facial expression for the best part of a month (I’m kidding of course – they’ll retain that expression for at least twenty years), interest in Garret’s earlier tealeaf adventures has heightened. Even the series’ former red-headed stepchild, Deadly Shadows, has itself a new moment in the sun. Assorted fixes have long been available, but a newish and very appealing one is the removal of all loading screens from the game’s notoriously chopped-up missions. …
- Pre-Purchase Now - THIEF - 27 September 2013
THIEF is Now Available for Pre-Purchase on Steam! Pre-Purchase now to get the exclusive in-game mission, The Bank Heist. Garrett, the Master Thief, steps out of the shadows into the City. In this treacherous place, where the Baron’s Watch spreads a rising tide of fear and oppression, his skills are the only things he can trust. Even the most cautious citizens and their best-guarded possessions are not safe from his reach.
- STEAM SUMMER SALE DAY SEVEN - 18 July 2012
The Steam Summer Sale continues today with huge savings throughout the store! Today's Daily Deals Include: * L.A. Noire ; * Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion ; * Thief Franchise ; * S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Franchise ; * Super Meat Boy ; * Age of Empires Online ; * Carpe Fulgur Collection ; * Total War Mega Pack ; * Indie Bundle VI - featuring Avadon, Zombie Driver, QUBE, Dungeons of Dredmor, Vessel; Don't forget to check back for a new Community Choice vote every 8 hours and new Flash sales throughout the day! You can also grab the Steam mobile app to make sure you never miss any great deals while you're on the go! Complete information on all the savings, Flash Sales, Community Choice Votes and more may be found on www.steampowered.com .
- Midweek Madness - Thief series, 50% off! - 22 May 2012
In celebration of the launch of Thief Gold and Thief II: The Metal Age on Steam, take 50% off all Thief titles during this week's Midweek Madness*! In Thief Gold, stalk your prey on the quest for stolen goods with your blackjack, sword, and an assortment of unique arrows. Steal for money and uncover the hidden agendas of your allies and enemies as you play through an unravelling story of deception and revenge. Survive in a world where shadows are your only ally, trust is not an option, and confrontation results in death! In Thief II: The Metal Age, tread softly as you make your way through 15 new complex, non-linear levels full of loot to steal and guards to outsmart. Improved enemy AI, new gadgets and a riveting story will draw you into this world, a place of powerful new technologies, fanatical religions and corruption. *Offer ends Thursday at 4PM Pacific Time
- Midweek Madness - Thief: Deadly Shadows 75% off - 1 June 2011
Act now and take advantage of huge savings! Thief: Deadly Shadows is available at 75% off during the Midweek Madness sale. Offer ends Thursday at 4pm Pacific Time.
