Thief Lockdown Screenshots Header

For a series centered on stealth, Eidos-Montreal's Thief reboot sure is making a whole lot of noise - and not all of it welcome. Since debuting back in March of this year, the Garrett-starring sleuth-em-up has endured more than its fair share of controversy, oftentimes courting and confusing fans in equal measure.

With an ungainly XP system already receiving the boot, and an admission of purposefully poor combat mechanics making their way into play, the future looks unsteady at best for this once-seminal series. Luckily, nothing remedies a shaky start quite like a couple of stills; or rather screenshots, plucked from one of Thief's earliest missions.

Titled 'Lockdown,' the task finds our hero Garrett attempting to traverse a recently erected quarantine zone. Established in response to a mystery sickness known only as 'The Gloom,' the area now stands between Garrett and getting back home. Fortunately for the master thief, one corner of the containment houses an overstocked jewelry store, an inviting target even at the worst of times.

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The official synopsis continues: "He chooses to infiltrate the store on the way and although he knows this won’t be easy, he can’t help but steal a glimpse of what lies inside." Could this cryptic message indicate that a major plot element occurs within the store itself? The suggestion is certainly there, as any Thief fan will know - all-but the most tightly guarded of targets presents easy picking for a man like Garrett.

So what might this plot point be exactly: one of villainous Baron Northcrest's prized possessions? The seeds of revolution? The location of original Garrett actor Stephen Russell? Perhaps one of these latest images holds the key. Check out all 7 of the new screenshots above, alongside 3 gorgeously gloomy concept pieces from the game's development. For a glimpse of the game in action (and running on PlayStation 4), check out this extended gameplay presentation, from back at E3.

Can Thief shake off its early disappointments to reclaim the stealth game crown? Where can Eidos improve upon the original Thief trilogy formula? Just how excited are you to get your hands on next-gen Garrett? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to keep up with all of the latest Thief news, right here on Game Rant.

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Thief is set for release on February 25, 2014, across North America and February 28, 2014 throughout Europe. The title is currently being developed for PC, PS3, Xbox 360, PS4 and Xbox One platforms.

Follow Sam on Twitter @GamingGoo.