(This is very game/gamer related, so skip if it's not your bag) The game was released as simply "Thief: Deadly Shadows", not "Thief 3". This seemed a little odd, as Thief 2 was clearly marked as such, until it became clear that, since this one was coming out for the XBox as well as PC, Ion Storm realized that the XBox players would have no knowledge of the first two games, and thus would be less likely to buy a title marked as the third in a series. OK, probably a good marketing decision there. However, this has led to forums and message boards getting shitloads of comments form these kids, babbling about how the game is good, but "it's such a rip-off of Splinter Cell". Do your homework, kids: the 'sneaky espionage stealth-takedown' genre that Splinter Cell is in? Thief started that. The light meter to tell you how easily you'd be seen? Thief introduced that. Lockpicking, shadow-crawling, knock-the-guy-out-and-hide-his-body...al
Deus Ex did that, too. The new DX was "Deus Ex: Invisible War", instead of "Deus Ex 2"...for the same reasons. How about Hitman? Is the new game "Hitman 3" (logically following "Hitman 2: Silent Assassin")? Nope. Just plain ol' "Hitman: Contracts"...and what's more, half of Hitman 3 is missions from the FIRST Hitman, slightly changed...talk about a rip-off. Those of us that have been with the series for years, and have anxiously awaited the newest installment...the ones that MADE it a best-selling game, WE get cheated.
So I understand why they are doing this Name Game. It's all about sales targets, and getting that disposable cash out of those 13-25 year-olds. Doesn't mean I have to like it. Don't sell me short.
