There are missions which are competent, there are missions which are excellent, and there are missions which are visionary. The second groups win contests; the third expand on our ideas of what Thief can and should be. This mission, clearly in the third category, is like a blow to the skull. It is, honestly, not well placed in the contest theme, as it properly belongs to the world of Thief 1 – but with a sensibility that pays homage to Sperry’s diabolically hardcore and alienating fan missions as well as the darker things lurking in the recesses of the Dark Project, while also indulging in grotesquery and a love for mediaeval oddities. It is unique and has a very personal stamp despite being a collaboration.

Into the Odd shines in multiple areas. By pushing us into positions of extreme danger and extreme vulnerability, it brings back the visceral fear of Thief’s better monster levels. It has its own version of the City’s labyrinthine streets, as well as its Underworld – a place where things start to make less and less sense as you go deeper. By indulging in weirdness, it brings back the experience of exploring an alien world, returning the lost mystery of the original games. It is exemplary for its creative use, reuse, and combination of stock resources. Textures, objects and sounds are recontextualised in ways that are not expected, but make perfect sense - it all fits despite being unorthodox. It is a dynamic mission where things change as you progress, bringing new opportunities and hazards to territory you have previously visited. Above all, it has a masterful ambience, with a lazy, hot afternoon atmosphere in a violent city and its underbelly.

Into the Odd is not flawless – some will find it too obscure, too punishing, and maybe even somewhat arbitrary. The initial sections, while masterful in building up dread, are highly linear. Nevertheless, it transcends its slight flaws. It is an experience in the best sense, a mission which requires us to get out of our comfort zone, push ourselves a little, but is as rewarding as the best fan missions in FM history.