Posted by Kromey at 11:53pm Jun 16 '14Sneaking through the [private]s, avoiding and/or knocking out guards, water-arrowing torches and such -- this is the stuff I remember and loved in the old games.
I don't like how easily the guards give up looking for me. I mean, if they just catch a glimpse of me dashing from one [private] to another out of the corner of their eye, or they're awoken from their on-duty slumbering by a lockpicking gone wrong, that's one thing -- they'd look around a bit, find nothing, and give up.
But when they stumble upon a guard that I've blackjacked -- or even killed -- and after 30 seconds of half-arsed looking give up with a "must have been my imagination"? That totally breaks the whole immersion thing for me.
Of course, that's consistent with not only the old Thief games, but also with every stealth-based game ever made! One of things that's usually considered an "acceptable break from reality", but dammit I really want a game, or at least an option in a game, where guards react more realistically by not giving up and staying on high alert when they stumble across something concrete like a body, or run into me face-to-face!
Anyway, not far into this one yet, haven't even made it to the Clock Tower, which is apparently my base in the City or somesuch. Only have the faintest glimmer of what's going on. I will say this: Unless this one thing that's already occurred gets explained somehow, I'm already displeased with the narrative's complete implausibility.
That one thing is this (spoiler begins here, highlight text with your mouse to read it): Who the fuck are those two guys who sacrificed their lives to not only sneak me into the City, but also draw the guards away from me so I could get away? I mean, what the fuck was up with that? It doesn't make sense! Unless, of course, there's something in the plot I don't know yet which explains why I've got people willing to die just to make my life a little easier (it's evident from the first mission I can slip past the walls and locked gates of the guard, which further begs the question of why these guys would die to get me through the gate before it's sealed).
Anyway, to sum up: Not far in, liking the gameplay, questionable plot -- basically it hangs on whether or not certain plot points are explained satisfactorily.
So far it's pretty good - Kromey