On the PC, real-time strategy and first-person shooters reign supreme, when it comes to sheer sales numbers. So it's no surprise that stealth games get crammed into the action box. What is surprising is when one of these manages to avoid getting railroaded into one of these categories, and Thief looks like the only pure stealth franchise still standing. Although the game appeared to suffer from multiplatform streamlining, what remained strong is what has always remained strong with this series: dense atmosphere, meticulous layers of mood-setting sound, character, and thematic accessibility. While it's cool to be Sam Fisher or 47, many people prefer to forgo brutality and high-level political motivations and just want to creep around--steal stuff in the shadows, overhear conversations, and maybe save the world, or at least their corner of it. Add some awesome voice acting, delicious lighting, spice it with spine-tingling haunts and tense escapes, and the result demands at least a taste test.