Angelo, you're speaking my language. I haven't played Thief but I always wanted to. This could end up being a dark horse for game of the year consideration.
The DNA of Dishonored
Five games/series that reflect the heritage and influences of Dishonored
To not list the Thief games here would be an almost criminal disservice to those who have followed Dishonored’s development. From day one, co-creators Harvey Smith and Raphael Colontonio have pointed to Thief first and foremost as an overarching influence on Dishonored, and to fans of the Thief franchise, such as myself, its influences have been obvious. Subtle things, like the way an unconscious or dead body looks when picked up by the player are clear callbacks to a franchise the design team apparently knows and loves. Smith himself worked on Thief: Deadly Shadows as a designer, and has openly stated that he enjoyed Thief II’s “Life of the Party” mission, and modeled aspects of Dishonored after it.
Dishonored frequently encourages its players to keep to the shadows and remain undetected using back alleys, waterways, sewers, and rooftops (which Thief referred to as “The Thief’s Highway.”) Should the player engage in a confrontation with an NPC, it’s usually best to do so as quickly and quietly as possible. In Thief, Garrett (the character the player inhabits) wears no armor and has limited abilities when it comes to swordplay, making open confrontation a deadly proposition. In Dishonored, while your character seems more durable and is an accomplished fighter, the designers, as well as those who have had hands on time with the title have stated the rogue’s approach is the more rewarding experience. It allows you to explore more freely, netting more loot, and it also keeps the universal chaos level (we’ll get to that later) under control.
Dishonored casts the player as an outcast, much like Garrett, who finds himself short of funds and resources. This leaves the character no choice but to loot and steal to survive and accomplish his goals. Other commonalities include the first person perspective, which Smith believes increases anxiety in tense situations, and the look and feel of Dunwall, the primary location for Dishonored, which has a lot in common with “The City” where Thief takes place.
Both Garrett and Corvo (the protagonist of Dishonored) have a collection of toys and gadgets that could make even Batman jealous. In thief, Garrett had, among other things, special arrows that could accomplish unique tasks, such as extinguishing candles and torches, dropping ropes from their point of contact, and even deploy carpet of moss across a noisy tile floor. Corvo will have access to smoke bombs, spring razor traps, sleeping darts, and exploding crossbow bolts and bullets.
Further ties have to do with the religious elements present in the games' respective stories. The Thief games spent a lot of time expanding on The Keepers, Hammerites, Mechanists, and Pagans, which comprise the religious orders and sub-orders of their world. Garrett also spent time dealing with supernatural creatures, both as allies and enemies. Dishonored has its own network of religious and political types. The main religion in Dunwall is The Abbey of the Everyman, headed by the High Overseer. While details are scarce, it seems that this religion has a lot to do with the rat plague, and is devoted to standing against a being known as The Outsider (the individual that empowers the protagonist early in the game). Judging by the nature of the story we’ve seen so far, it’s reasonable to assume the supernatural will play as major a role in Dishonored as it did in Thief.
Comments