Thief VR: Legacy of Shadows Review

By DTM Panda

Introduction

Hello PGN Arcade, it’s Panda again, talking about another stealth-action game — and once again, I’m stealing the spotlight. This time, the game is Thief, but not just any Thief. This is Thief VR: Legacy of Shadows — basically Thief having a baby with Virtual Reality.

Before I begin, here’s a quick disclaimer: I am playing this game on December 6th, 2025. The game launched on December 4th, so at the time of writing, it has only been out for two days. I fully intend to play more of it in the future.

I also spent about two hours trying (and failing) to get a piece of software called LIV StreamerKit to work with the game, only to find out that it’s completely incompatible. I then tried setting up Twitch TTS (text-to-speech) so I could hear what my audience thought about the game… but sadly, nobody stopped by the chat.

First Impressions

Right, let’s address the elephant in the room and talk about the game itself.

I played Thief VR for nearly two hours. Some mechanics genuinely surprised me, while others felt very janky and in need of polish.

Story and Main Character

I’m just going to say it — I don’t mind the female main character, but I honestly feel like Garrett’s story isn’t over. I would’ve preferred to play more as him instead of being introduced to Magpie, who comes off as cocky and arrogant. She feels like the path Erin might’ve taken if she were still alive and Garrett hadn’t killed her over the Claw. Yes, Erin was noisy and reckless — but with refinement, she could’ve become a great thief.

This is where the story begins: with a young thief named Magpie. Not much is known about her past, and while that mystery is intriguing, I would’ve loved more lore and backstory to really anchor her into the world.

Series Background and Lore

I should also mention that I’ve never played the original Thief games. I’ve only played Thief (2014) and now Thief VR, despite owning all the older games in my Steam library. I just could never quite get into them. If the originals were ever remastered for modern systems, I think I’d finally be able to appreciate the lore. Right now, it all still feels distant to me.

That said, Thief VR does reference the older entries. For example, it mentions the Keepers, which Garrett once belonged to before becoming a master thief — so longtime fans will appreciate those nods.

Characters Worth Noting

One character I found interesting is one of your allies named Casanda (though, for some reason, she reminds me more of Orion). She claims to believe in the “greater good,” but something about her feels off — like she’s hiding something dark. I can’t put my finger on it, but I get the feeling she may be related to someone Garrett killed in Thief (2014) and possibly blames him for it. I could be completely wrong and just theorising, but she gives off that kind of energy. She has wit, but her mannerisms are mysterious, somewhat similar to Madam Xiao-Xiao.

Gameplay Mechanics

One of the coolest mechanics I discovered immediately was the ability to blow out a candle using your real-life breath. That genuinely surprised me and got me excited. However, combat when a guard is alerted feels clunky, and you have to time things perfectly to knock enemies out.

Normally, I play these games fully stealth, but Thief VR almost forces you into combat at times. With enough practice, you could complete the game without being seen — but you’d probably need hundreds of hours or a very large play space. Half the time, I was walking into my desk, hitting my mic, or nearly smacking my monitor. I honestly don’t know how nothing broke.

Sneaking behind guards to steal keys or coin pouches is extremely unforgiving. Move too fast and you’re detected. Move too slow and the guard turns around. The balance needed here is very delicate — but once mastered, the experience becomes more satisfying.

Bow Mechanics

Using the bow was another frustrating experience. I don’t hate the idea of bow mechanics, but actually aiming it is awkward. You practically have to twist yourself just to see the sight and crosshair. This needs improvement badly. Trying to use the bow realistically simply doesn’t work — especially when wearing a Meta Quest 2 headset.

I ended up holding it sideways like a crossbow, similar to how people stealth in Skyrim. It works, but it feels wrong. The bow mostly gets used for puzzles and “pests” — and by pests, I mean guards. So far, I haven’t encountered any animals apart from crows.

Community Reaction

I read some Steam reviews claiming the game is “too political.” Honestly… what did you expect? Have these people never played Thief before? The series has always included propaganda, corruption, and political themes — that’s part of its DNA. Personally, I don’t see the issue. If you’re sick of politics in games, don’t play it.

Unfortunately, many of the negative comments come from people who clearly haven’t even touched the game. A lot of it feels like trolling or rage-baiting, just trying to provoke arguments. It’s disappointing.

Technical Issues

I’ve completed two missions so far, and I immediately ran into one major issue: you can’t quit the game normally. There’s no “Exit Game” option in the menu. You have to force close it — and worse, you can’t even exit until you complete the prologue. That’s ridiculous. A game should always let you leave whenever you want.

Visuals and Audio

Visually, Thief VR looks stunning. It’s immersive and, at times, feels almost real. Sure, you can tell it’s still a game — but the lighting, atmosphere, and attention to detail are impressive. The sound design is also excellent: crackling fires, echoing footsteps, and distant whispers all help sell the experience.

The menu UI is awkward but usable once you get familiar with it. Rushing into situations, like in previous Thief games, doesn’t work well due to clunky controls.

Later Gameplay – Baron Northcrest’s Mansion

After playing more, I reached the level where you have to stealthily steal a Glyph from Baron Northcrest’s mansion. This level is frustrating. The level design itself is a chef’s kiss — you can tell the developers put a lot of love into it — but the gameplay constantly fights you. The game forces you to climb over every ledge even when you should be able to walk through naturally, and the stealth is far more intense here.

I spent about one hour and forty-five minutes on this level alone. Hardcore stealth mixed with forced combat doesn’t work well in this type of game, and I now understand why some critics say this studio still doesn’t know how to make proper stealth games. Until the collision bugs and stealth issues are fixed, I don’t see myself returning anytime soon. If you ignore this review and decide to play anyway, that’s fair — but know what you’re signing up for. This game demands high intelligence and high risk for very little reward. If you enjoy brute-forcing games, you’re going to struggle here.

Final Thoughts and Score

If the developers ever see this review: stick to what you know. This VR version does not work in its current state.

I give Thief VR: Legacy of Shadows a 3/10. The mechanics are stressful, collision detection is unreliable, and the experience feels more punishing than rewarding. I do like the Eye of Garrett for giving hints, but even that feels too easy, like the game is telling you exactly how to play instead of letting you figure things out on your own.

Maybe I’ll come back in the future with better gear and a clearer head. My headset isn’t built for long sessions, wearing glasses doesn’t help, and for me to give a truly fair and unbiased review, I’ll need better equipment.

For now, I’m taking a break.

Edit: 15/12/2025 – I will be updating a new review for this game in the future, once I have completed all thief games so I can give my true review on this game.

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