While the Thief series didn’t seem to grab gamers the way Square Enix had intended to, there was still a lush, dark and beautiful world realized for the game. The city has a really great setting that is both Victorian and modern all at the same time. The artists did a great job and luckily, if you missed the game, Titan Books took the initiative to show off the environments as they were intended. This book is full of concept and development art that is sure to speak directly to fans of the series while being a valued collectors item all at the same time.
The Thief franchise came out in 1998 and single-handedly invented a new genre of game, the stealth genre. It made gamers think about how to approach Thief’s unique blend of puzzles and combat, all while remaining hidden from view. Fans adored the game, and with new-found success comes an expansion of the game’s universe. Fast forward to today and with the fourth iteration of the franchise, comes a familiar, yet brooding world. You still manage to play as Garrett, the original master thief himself, but the technology has grown in such a way that the world Garrett resides in is more detailed and beautiful than ever. This created a great opportunity to highlight this new, detailed world with a collection of the art it is comprised of. This is where Titan Book’s latest effort comes in an presents the gamer not only with a look at the art that made it into the game, but all the concept and development art as well. Gamers will get an inside look at the development of their favorite settings or characters which is essential for any fan of the franchise.
The book also includes several quotes from the game’s art team where you’ll get a feeling for what they were thinking when they approached certain tasks in the game’s art direction. No where else can you get this combination of commentary and development art in one convenient package. The book stands at a robust 192 pages of full page art all in a hard cover package. This art book was designed to replace and surpass any pre-order or special edition art book you may have received with the game. If you love the game, are a fan of steam punk or fantasy art or just love the series, this book is the clear choice when shopping for more content on this game. The book looks great on shelf and every page is meticulously designed with the fan in mind. As far as presentation is concerned, this book is one of the finest art books money can buy for the Thief franchise.
If you loved Thief, this book needs to sit on your shelf. It is made with the hardcore fan in mind and you’ll see some development and concept art that you just don’t see all in one place. This book does a great job at fleshing out the world and giving you a view through the artists eyes. Even if you just love the dark and melancholy style of steampunk or fantasy themes, this book could easily surprise you with some of the many inspired characters and environments. This is a beautiful collection of art, and if you love the game, you will love this book. Therefore, we give this art book our highest recommendation, so make sure you get this book and dive head first into the world of Thief.