Introduction
Imagine you made a list of all the good things you wanted more of from Thief: The Dark Age and then also made a list of bad things you wanted to go away, at least for most of the time. Now imagine that the developers got your lists, and then built their next game around them, as well as tossing in a few new tricks they came up with on their own. Welcome to The Metal Age.
While Thief 1 had issues stemming from "Garrett's profession is 'thief,' not 'adventuring archaeologist' and/or 'undead slaughterer,'" Thief 2 makes a point of pitting you against normal guards and other humans, as well as keeping you within the boundaries of the still-active City. Said guards are also smarter and more alert than before, particularly on Expert, making for a greater challenge. Garrett also gets a bit more talkative, and the new Secrets system quantifies just how awesome you are at getting into the well-stocked nooks and crannies of the levels.
That's another thing. The new level maps are huge. Admittedly, they were pretty big in The Dark Project, too, but the developers have made progress on exploiting the map size more effectively. Did you think the Bonehoard was big? Thought the developers were showing off by putting in a couple streets outside the two mansion levels? You ain't seen nothing yet.
That said, The Metal Age isn't a perfect game. Released just a year after The Dark Project, there's something of the expansion pack feel to it; the game engine is virtually the same, quirks and all, most of the assets are reused, and the tutorial level is far more like Bafford's Manor than the more helpful Keeper's Training. Hell, the tutorial aspects don't even activate unless you play the mission on Normal (and it doesn't tell you this except maybe in the manual, and who reads those?). Metal Age also reuses its maps to a greater extent than Dark Project, possibly because of both time constraints and the amount of effort that went into each map.
Still, considering the missteps made by Deadly Shadows, The Metal Age is widely understood to be the best of the Thief trilogy.
But I've blathered enough. Let's beware the Metal Age.
Youtube playlist
Objectives
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Map 2 3
Griping about the sheriff
BONUS OBJECTIVE!
Objectives
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Map 2 3 4 5
At least "Tips" are only 50 now
Guinea Pigs Wanted
Financial Report
Lucky's luck ran out 2
Jerm wants protection
Eviction notice
Maintenance problems and noise complaints
Lenscrafter contract
MECHANIST TECHNOLOGY
"What do you mean, I'm the only Hammerite in Thief 2?!" (Thanks, Prenton)
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Invoice
Appointment list
Gilver Exporters audit
Gilver's worries 2
MECHANIST INSTRUCTIONS
Where have all the Hammers gone
Bartering for herbs
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The president's concerns 2
Manifest
Osterlind's side business
Captain's log
Blackrat's scheme
Objectives
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Map 2 3 4 5
Tip #1 (at least one of the tips is worth paying for, finally)
Schmidt's punishment
Coroner's Report
Congrats to the City Watch
Schedule
Truart's journal
Hagen-Truart memo
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Mess hall announcements
!!!Kick me!!!
Harassment warning
Burglary and Criminal Mischief
Paganism and Assault
Key memo
Mosley's journal
Truart-Mosley memo 2
Hagen's journal
Truart-Hagen memo 2
Vice journal
Robbery/Homicide journal
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
"I should write that down."
Lady van Vernon
Lord Mani Rammstein
Warden Affairs journal
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I only really screwed up once, so I padded the video with the antics from the main run.
Objectives
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Map 2
A new spectator sport
Reconsidered objectives
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Objectives
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Map 2 3 4
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New objectives
Molding directions
Beware of rain
Hymn 18
Gaspar's enticement
Jerome's inquiry
Truart's dismissal
Donations: Week 23
Donations: Week 26
Einhorn's excitement
Psalm 13
Final objectives
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Objectives
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Map 2 3 4
The no-goddamn-duh "tip"
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Tyler's melancholy
Ortham's complaints 2 3 4
Captain Blouf's defender
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Safety deposit box ID's
Why lucky coins are worth anything
Davell conspires with Flemion 2
...But not on everything
The nephew's exceptance speech
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On customer privacy
Flemion conspires with Davell
...And even makes a nice offer
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Objectives
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Map 2 3 4 5 6 (Man, he's got a huge house)
The tip
The worker's lament 2
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The new security system
MECHANIST INSTRUCTIONS (Same as in Shipping...and Receiving)
It's a fake!
Jabril's a snitch (also last heard from in Shipping here)
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A complaint regarding the chapel
A sergeant's anger
Benny's troubles
"Norman Druart's" goodwill
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Objectives
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Map (same as in Ambush!)
Blackrat is AWOL
The letter 2
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Objectives
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Map?
Better map
Hooksied on them fonickers
A meal's blessing
Lighting the Gathering Place
Whose side is Jabril on?
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Garrett's map
Letter #1 2
Letter #2 2
Bonus objective
Letter #3 2
Letter #4
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This is the intro movie for "Uninvited Guest," the demo level of Thief 2. It's mostly identical to "Life of the Party," so I won't be playing it separately; the main differences are that "Uninvited Guest" takes place later at night and Angelwatch is only the top two or three levels.
Objectives
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Map 2 3 4
Equipment tip
Loot tip
New Scripture of the Master Builder 2
Star Gazer's Journal 2 3 4 5
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Agloras Coranth!
Proof Garrett's heart isn't black
Horticulturist's Log 2 3
It's really quite the door 2
Crimshaw's SOL
It's real!
Keeper warnings
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Mechanist memo
Slightly modified objectives
Appearance listing
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Master guest list 2 3 4 5
New Scripture page 35 2
Cetus Amicus
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Objectives
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Map
Construction journal 2 3 4
Workshop note
Nathaniel's warning
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Manus the mat-maker
Pirate gold
The Cetus Project
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Secret Underground Base map
New Scripture page 16 2
Markham's warning
The flood
Nathaniel's fate
Articles of the ship Cathrine's Folly Page 2 Page 3
Captain's Log 2 3 4 5
Cargo manifest
Final objectives
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Objectives
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Map
On Cavador's schedule
Hymn 32
New objectives
Cavador's schedule
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
New Scripture page 31
Site 5's restriction
Cavador's journal 2
The journal objective
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The diamond bounty
Second bonus objective
Objectives
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Letter #1
Letter #2
Letter #3
Letter #4
The Karras correspondence 2
Ash's resignation
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Objectives
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Karras' warning
Bram's love life 2
Hobart's commendation 2
The Book of the Nail
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Servants are creepy
Grocery list
Duma's to do list
Duma's assurance
Gervaisius' approval
Hunting of the Frumious Bandersnatch 2
A suspect receipt
The new librarian
Harp memo
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The finished map 2 3
Bram's journal
Porter's logbook
Bawdy Bedtime Limericks
Objectives
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Map part 1
Manus' journal 2
Watchers and Sentries 2
Building a Beacon 2 3 4
Beacon blueprints
Regulating Round blueprints
Better objectives
New Scripture page 41 2
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Developer quotes 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
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Map part 2 2
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New opportunities
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