Thieves' Highway is, like its name says, a rooftop mission. You are forbidden to get close to the streets and must instead find your way on top of the different buildings of the district. Uncadonego really nails The Metal Age's aesthetic in that one, more so than in The Time That Has Passed, and some of the textures and colors used can make the thing look quite a lot more sinister and unsettling than your usual Thief 2 mission. One thing I absolutely like in his missions, in addition to some really striking building designs, is how he designs the interiors. Lots of very small details everywhere that make the places look more real. The tight cityscape and layout are largely interconnected but are not too complicated once you get your bearings. There are lots of truly cool things to find off the beaten path.

The goal of the mission is to rob Figalily's gallery near the bell tower, which is probably the only portion of the mission I'm not too keen on: it's 99% marble, has a few already alerted and trigger-happy guards as well as a couple of combat bots, somewhat broken sound propagation plus you have to look for a bunch of switches. Like The Time That Has Passed, this one has a few really hairy spots with regards to the AI, and the fact that the lights seem to have infinite radii, making sneaking through quite hard though nowhere near as hard as The Time That Has Passed. Another thing I'm not too keen on is the inclusion of particularly modern and out-of-place elements, such as modern-looking ovens, elevators and furniture. The mission has a few hilarious conversations, most notably two BFF drunk guards, and another one with a rebellious servant.

All in all, Thieves' Highway is an excellent mission that's truly worthy of your time.

(this review was originally written on TTLG)