When you first load the game, you are greeted by a bland; mostly unimpressive menu. You grumble and groan, thinking this title will look just like the others; on an engine far dated. The doubts disappear the second you enter the training mission. Everything in the game is beautifully detailed and amazingly lit. There is noticeable use of Pixel shaders, as well as bump mapping throughout; giving everything an amazing and realistic appearance. Throughout the game however, textures are more or less recycled for similar areas, but the sheer amounts of detail and atmosphere put into every level more than make up for this. From design to lighting to scripted events, nearly each level of the game is designed with a certain mood in mind, and that mood almost always comes across in the first few minutes of gameplay. However, it should be noted that in most cases, the enemies are carbon copies, and for some odd reason, all characters in the game seem to have the same face if you look closely enough; which seems to be a common issue with the game engine, the same is as utilized in Deus Ex 2: The Invisible War.

Along with this comes the customary frame rate issue. In most areas of the game, the framerate hovers around 25-30 FPS on a reasonably powerful card, showing that the engine that powers this game still experiences the slowness issue it did months ago; something that should have been addressed. Still, the frame rates hold steady when the action picks up, but in the end, it is of nearly no consequence, as this is a game of stealth, not maddening firefights. The frame rates are essentially like those of the in-game movies, which come in two varieties: animated and CG. The animated sequences add some flavoring to the game, fitting the odd theme it portrays with interesting and sometimes creepy sequences, while the CG videos are really nothing special, and could use some lip-synching.

Like the graphics department, the sound section of Thief 3 is also stellar. While the title supports EAX alone, the use of it is simply incredible. Audio placement is as near perfection as you can get, and you are able to hear every move your enemies may make with ease. Interestingly enough, there is a minimal soundtrack in Thief 3, but for once, this is a perfect match. Even though music would heighten the moods, it would distract you from your duties as a thief, thus making you less efficient. When music does come in, it is at a critical moment, building a climax of mood and bringing you fully into the situation, lost in a world of shadows and sneaking. Along with this, ambient noise is beautifully used on all occasions, and with the occasional bit of music, helps to set the mood. As to weapon sounds, they weren’t overly interesting but simply realistic.