Devs considered making Garrett shrink to crawl through drains

Stealth is more than just hiding; it’s an art form. When you look at modern games like Dishonored, where the hero Corvo Attano can manipulate the world around him, you realize that the foundation of this immersive experience was laid long before the mainstream embraced it. The concept of supernatural stealth manipulation didn’t originate with recent blockbusters; it finds its roots in the foundational masterpiece, Thief: The Dark Project.

While both games share a focus on sneaking and evasion, they approach the mechanics with vastly different philosophies. In Dishonored, Corvo gains remarkable abilities, most notably the capacity to possess creatures—like plentiful rats—allowing him access to areas inaccessible to his full body. This level of power transforms stealth into an acrobatic exercise.

The true depth, however, lies in the history of design decisions that shape these worlds. While Dishonored is known for its accessibility and immediate gratification, Thief》 championed a starker, more unforgiving experience. The protagonist, Garrett, had no supernatural powers, forcing players to rely purely on skill and cunning.

This focus created a singular immersion that many argue has been overshadowed by modern game design trends. In Thief》， the challenge was pure stealth; there was no easy escape route or ‘Plan B’ of brute force. This unforgiving nature, however, is what cemented its legacy, defining the stealth genre through sheer mechanical rigor.

During the development of Thief: The Dark Project, designers considered adding powers to Garrett. One proposal involved giving him the ability to shrink himself and navigate small passageways like drains. Ultimately, this idea was abandoned for practical reasons; adding such complex mechanics was deemed too difficult to implement properly, and it would have raised questions the team preferred not to answer.

Despite being dropped, these unasked questions highlight a fundamental design divide: should stealth be a puzzle to be solved through pure physical mastery, or should it be a tool expanded by supernatural ability?

The legacy of Thief》 endures, and the game is currently enjoying a major revival. The upcoming remaster, Nightdive’s version of Thief: The Dark Project, is set to bring these classic mechanics back into focus with exciting updates. The project will include additional content from Thief Gold and ensure historical authenticity by bringing back artist Daniel Thron to revamp the game’s cutscenes.

While a final release date remains under wraps, anticipation is high. As one enthusiast rightly noted when the news broke, there was only one response: Oh hell yes.