Thief 2: The Metal Age vs Thief: The Dark Project

[RarlesCheed]

This is always a controversial debate, but I am just curious on what everyone's thoughts are. I perfer 2 ( obviously) for it's more open ended levels and noir like story. But i do think TDP has a better atmosphere and maybe a better story.

[AJ_MUR]

It's always going to be TDP or Gold for me. It feels like there was more 'experimentation' and creativity going on with its missions as LGS never tried anything like the Thief series before. They didn't really know that most of their audience at the time wanted pure thievery and less supernatural elements (despite the title) but tried out different things anyway. OMs like Bonehoard, Assassins, The Sword and Lost City will always be memorable in their unique visuals and level design.

I still think that Thief 2 holds up as well, both in its gameplay mechanics and more expansive missions; but I'd say that it might have sacrificed the darker atmosphere along with the mystery and intrigue that TDP had going for it. Still a great game though.

[RarlesCheed]

I certainly agree with the expirementation they were going for. I even think that the best Thief Gold OMS beat the best Thief 2 ones ( there are some exceptions). It's just that for every god tier "The Sword" like mission, there are 3 catacomb, tomb raiding, undead filled missions. That I'm fine with the undead, it's just the sheer amount of them that I find annoying. In Thief 2, it was a little more consistent with it's mission structure and made sense why you would go where you went. I do however, agree with the less mysterious narrative.

[Francisè von Spitroast]

I think Gold is monumentally better. The atmosphere is off the charts. The characters are better. The story is better. The locations and flow is better. The enemy design and variety is better and there's more gameplay elements due to that. I also like the far greater emphasis on loot. On top of all that, though, I think the level design is vastly superior to Thief 2. Hugely. Greatly.

[andrzejBG]

It's like having two children and having to choose which one you love more.

[RarlesCheed]

i can definitely agree on the atmosphere, and variety of the enemies. I dont necessary think Gold has a better story, just a better TOLD/presentation one. It's a lot more upfront and eventful. Thief 2 has more of a detective noir almost feeling to it, where Garrett is slowly piecing together Karrass' plan. For the level design, hehehe. While there are the greats like the Sword or Asssassins, it can't shake the few bad ones like Thieve's Guild or the meh ones like the 21 different tomb raiding levels. It's no different from the meh levels in 2 like Framed or Masks. The creatures do add variety, but then it feels repetetive since you see them more than the regular guards. In Thief 2, they establish the Mechanist's machines early on, and use them decently throughout the whole campaign. And then when you get to Trail of Blood, you are thrown for a loop.

If the creatures were used more sparingly in Gold, I would have NO doubt that Gold had better variety and even maybe level design. Sadly though, they are used way too much for my taste.

[Xautos]

both games have their strengths and weaknesses. both games have their good missions and horrible missions.

To me it has never been a case to compare them but to enjoy the games for the story of Garrett, drunk guards taffing around and others looking looking to turn you into dog meat.

i mean TDP is more heavy on stealth more than the combat side, it is apparent by level design but TMA is more mixed on combat and stealth as some missions intentionally lead you into a group of enemies with little choice but to attack.

From the guards in Lord Bafford's, to the Zombies in Cragscleft, city watch in "The city" all the way to the creatures from beyond and the nitwit guards arguing about Lady Van Vernon.

just for lols i love killing guards and putting them in places where it attracts more guards and alarms, stay in the shadows, out of reach and watch the whole lot go looking for you. it makes it a lot easier to get about that way if stealth isn't your thing. other times it is just best to go all in and take all the guards out for ludicrious kills. depending on the missions, some can be really flexible, others will be very hard for the less skilled in the game.

[RarlesCheed]

I have to disagree with you on the Metal Age being more "Combat oriented". Besides being forced to knock out 8 guards in the tutorial level, and a target in a mission litteraly called "Kidnapped", the whole game can be plain ghosted. In TDP, it is basically the same deal. ( Besides being forced to kill 9 ghosts but whatever.) Thief the Metal Age has a more open ended and laid back level design. For an example, it allows at times 8 ways into a building while in TDP only allows 3. TDP was more atmospheric and more upfront with it's story. While in Metal Age, the story is a little less up front and has more "typical stealth" design rather than Thief designs. If you get what im saying.

[Zombits]

they are both mandatory if you're a Thief fan... Gameplay and feeling are exactly the same, they just added some items on T2 and map design. I prefered Thief Gold but T2 was more hard and challenging with all the robots and alarm things.

I play Thief Gold since 1998 ( started as the dark project ) and play campaign every few years. On expert mode flashbomb is the only thing you need if you are detected ( can KO/kill a few foes with 1 ) Also the lean forward ( rebind it ) key you can KO em from the front in the dark

[revanbh]

I prefer Thief 2 to be honest. Been playing these games since 1998 and 2000 respectively. TDP starts really good with the Bafford mission but too many supernatural enemies later on don't appeal to me. Plus all the tombs and stuff. Not saying the game isn't good, but would have been better if they toned down the creatures, something they did in TMA.

[thirdkeeper]

I love them both so much ! - T1 and T2 are a single game in two packages,
with the grx and map capacity somewhat improved in the second half.

Played them both as soon as they were released - ....over and over..... ; ]

Baffords' and Remierez' stand out for part one, and Blackmail and Party in two.
Spent many hours appreciating those maps.

Not a big fan of the under ground missions or mission 2 in Thief Gold. I have trouble
with convoluted path ways.

It's been about 5 yrs since I've played the originals and I'm gearing up for another
run through. - Just peeked in here for a little inspiration..

looking forward to revisiting the emmersive T1-2 atmoshpere and soundscape...


...... Palpable! 8 D


- T K -

[Zombits]

I had not played both these games in many years, all I can say is T2 is 10 x harder, because of mechanisms, so the biggest threats are robots , also more tile floors , etc .. and i play always on expert for more challenge. But they are both fun

[revanbh]

Originally posted by thirdkeeper:

I love them both so much ! - T1 and T2 are a single game in two packages,
with the grx and map capacity somewhat improved in the second half.

Played them both as soon as they were released - ....over and over..... ; ]

Baffords' and Remierez' stand out for part one, and Blackmail and Party in two.
Spent many hours appreciating those maps.

Not a big fan of the under ground missions or mission 2 in Thief Gold. I have trouble
with convoluted path ways.

It's been about 5 yrs since I've played the originals and I'm gearing up for another
run through. - Just peeked in here for a little inspiration..

looking forward to revisiting the emmersive T1-2 atmoshpere and soundscape...


...... Palpable! 8 D


- T K -

I definitely recommend HD mod for both games. Oh yeah, Bafford's and Assassins are excellent maps. I had more problems with the third mission in Thief Gold (Bonehoard) than the second one (Cragscleft). Bonehoard is both horizontal and vertical maze. Plus you have Burricks, which are just very hard to sneak past, and annoying to kill.

[David McMurdo]

If it's a choice between the first two games, then I have to go with Thief 2. It's interesting—the reasons that people gave for preferring the first game are the very reasons that I dislike it. But I hold the unpopular opinion that Deadly Shadows is the best of them all, that's despite the fact that I'm old enough to have played these games at their original release. I understand perfectly why most fans prefer Thief 2. I totally get it. But for me, that little bit of technical edge that Deadly Shadows has over the first two just makes all the difference. With the unofficial Thief 3 Gold doing away with the in mission loading screens, it's an easy choice for me. Love the story in that one too. It is kind of ironic that those first two Thief games are more technically solid on modern machines than Deadly Shadows is.

I will say though that I played Thief 2 before I played Thief Gold (because I left it sitting there untouched for a while as a kid), and I recommend, as others have, playing them in order for the sake of the story. I mean you'll be able to understand Thief 2 if you play it first, but knowing the background will certainly enhance the experience.

[Taffey]

Dark Project/Gold vs Metal Age? hmmm Deadly Shadows wins :D Nah but srsly T1 is better followed by T3 and T2 is last imo.

[RarlesCheed]

hmmmm both Taffey and Druce have very unique opinions on the subject. I am actually not a Deadly Shadows hater at all, as i find it immensely solid, and i find the story to be interesting with the best ending to a game i have ever seen. The reason i perfer 2 is it's immaculate level design and pacing. It plays out like a mystery/noir story, where the plan slowly gets uncovered and you get the pieces one by one. The reason i like Gold the least out of the bunch is it's over use of creatures and tombs, it's inconsistent level quality, and that most missions are linear compared to 2.

In most Thief 2 OM's, you always have at least 2 ways into a place, and sometimes, up to 6 different entry points. While in Gold, it plays out like a Splinter Cell level where there are only like, 3 routes MAX on any given level. Now, this wouldn't matter if the level itself was great, but like i said, Gold has an over presence of the undead and tomb raiding, so i get a sense of deja vu WAY too often. However, i wont pretend 2 has some meh missions as well, but at the most they are just regular thieving missions instead of having to dance around a spider that can see out of their ass somehow ;)