Back in the summer, I picked up the Thief series for el cheap-o and I finally found a night I could sit down and see what all the hoopla was about and what my childhood was missing. After going through the training exercises and getting used to the odd controls (ok, so I have to separate keys to move forward and X moves me backward. Got it), I moved onto the first mission. I accustomed myself to the map and began working my way around, sneaking past guards and got into the sewers. I found the drunk guard and stole his key with ease. Victory is surely mine, or so I thought.

See, I didn't quite have the ladder mechanics down yet. I had fallen a couple times already trying to get in or out of the sewer. The last time, I managed to wedge myself between a wall and the sewer grate. I was stuck. I couldn't open the grate or move away from my corner and a guard was quickly approaching. I crouched in the slim chance he wouldn't see me, but I accepted my fate. As he approach, I waiting for the inevitable stabbing of my face. Instead, what I got was, "*hum hum hum* How's it going? *hum hum*" What? I'm alive! He didn't attack! That's when I remembered that this wasn't some pansy-wansy game where everyone knows you're a "bad guy" right away. I hadn't done anything to make myself suspicious, so, to that guard, I was just a guy in a black cloak sitting in the corner on the sewer grate. Alas, I was still stuck and needed a way out. I thought if I provoked him, he would hit me and perhaps jar me loose. After he passed, I notched an arrow and aimed. Thwack! Right in his back....then he keeled over and died. Damn. Esc - Quit - To Desktop - Open Firefox.

So, does anyone have any fun stories with this game? I'm really looking forward to tomorrow night where I can try again and, hopefully, have more success.

That sounds awesome! I remember playing the Thief: Deadly Shadows demo a whole lot back in the day and there was this one time when I was sneaking into this mansion owned by some baron, right? So I sneak into his bedroom searching for any valuable items and as I'm searching the baron stumbles into the room, mumbling to himself about his estate, the incompetence of his servants and guards, etc. My heart starts pounding like crazy and as I'm trying to scramble and find a place to hide he catches a glimpse of me and starts to come towards me all suspicious like. I can't move since all the places nearby make me very visible so I, being desperate and terrible at stealth games at the time, I take out my bow and arrow, level it, aim at his chest, draw back the bow and fire. The old guy could really take a punch to my surprise and starts panicking and running away yelling for the guards. I'm just shocked and sit there for a while trying to catch my breath and process what just happened.

I'm sitting there for a few tense moments wondering when he'll be back with help or if at all. It was the first time I've ever seen a NPC do that so I was pretty nervous. Finally I slink out of my corner and continue to search the room for valuables. As soon as I do this, the baron finally comes back with a guard who promptly IDs me and starts to attack. I run away with this guards swinging his sword and yelling like crazy and naturally I run into other guards along the way (did I mention that I was really bad it these types of games?). A good half hour later I manage to lose them all. I run into a broom closet after throwing a flash bomb at the group of pursuing guards and hide in there. One of them comes in to investigate but he didn't find me. "Damn! Lost the thieving taffer!" A while after I'm able to calm down and leave my hiding place.

Easily one of the best game experiences I've ever had.