Eidos’ iconic Thief franchise returns later this week with Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow. PlayStation LifeStyle spoke with Vertigo Video games Principal Designer Nick Witsel and Eidos-Montréal Artistic Director Steven Gallagher to study extra in regards to the PS VR2 recreation. It arrives on PlayStation 5 tomorrow, December 4, 2025.
“Step into the shadows in Thief VR. You might be Magpie, a crafty thief orphaned by Baron Northcrest and formed by the streets. Use VR mechanics to steal, evade, and outsmart the Metropolis’s forces. Your objective? A relic in Northcrest’s vault, which uncovers a far larger artifact with a robust legacy,” says the official description.
Take a look at our dialogue with the duo under, plus some unique idea artwork from the stealth recreation.
PlayStation LifeStyle: One of many explanation why the unique Thief video games had been so revolutionary was the liberty gamers had in how they selected to method gameplay. How does Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow give gamers company in how they select to play and interact with enemies?
Nick Witsel: Certainly, Thief’s method has all the time been about offering gamers with obstacles and a mess of strategies to beat them. Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow continues this custom. Ranges are supplied with a number of paths to your goal, the place you might want to cleverly work out which approach works greatest for you. Guards pose the largest threats, and whilst you have loads of instruments in coping with them, all the things carries threat. For example:
- Utilizing your blackjack requires that you just get shut and in addition leaves you with an unconscious physique that is perhaps discovered.
- Throwing an object to create a distraction may lead to undesirable consideration from different guards.
- You possibly can unlock a close-by door and go round, however you is perhaps noticed whereas selecting the lock.
And it’s in weighing these choices and deciding what to try this you immerse your self into the function of the Grasp Thief.
VR provides an actual tactility to the motion, particularly getting to make use of the totally different instruments, and sneaking round feels very pure. How does that immersion assist the stealth gameplay?
Steven Gallagher: VR is superior for peeking round corners or over partitions, however it’s particularly good at shortly checking your environment with no need to cease specializing in no matter sneaky enterprise you’re as much as. Let’s say you’re attempting to shortly choose a lock and slip via a door earlier than a pesky guard you possibly can hear close by spots you. This can be a susceptible place for a thief to be in together with your again to potential hazard and unable to shortly verify if you happen to’re alone.
Taking part in a first-person stealth recreation like this on a display screen like a TV or a monitor, you’re normally compelled to simply hope for the very best or disengage and switch your physique to make sure you’re nonetheless protected. VR, nevertheless, means that you can naturally go searching as you’d in actual life whereas conserving your palms and intention centered on what you’re doing. I discover being stealthy in Thief in VR to be a very intuitive method to play, which is an enormous cause why it’s so enjoyably immersive.
The Thief lore is surprisingly wealthy, as followers know. What was Maze Idea’s method to the sport’s story and attending to view this world in a brand new, extra up-close approach?
Witsel: Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow is a recreation made by followers of the franchise. There have been numerous components we wished to cowl, while additionally making certain new gamers wouldn’t really feel misplaced. Telling the story from Magpie’s perspective, who is comparatively new to the Metropolis and nonetheless has lots to study, permits us to introduce gamers to the setting in a pure approach, whereas additionally permitting us to contain some acquainted faces and voices to information their approach.
It was so thrilling to listen to Stephen Russell within the trailer. How was it working with Stephen to get Garrett’s humorousness into this recreation and convey again such a beloved character?
Witsel: He’s nonetheless acquired it. Garrett was again. It was like this massive puzzle piece that accomplished the image. It’s been an unimaginable privilege to work with him.
Thief veterans will know what to anticipate, however what’s your greatest recommendation for newcomers who’re checking this out first as a result of it’s in VR?
Gallagher: I assume keep in mind that you’re a thief, not a fighter. You possibly can defend your self if the worst occurs, however it’s higher to be one step forward of bother so that you don’t end up in it. The immersive nature of VR provides you all you might want to be a grasp sneak thief, so keep sharp, hold your eyes open, and follow the shadows. They’ll by no means see you coming.
The unique PSVR {hardware} led to numerous ports that weren’t nearly as good because the PC counterparts. What impressed the group probably the most about PlayStation VR2 {hardware}?
Witsel: The OLED lenses are implausible at conveying the sturdy and moody environment of Thief’s lighting. Gentle and darkish play a vital function within the expertise, so we are able to positively suggest the PSVR2 Headset for this recreation.
