Nightdive Studios has released a new episode of its deep dive podcast about the development of Thief: The Dark Project Remastered, and in the process, has confirmed that the expansion accompanying the remaster – The Tarnished Mirror – will feature Stephen Russel reprising his role as protagonist Garrett. The legendary voice actor was on the podcast, speaking about his time playing the character over the years.
Interestingly, portraying Garrett was seemingly a freeing moment for Russel, who said that the role allowed him to let loose and tap into a voice he compared to that of Clint Eastwood. He also praised the work of the developers of the original – Looking Glass Studios – noting that the team had done a great job with “the incredible claustrophobia they had created.”
Since Garrett was also Russel’s first video game role, he compared the moment with that of breaking into acting by getting reps through community theatre work. “Having got my start as an actor in community theater, it felt very familiar. You’re not painting the sets today, today you’re playing the lead role!”
On his portrayal of the character in The Tarnished Mirror, Russel praised the writing, noting that it is “just as strong as the first time and honors what was created originally.” He went on to say that it was “great to be back with the old guy.”
Thief: The Dark Project Remastered was announced earlier this year and is slated for release on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2. The title is coming out on December 4th, and features many enhancements over the original, including support for 4K and up to 120 FPS thanks to Nightdive’s own KEX Engine.
The control support in Thief: The Dark Project Remastered is also slated to be extensive, including full gyro support. The company offered a 90-second look at the gamepad UI, which makes extensive use of things like radial menus that will allow players to quickly pick the right item for the job. Keyboard and mouse players will be able to experience the original control scheme of the game, along with options to remap buttons.
When it comes to content, the upcoming remaster will include the base game with its 12 missions and multiple environments, as well as the Thief: Gold update, which brings 3 new missions and five new enemy types. Players will also be able to take on missions they have already completed through a new mission selector, allowing them to make more money by stealing anything that isn’t nailed to the ground in a particular mission.
As for The Tarnished Mirror, the expansion was made by experienced modders who had previously made the popular mod The Black Parade. It will include an original 4-mission campaign that is set after the events of the base game. Its story involves Garrett needing to figure out how to make some money after having defeated the Trickster, and deciding to do small-time jobs in The City, which itself also happens to be going through political and ideological upheaval.
