Map ReviewsLord Bafford's Manor - An inoffensive, average start that functions well as an introduction to the games' mechanics with varied surfaces and room sizes. It works as a starting playground but its lack of flair makes it not a rewarding map to explore. 3.5/5.0
Break from Cragscleft Prison - The real
Thief begins here. You get your creepy tunnels with zombies, tight corridors with guards and the reward of an actually enjoyable level once you reach the prison area. You also get a fantastic, atmospheric introduction to the Hammerites. Despite the slog of the beginning, it captures the feeling of an epic adventure. Though it does feel poorly balanced by introducing the toughest human enemies in only the 2nd level. 3.5/5.0
Down in the Bonehoard - A giant pain in the ass. The crowds of zombies in tight areas are lame; as are maze-like caverns with acid-spitting creatures. The most difficult thing was climbing ladders and finding my way back out; the rest is just tedious. This is one of the maps where I'll allow myself bunnyhopping through it to get it over with. At least it has some great atmosphere, traps and conceptual rooms when you go off-the-beaten path. 3.0/5.0
Assassins - One of the most varied and exciting maps in the game, soured by some pesky objective hunting near its end. It introduces the lockpicking and gives you opportunities to test out flashbombs. The mansion is believable and interesting and the end sequence adds a nice twist. Would be one of the best if not for the one objective that is delivered with no hint or guidance, ending up with you searching every corner of the mansion, ruining the wonderful pace it had going for it. 3.5/5.0
Thieves' Guild - Thief Gold's first new addition, which starts promising but gets worse as it goes. It wasn't so bad until I realized the item I needed was in the house I just left on the other side of the map. Which wasn't so bad in itself until I got stuck in an area outside Randall's home. I quicksaved after taking out a guard in this sewer area only to then realize there is no way out. I guess the idea is that if you opened the sewer grate on the other side you'd be met with an ambush. The sewers are a drab location, the objectives are as muddy as the environment and the map just goes, and goes, and goes... 2.0/5.0
The Sword -
Thief hits its stride starting with this map. I wonder how many people would feel more positive about the early game if this mission came after the prison and there was no Thieves' Guild. This map nails everything great about the game. I love how different every level of the mansion is, the perspective tricks (perhaps the first time a 3D game attempted this), using rope arrows, the unpredictability of every room, the traps, and the sword room at the end. Climbing up to grab it with a rope arrow before the guards saw me was awesome. Love it. 4.5/5.0
The Haunted Cathedral - This one gets mixed responses but I was surprised by how much I liked it after not enjoying the first undead level. The exploration aspect of the game shines as you need to use your compass, follow directions, do tricky platforming and use critical thinking to solve an awesome puzzle. On the other hand, this map highlighted things I hate about the game like the lack of clarity, polish and the worst gold requirement in the series (playing on Hard). Instead of having a great climax to the level, I spent 20 minutes hunting down a little extra gold. The gold requirement on this level was ridiculous. I had to search every hidden area. And then on the next map the gold requirement on Hard is a joke. I reached it within a couple minutes. The difficulty balance and pacing on this game is one of its worst aspects. I was so frustrated at the end I decided to play the rest of the game on Normal to avoid the occasional high gold requirement. As much as I enjoyed the map before the painful last minutes with it, I can see how it could be extremely frustrating if you weren't well-equipped or missed certain items that guide you toward your objective. I could very easily have hated it. 3.5/5.0
The Mage Towers - The setting is cool but there isn't all that much going on until you get into the towers and wish there was a lot less going on. Once you get into the Earth Tower, I hated it as much as Thieves Guild. It at least has a cool concept and atmosphere at parts so it's not as bad, but it's still a terrible map and at 90 minutes I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemies. Do yourself a favor and skip Thieves Guild and Mages Tower. This is like one of those Extended Cuts of movies that ruins the entire thing they are so bad. That they put out two maps of this quality alongside Song of the Cavern is baffling. If the map were half it's length, it'd be a good addition. 2.5/5.0
The Lost City - My favorite exploration map in the game and a welcome change of pace after Mages Tower. Climbing the building at the end was cool. It seems I'm alone in enjoying the platforming so I imagine it's not for everyone but I'm a fan. One of the better maps, even though it outstays its welcome and has some annoying areas. 3.5/5.0
Song of the Caverns - Although my favorite will remain The Sword, I think this is a better map that highlights everything
Thief does well. It covers so much ground and feels like an epic heist. Great atmosphere, level design, and pacing. It's too bad the other two
Thief Gold exclusives aren't this good. 4.0/5.0
Undercover - Starts out great and I like the concept but I am disappointed with where it goes. I can't believe they pulled off this crap. As much as Thieves Guild and Mages Tower bored me to tears, this one makes me angry with what it asks you to do. The tedium of Thief's last leg begins here and only gets worse. I can see myself maybe looking favorably on the map if I found the objective instructions, hidden away in a box, but instead I stumbled through clueless until turning to a guide. There was no "A-HA!" moment; only "WTF were they thinking?" 2.0/5.0
Return to the Cathedral - It starts as an intense horror level but devolves into a beyond irritating fetch quest that includes multiple items you need to find across the entire map without any hint. This seems to be a running theme: great premise, promising start and hair-pulling conclusion. This game came before the time developers playtested their experiments and it really shows here. I'm okay with cryptic level design and objectives but there has to be some guide and logic. Give me hints, make me feel smart and accomplished by piecing together the riddle. Instead I get, "go search every corner of the level for this thing and then do it again." 1.5/5.0
Escape! - Somehow just as bad in its own special way. Let's make a level of tight corridors packed with enemies in our stealth game that is supposed to be about hiding. Since the level is called "Escape!" I guess the suggestion is that you are supposed to not even try and just run past everything and there is a LOT of everything -- all while hoping not to run into a dead-end or enemy attack. At least I beat it without cheating. After the great cinematic, this is a really terrible level that kills any momentum. 1.0/5.0
Strange Bedfellows - As bad as the last two. After searching nearly every room for the path forward, I quit the game for a 2nd time. Watching a playthrough on YouTube, I don't think I missed out on much. The narrative is interesting as the level title suggests but the sprawl of bland dark corridors and annoying enemies ruins it all. 1.5/5.0
Into the Maw of Chaos - A flat ending that brings into focus the game's tumultuous development that saw the studio shut down and fire key staff (that went on to make
Deus Ex). It's more of the same tight corridors with annoying enemies that doesn't offer the non-linear creativity of the game's best levels. It at least as some great atmosphere and visuals at parts. The final "boss fight" is rather lame. 2.0/5.0
Still, we have to be thankful for what we have. Happy 25th to one of the best pieces of media to ever exist. Let's all raise a glass of Constantine's finest brandy in honour of its anniversary!
thats the thing i hate about gold. love the mage tower mission tho
Completely blows the original games out the water with some of the best atmosphere and level design I have ever seen.
check it out here: https://www.moddb.com/mods/thief-the-black-parade