Eidos and Looking Glass Technologies advance the shifty gaming style they introduced in Thief: The Dark Project as they continue the adventures of Garrett the master thief. In Thief II, Garrett faces tough times. Machines and their Mechanist creators have emerged as the new sinister force in the city, replacing the Hammerites of the original game. Initially unconcerned with these mechanical abominations, Garrett sets out to pilfer enough to make his next rent payment when he makes a startling discovery: someone is trying to kill him. With thoughts of financial troubles set aside, Garrett must find out who is trying to eliminate him--and why. Through 15 grueling missions, you lead Garrett through the shadows as you attempt to accomplish a variety of intriguing objectives. In one scenario, you'll be trying to frame an innocent man by planting evidence, while in another you'll have to break into a heavily guarded bank. All the while, you will rely on moss arrows, water arrows, flash bombs, and invisibility potions to get you past the city watch as well as the Mechanists and their walking iron beasts. The gameplay in Thief II is very much like that of its predecessor: Garrett is forced to rely on stealth and cunning rather than brute force. Each successive mission will put those stealth skills to an even tougher test than the last, as you try to slip past a seemingly endless array of guards, traps, robotic sentries, and innocent bystanders. You'll certainly get your money's worth, as each mission can easily take an hour or two to complete. Essentially, Thief II is everything the original Thief was and more. Better graphics, superb mission design, and even better virtual thievery make Thief II a must-have for fans of the original and for any action enthusiast who is tired of the same old shoot-'em-up theme. --Michael E. Ryan Pros: Excellent level and mission design Great graphics Cool array of tools to make any thief's life easier Challenging missions that will last 1 to 2 hours each Cons: Some missions incredibly difficult No multiplayer