The release of Thief: Deadly Shadows, the third installment of the cult stealth game series, in May 2004, did not go as well as the developers (Ion Storm) and publisher (Eidos Interactive) had hoped. Nonetheless, the studio behind it began work on a fourth game under the banner, which was also to be a reboot of the brand. The project, with the working title Thief 4: Dagger of Ways, existed "on paper" for about half a year, but it was finally decided to cancel it and disband its team of authors.
Thief 4: Dagger of Ways was supposed to move the series into a world closer to the modern world, inspired, among other things, by the Blade film series . The action of this production would take place in a city that would be a mix of New York, Boston, Los Angeles and other American metropolises. The adventure would lead us through such places as abandoned 24-hour stores, dark streets or the residence of a corrupt senator.
In the pursuit of realism, however, the authors did not intend to rigidly adhere to the rules that govern our world. For example, we wouldn't have seen light switches in the game, as their presence would have called into question the need to hide in the shadows, a trademark of the brand.
During the gameplay, we would play as Garrett, a skilled thief. Over the course of subsequent missions, the protagonist would rely more on his own wits and skills than on gadgets. Nevertheless, the protagonist's toolbox would include, among other things, a night vision device that would reload the lights of flashlights wielded by enemies.
Speaking of adversaries - the locations would be patrolled by guards, who could be dealt with using automatic weapons, as well as the title dagger.
The latter item?was meant to be a mystical weapon. The Dr?g Dagger would allow the master thief to transport himself to a spectral world, thus bypassing enemies and other problems waiting for him in physical reality. The matter would be complicated by the fact that Garrett would encounter dangerous shadowy creatures there, which would further multiply with each death caused by the protagonist.
Although in retrospect this concept may seem interesting, it did not appeal to the publisher, who demanded that it be removed from the project and that the focus be fully on realistic elements. As a result, the game began to be described as "a realistic shooter with tactical, brutal combat."
The story told in Thief 4: Dagger of Ways was to be a more contemporary interpretation of the plot of the first Thief. Garrett would lose his parents during their attempt to escape from the cult known as The Keepers. While he himself would manage to regain his freedom, his sister would not be so lucky. In time, the protagonist, already a skilled thief, would become involved in a conflict between The Church (the Church) and a faction known as The Openers (whose members would possess powers older than all of civilization).
In addition to Garrett, there would be other well-known characters in new incarnations, such as Constantine and Senator Bafford.
Platforms:
PC Windows
Developer: Ion Storm
Publisher: Square Enix
Age restrictions: n/a
Similar Games:
7GAMES
A highly acclaimed series of first-person perspective (FPP) action games in which the player has the opportunity to take on the role of a thief. The series was created by the now-defunct Looking Glass studio, and its development is currently overseen by Eidos Montreal.
