The upcoming Thief reboot is a conundrum. On one hand, fans of the series have to be excited that the franchise will be getting new games for the foreseeable future. On the other, though Square Enix has been saying the right things about the title, it has seemed reluctant to privide fans with actual gameplay footage. This has caused unrest in the fanbase, fueling rumors that the game might stray from its stealth roots into something closer to Deus Ex: Human Revolution, the 2011 game from Thief developer Eidos Montreal.
Today Square Enix released the first gameplay trailer for Thief, hoping to reassure fans with plenty of sneaking while also previewing what appears to be an action-heavy game. Pickpocketing, multiple arrow types, and lock-picking are all previewed in the video. So are bullet-time powers and Square Enix’s infamous glowing-hint powers, making it clear the game won’t be as unforgiving as its previous incarnations.
Eidos Montreal seems to have a knack for rebooting PC franchises while giving them just enough modern touches to lure in a more widespread audience. Both Human Revolution and Tomb Raider were well-received by critics, though both represented substantial shifts in their respective series’ gameplay. If those games are anything to go by, Thief will a fun game, but will not be the same one PC gamers fell in love with over a decade ago.