While the fighter's role has been more than thoroughly explored by a panoply of games, the sticky-fingered gentlemen have been overlooked. What makes Thief so interesting is that the game requires the player to fully embrace the role of a thief who lives to skulk in the shadows. Moving slowly and quietly is absolutely necessary. Action gamers who want to play hero will perish quickly, while patient players will receive their due from careful diligence. And even though it is not a central point of the game, the combat is more complete than I expected, allowing for blocking as well as quick slashes and overhand strokes.
Arrows come in a wide variety as well.
Unlike more violent counterparts, Thief has a good level of re-playability and serves as an exciting reminder that not every game has to be part of a series or a 3D rehash of a classic. If you're bored with endless massacre, you should definitely give Thief a look. Vox Day, a syndicated game-review columnist and novelist, designs games for Fenris Wolf and GT Interactive. His column appears every week in Tech Life.