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A Flash design project by Phillip Reagan of Texas, USA, Thief weaves a cryptic atmosphere with captivating puzzles to pull you into a story you didn't even realize you were participating in.
You begin staring at a table that holds a monitor and a strange box. You can click on either object, one leads to a puzzle with rotating triangles while the other has some unusual buttons and a beeping grid. No explanation is given, you just have to figure things out on your own. And I surely won't ruin the fine experience with spoilers in this review! It isn't until you solve a few of the puzzles that you realize the story behind the game and learn just why it's called Thief. The atmosphere is extremely mysterious and draws you in from the moment you begin. Warning: you will be hooked. Play.
Analysis: My first foray into Thief happened to be the radar-like puzzle on the right. It's entirely possible to complete the game starting here, but only if Lady Luck happens to be a close relative. Needless to say I didn't last very long and went to give the flashing grid a try. Coming up with the solution was fairly intuitive, but progressing through the series of puzzles proved a little more difficult. I quickly learned to pay attention to the small details that were repeated throughout the mini-puzzles. I snatched some paper and kept notes that turned out to be priceless. And the moment I learned the story behind the game, I was completely hooked.
The pacing and difficulty are perfect in Thief, keeping you on the verge of frustration so you keep plugging away for the solution. I like the open-ended feeling (though it's an illusion) and using clues from one puzzle to the next is a great way to create a fuller sense of satisfaction, especially in a smaller project of this nature.
Just like the other finalists in the competition, Thief drops you in the middle of a puzzle (or set of puzzles) and leaves you to your own wits to find a way out. It's captivating, creative, and enormously rewarding to play. Phillip has done a wonderful job and is deserving of one of the top prizes!
dancemonkey: This was hands-down my favorite of all the entries. I loved the story, and loved that you didn't get to discover the story until you'd solved a fair amount of the puzzle itself. The puzzles were my favorite variety: they required experimentation and observation to figure out the mechanism, but once you'd deduced the solution none of them required a great deal of time to actually solve. I actually felt proud of myself when I finished the game!
Jay: Although Thief strays a bit from the theme of the competition by including several puzzles to solve, most of the puzzles are, in fact, exactly what I was hoping to see. Not only are they great puzzles, they are also brilliantly woven together into a seamless game play experience that is engaging and enjoyable from beginning to end. Creative and original, with an overarching narrative that steals away your innocence as third person observer, Thief belongs among the best of this Casual Gameplay competition.
Noah: Thief is a perfect example of what I was looking for in the contest entries: great puzzles—some very delicious—and a lot of personality. It even offers a creative backstory to those willing to put forth a bit of effort. Though, if we could only take a peek inside that book...
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Comments (may contain spoilers)
Maybe its me, but I am already totally lost. I got about half way through the radar thing and
Help!
Posted by: BobSmith1486
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September 1, 2006 9:16 PM
Guys, great reviews. I am really impressed. I loved the game, but I thought I should say how well written these last two reviews have been. I read the whole thing which, I suppose, isn't unusual, but these last two have been exceptional. I think your writing, all of you, has really come to express the compassion you feel for this site and these games. Maybe it is just me, but bravo nonetheless. Now I need to play this game all the way through...
Posted by: Imok20
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September 1, 2006 9:21 PM
That's really funny -- I actually DID complete the radar puzzle without first referring to the flashing grid puzzle. I attempted the grid puzzle a bit, but I wasn't paying attention to details so I quickly got confused.
Posted by: Simone Manganelli | September 1, 2006 10:03 PM
... I'm completely baffled. Maybe I don't have enough caffeine in my system, but I really need at least a hint on what to do. As it is I'm just trying to click on random things to find any kind of effect. The first puzzle in the cube thing would seem to be linked to getting the different pieces of color in some particular lineup, but it seems awfully hard to do for a first (?) level. The thing with the beeping colored squares and circle in the monitor just makes me go ?.? Help? Hints? Emergency caffeine drip?
Posted by: Kay | September 1, 2006 10:04 PM
Gah i cant solve either of the first two puzzles.
Posted by: Shane | September 1, 2006 10:15 PM
yay!!! I finally figured out the computer thing!!!
I hope it isn't too early for this but...
That's all I'm giving you for now!!! (but feel free to ask me, I'll check in, in a sec.)
Posted by: Hassle Free | September 1, 2006 10:47 PM
Whoa, is that it? I expected something after beating the box... Anyway, great game concept, I love the backstory, and the fact that you have to earn each page by doing the same puzzle 5 different ways. All the more rewarding that way. Also the box thing was tricky, I didn't initially think that I shouldn't be using punctuation...
Anyway, great game (as I knew it would be). In my opinion, I liked this one better than clack. Clack was a fun little timewaster, but this game had depth, and even replay value that Clack lacked. It was much more immersive and gave you a feeling of person, somewhat.
Nice job Phillip!
Posted by: Hassle Free | September 1, 2006 11:07 PM
Such a great game! I figured out the first few puzzles, but am now stuck on what the clues are in the computer writing...Need that password!
Posted by: Mordecai
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September 1, 2006 11:15 PM
Guh, can't figure out the first puzzle on the computer. Can someone give me a clue?
I tried counting the beeps for the order, but clearly that's a red herring as there's frequently more beeps than spaces.
Posted by: Help | September 1, 2006 11:37 PM
Any hints as to the puzzle on the computer?
Posted by: Jeremy | September 1, 2006 11:51 PM
I'm stuck. Could someone help me, or give me a hint?
What I've done so far:
Posted by: Lozer | September 2, 2006 12:00 AM
Help! i can't find the password. i know it says that there are hints in the entrees, but i'm not finding anything...
Posted by: Chica Baile | September 2, 2006 12:03 AM
What is that bloomin password!?!
Posted by: Camron | September 2, 2006 12:36 AM
what is up with the verify thing after doing the pie puzzle?
Posted by: cass | September 2, 2006 12:37 AM
OMG what a good game. Hard to get started, but simple once you get the idea of the game.
My advice to people who get stuck...
The creator of the game only did as much as he needed. There is very little filler stuff that will distract you... maybe a graphic or two here or there. EVERYTHING is nesessary and helpful... from the SoUnDs, to the aminations. Dont over look anything.
If you still dont get it...
Be sure to have your speakers on, and listen to beeps.
STILL?!?!?
Count the beeps
Posted by: Jelie | September 2, 2006 12:49 AM
Holy S!! What a cool game... and certainly one of the best of the pack!!!
Posted by: Ray | September 2, 2006 2:32 AM
Gah! I'm stuck on the verification screen, I tried putting the entry numbers in the monitor separated by comas but no dice...still not giving up though
Posted by: Jeremiah | September 2, 2006 4:18 AM
First link in the review with name Thief takes you to the Clack. Second link named Play works correctly.
Posted by: tonypa
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September 2, 2006 5:26 AM
(caution: the following are not hints, they are complete spoilers to each of the puzzles that may ruin the experience for you, so beware...)
now what? How do I get the password? Grrr.
Posted by: electronicfly | September 2, 2006 7:25 AM
hehe, finally got it just a few minutes after submitting the last comment. =P
Posted by: electronicfly | September 2, 2006 7:30 AM
I don't get the password... please give me some advice :(
Has it something to do with the beeps?
Posted by: JK | September 2, 2006 8:42 AM
I've managed to unlock the computer and all the diary entry things, but i can't figure out how to do the pie. anyone know?
Posted by: reapaninja | September 2, 2006 8:54 AM
After I solved the password, the game ended. Is that a bug, or is that really the end?
Posted by: Biff | September 2, 2006 10:07 AM
Thank you all for not spoiling the game for me, the little cheater that i am, i had to look, but since you didnt give the answers to me, i could actually appreciate completing this game
Posted by: JRReed | September 2, 2006 10:17 AM
Any help on the cube puzzle with the colored squares and the circle?
Posted by: Invader Shane | September 2, 2006 10:28 AM
Very nice game, not too hard ( I'm not such a good puzzler still I managed to solve it without help, so it can't be that hard :) ). Little bit short though.
Toughest thing must have been the password in the end, if anybody needs help:
spoiler1:
spoiler2:
solution:
Posted by: Sargjaeger | September 2, 2006 11:08 AM
Wow! I played with theif for a few minutes when the puzzles were first posted. I didn't spend much time with it, and went on to check out the other entries. Looks like it deserves a second look!
Posted by: mmodule
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September 2, 2006 11:47 AM
when i listen to the beeps after clicking the dots it has 6 beeps for one of the colors but there's only 5 spots
Posted by: str33tfury
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September 2, 2006 1:36 PM
Using the word
Posted by: Anders | September 2, 2006 4:48 PM
WOW this game is THE BEST I've played in months!!! This is a truly great game.
Upon finishing the game you find out the whole story which is:
(This spoiler WILL spoil the ENTIRE game unless you have beaten it)
Wonderful game, great fun.
Posted by: Chase | September 2, 2006 5:13 PM
I also accidently figured the radar thingy out. I noticed that the lines cross each other at evenly spaced intervals, and then it solved like magic, or something of that sort.
Posted by: weirdguy
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September 2, 2006 5:14 PM
I thought the game was great fun and well designed, though the password step was quite lame - the only step that didn't logically flow from the previous ones, and pretty random. Why is it a number, why aren't there spaces, etc. Otherwise, nice job!
Posted by: Scott | September 2, 2006 6:43 PM
okay im stuck on the password the spoiler below might give it away if you havent beaten it but it is not the right password
Posted by: alli | September 2, 2006 11:18 PM
ive now also tried:
Posted by: alli | September 2, 2006 11:20 PM
i need help on the puzzle with the colored squares (red blue pink orange yellow), and it has a big circle thing. and some circles with shades
Posted by: asdff | September 3, 2006 8:35 PM
This is the best game I have played so far.
I have finished all the game and even the last one.
I know that a lot of people get stucked at the TV. I think it has more then enough hint for everybody to realize that you just have to click the channel on TV to follow the orange robot walking from room to room and get the sequence of the channel number for your password input.
And for the last room. There are only two things that could happen. 1) is the Light and 2) the color change
so all you have to do is just counting how many time the light is flashing and match with the color that it will change everytime you walk on it.
oh well... once again I love this game sooooo much =)
i wish there will have more level in the future
Posted by: Alexander | September 5, 2006 4:59 PM
um... who else cannot see the game?
Posted by: stuts
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September 9, 2006 12:25 AM
Please reload the page. I've moved the files to a backup server while Dreamhost gets things sorted out. The new links will be available when you reload.
Posted by: jay
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September 9, 2006 12:30 AM
Ah that was fun. I like it a lot and it is true that once you get the idea it's quite similar all along. Oh and it could be nice to have an ending that's a bit more.. unusual. maybe
Posted by: entri | September 9, 2006 2:49 PM
pretty cool once you get into it.
Posted by: motzo | September 9, 2006 10:02 PM
um stuts do you have flash player???? cas im pretty sure every one else can see it
Posted by: motzo | September 9, 2006 10:04 PM
gosh! it's not that hard though...
Posted by: dullpunk | September 25, 2006 11:23 AM
for anyone who is completely stumped on the password here are some huge hints.
Posted by: andy | October 7, 2006 5:10 PM
I'm So Confused!!!
So far...
Red:2 Blue:8 Pink:6 Brown:1 Yellow:5
Red:3 Blue:8 Pink:2 Brown:4 Yellow:1
Red:2 Blue:1 Pink:8 Brown:5 Yellow:7
Red:5 Blue:6 Pink:3 Brown:4 Yellow:7
I'm going nuts trying to see the pattern in those... I read everything else above me and I still don't get it? I already figured out the pie chart...
Any suggestions?
Posted by: Regina | December 27, 2006 3:26 PM
Nvm! I Finally got it!!!!
*wipes the sweat off her brow and starts regrowing the hair she pulled out*
What a great game!
Posted by: Regina | December 27, 2006 3:43 PM
That's it? Very short. Disappointing. It's nice that all the codes rotate every time you play it.
Here's all that happens:
Posted by: ThrustinJ | December 29, 2006 12:22 AM
Nice puzzles. Love the ending. Mohahahaha
Posted by: Azzurra | January 7, 2007 9:28 AM
tell me the pc color code order
Posted by: chancey | January 13, 2007 6:45 PM
can everyone suggest to me how to save the game before the end?
I d'nt have such time for play many hours!
Thanks in advance
Vittorio
Posted by: vittorio | January 17, 2007 2:10 PM
Help!!! I can't figure how to unlock the diary entries. I was randomly clicking and somehow unlocked the red one, but I'm not sure what to do next! I've figured out that
Posted by: libdem04 | January 19, 2007 12:39 PM
how do you do the pc thing please somebody tell me
Posted by: jt | March 23, 2007 6:07 PM
cool game, easy when you understand what to do
Posted by: Joe | May 22, 2007 10:31 AM
Here are some hints.
Posted by: AJ | May 27, 2007 10:49 AM
please help me! when i try to unlock the computer those little beepy circles that tell you where to put the colors some times beep more than five times! where am i supposed to put one that beeps six or seven times?!
Posted by: Jake
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June 18, 2007 12:28 PM
HELP! I can't
Posted by: Grace | August 24, 2007 6:44 PM
Not sure if we're allowed to write a walkthrough for this one or what considering it seems no one has put one up yet... in any case:
The Monitor
Puzzle 1:
Upon clicking a button, the center circle changes to a color and beeps are heard. Write down the color and the number of beeps heard. Repeat with each button until you have all five pairs (Color - Number). Now, arrange the colors in the bottom cells from least number of beeps to most number of beeps, left to right. You need not click and drag, simply click the color you wish to use and click the cell you wish to transfer it to.
Puzzle 2:
IE: Click the top left cell, it becomes 1. Click it again, it becomes 2 and the middle top and middle left cells become 1. Click the top left again and it becomes 3, but the cells next to it have 2 added on, making each 3.
The simplest way to get the sum you need is to click one cell until you get the highest number before going over, then use the other cells to raise up the sum in small increments until you reach the goal. I specifically use the top left cell as my first one, then the bottom right, then the other two corners, so I could avoid adding more than 1 if necessary.
The Safe
Puzzle 3:
In order to position the triangles correctly, look at the pie image seen in puzzle 2. Try and line up a colored triangle so that it lines up with the side of the pie slice that has the same color. IE: The bottom right pie slice has a side that points straight down. Whatever color that slice is, freeze that same colored triangle when it points straight down, as that is one of the sides of that pie slice. It's easier to understand once you grasp that idea.
Puzzle 4:
IE: If the brown pie slice is the first to flash, the brown entry's numbers are the first digits of the verification code.
Posted by: Sion Sheevok | September 9, 2007 3:22 AM
LOL!!! I love this game! I love the ending! Just fantastic omg!
"The Cook Book" He did all of that just for a Cook Book? LOL!
Great game...
Posted by: Sven | November 24, 2007 12:52 PM
Evil, evil evil. because your mouse changes to a finger pointer (for no reason) over sections of the text, and because it asks you for a password (instead of a code), I created matrices of the text, and used multiple cipher algorithms applying the entry numbers and codes to the blocks of text, as a whole, numbered by word, numbered by letters, numbered by paragraphs. I want to find the person who made this game and (before I kill them) show them the 20 page document of notes I took on this game, which didn't warrant my time.
Posted by: seriously very angry | January 7, 2008 5:05 PM
The end could have been a lot better than that, you know. I want those recipes!
Posted by: Vince B | January 22, 2008 1:24 AM
the pass is :
Posted by: Anonymous | April 2, 2008 7:04 AM
Hey! I`ve been trying to figure out the password for the safe and I simply can't find it. Can someone tell what I have to do? I`ve tried almost every word that comes to my mind that makes sense to me. HEEEEEEEELLLPPP!!!
Posted by: Tzolkin | May 7, 2008 4:44 PM