3. Thief 2 - March 23rd, 2000
Widely regarded as the greatest stealth game of all time, Thief II was the obvious inspiration for such recent successes as Dishonored. Recent reboot aside, the Thief series has been a masterclass for the stealth genre, with AI that is genuinely intelligent, missions that create true organic tension along with sprawling, non-linear maps for you to crawl around in to your hearts content. Garrett, the series main protagonist, is a cynical anti-hero, with seemingly no place for true friendship, with a few exceptions. His dry-wit and sarcasm are a highlight of the original trilogy, often offering up a cynicism of some kind about his current situation. Writing is one of Looking Glass Studios major talents, showcased in the conversations overheard between the city guards during your missions. The guards themselves are some of the best that can be found in a stealth game. They take long, but logical, patrols around the map, meaning they can take you by surprise if youre not careful enough. What the critics say:
Gamespot: 8.6/10
IGN: 9/10
Steam User Reviews: Very Positive (96% Positive Reviews)
Metacritic: 9/10