15 Thief II: The Metal Age Facts, Gameplay Tips and Walkthrough

“Thief II: The Metal Age” is a stealth video game developed by Looking Glass Studios and published by Eidos Interactive. Released in March 2000, it is the sequel to 1998’s “Thief: The Dark Project”. The game, set in a dark fantasy world inspired by Victorian and steampunk aesthetics, follows Garrett, a master thief, as he uncovers a conspiracy related to a new religious sect.

The gameplay of “Thief II” is largely similar to the original game. It emphasizes stealth and evasion over combat, with players encouraged to avoid enemies and remain undetected. Most missions involve breaking into secure locations, avoiding guards, stealing valuable items, and escaping without being seen.

Thief II: The Metal Age Facts

“Thief II: The Metal Age” was released in March 2000.
The game was developed by Looking Glass Studios and published by Eidos Interactive.
“Thief II” is the sequel to the 1998 stealth video game “Thief: The Dark Project”.
It follows the story of Garrett, a master thief, as he uncovers a conspiracy related to a new religious sect.
“Thief II” is set in a dark fantasy world that takes inspiration from Victorian and steampunk aesthetics.
The gameplay emphasizes stealth and evasion over combat, with players encouraged to avoid enemies and remain undetected.
The missions in the game often involve breaking into secure locations, avoiding guards, stealing valuable items, and escaping without being seen.
“Thief II” introduced new tools and techniques for Garrett to use, such as a remote camera.
Garrett’s arsenal includes special arrows like water arrows to extinguish lights, noise-maker arrows to distract guards, and moss arrows to silence footsteps.
The game includes a mechanism for monitoring the amount of noise Garrett makes, and encourages players to stay in the shadows to remain hidden.
Unlike its predecessor, “Thief II” focused more on residential burglary, providing a greater emphasis on actual thieving tasks.
“Thief II” was well-received by critics, who praised its complex level design, narrative, and improved enemy AI.
Some versions of “Thief II” include a level editor, which allows players to create their own missions.
The game is often regarded as one of the best stealth games of all time.
Despite its success, Looking Glass Studios closed down shortly after the release of “Thief II” due to financial troubles. However, the Thief franchise continued under different developers.

Thief II: The Metal Age Gameplay Tips

Stealth Over Combat: Always prioritize stealth over combat. Unlike many other games, “Thief II” doesn’t reward direct combat. It’s always better to sneak past enemies rather than fight them.
Observe Patrol Patterns: Guards typically follow a set patrol route. Hide in the shadows and observe their patterns. Use this knowledge to plan your moves and avoid detection.
Use Darkness: The shadows are your best friend. Stick to the dark as much as possible to avoid being seen. Use water arrows to douse torches and create more shadows.
Walk, Don’t Run: Running makes more noise and could alert guards. Walk to reduce noise, and crouch when moving to make even less noise.
Use Distractions: Noise-making arrows are great for creating diversions. You can shoot them in an area away from you to lure guards away from your path.
Know Your Tools: Garrett has a range of tools and weapons at his disposal, like water arrows, moss arrows, and gas bombs. Understanding what each tool does and using them effectively is the key to your success.
Use Your Map: The map is an essential tool for planning your heists. Study it carefully to understand the layout of the area, and plan your routes and escape paths.
Listen Carefully: The game has rich sound design, and you can hear guards approaching or chatting. Using sound to your advantage can help avoid surprise encounters.
Non-lethal Takedowns: If you must engage, try to knock guards out from behind rather than killing them. Killing may lower your mission rating.
Save Often: “Thief II” can be punishingly difficult. Make sure to save often so you can experiment with different strategies without losing a lot of progress.

Thief II: The Metal Age game controls

Arrow Keys: Move forward, backward, and strafe left or right.
Mouse Movement: Look around.
Left Mouse Button: Use equipped item or perform primary action.
Right Mouse Button: Use secondary action or cancel action.
Space: Jump or mantle (climb over obstacles).
Ctrl: Crouch or stand up.
Shift: Walk slowly to reduce noise.
Tab: Cycle through available items and weapons.
Enter: Open doors or interact with objects.
E: Pick up or drop items.
T: Toggle between first-person and third-person perspective.
M: Open the map.
I: Open inventory screen.
Esc: Pause the game or open the menu.
F5: Quick save the game.
F6: Quick load the game.

Thief II: The Metal Age quotes

“To stick it to the rich, the deserving few who’ve been living on the backs of the deserving many.” – Garrett, the protagonist, expressing his motivation as a thief.
“The City changed. The balance shifted. It’s almost like there’s an uneasiness in the air, like something’s about to happen.” – A citizen of the City, hinting at the underlying tension in the game’s world.
“Leave now, little thief, before darker forces than you have roused take notice.” – A warning from a mysterious figure to Garrett, indicating the presence of greater threats.
“When the Builder places his hand on your shoulder, you’ll know you’ve found the path of righteousness.” – A member of the Hammerite faction, highlighting their religious beliefs.
“The old order must be preserved.” – A representative of the City Watch, emphasizing their duty to maintain order and control.
“All that glitters isn’t gold.” – A common saying that reflects the theme of deception and the allure of wealth.
“The shadows hide me, and I hide the shadows.” – Garrett, acknowledging his skill in stealth and evasion.
“A thief grows old, but never grows up.” – A nod to Garrett’s perpetual role as a thief, despite the passage of time.

Thief II The Metal Age Cheat Codes

Press Ctrl + Alt + Shift + End simultaneously to activate the console.
Type cheat_keys on and press Enter. This enables cheat mode.
Now, you can enter the following cheat codes:
- Ctrl + Alt + Shift + T: Provides full health and equipment.
- Ctrl + Alt + Shift + S: Grants full stamina.
- Ctrl + Alt + Shift + L: Gives full lockpicks.
- Ctrl + Alt + Shift + I: Gives all inventory items.
- Ctrl + Alt + Shift + C: Creates a speed potion.
- Ctrl + Alt + Shift + G: Grants all weapons and ammunition.
- Ctrl + Alt + Shift + H: Makes you invisible to AI characters.
- Ctrl + Alt + Shift + K: Kills all AI characters in the current level.
- Ctrl + Alt + Shift + M: Reveals the entire map.