Keef the Thief
| Industry | Video game development |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1986 |
| Founder | Andy Gavin, Jason Rubin |
| Products | Keef the Thief: A Boy and His Lockpick |
| Parent | Electronic Arts (publisher) |
Keef the Thief: A Boy and His Lockpick is a video game released in 1989, developed by Naughty Dog and published by Electronic Arts. Originally launched on the Apple IIGS, it was subsequently adapted for the Amiga and MS-DOS platforms. The title belongs to the comedic sword and sorcery role-playing genre.
Gameplay
The game employs a first-person viewpoint combined with a point-and-click control scheme, placing players in the role of Keef, a thief whose objective is to pilfer treasures and eventually break into the city’s vault. Players navigate through diverse environments such as dungeons, jungles, and an arena, adhering to traditional RPG mechanics characteristic of its time.
Development
During the 1980s, Naughty Dog emerged as the youngest third-party developer signed by Electronic Arts after initiating contact via EA’s support line and engaging with one of their producers. Throughout development, sarcastic placeholder dialogue created by designer Andy Gavin was preserved because Electronic Arts appreciated its humor, which became a defining feature of the game’s comedic style. Nevertheless, this distinctive comedic element did not translate into significant commercial success.
Reception
In 1990, Dragon magazine evaluated both the Amiga and Apple IIGS editions; the Apple II version was assigned an "X" rating due to an obsolete copy-protection mechanism, resulting in a "Not recommended" verdict.
Reviews
- Amiga Format - January 1990
- Commodore User - December 1989
- Amiga Action - January 1991
- Aktueller Software Markt - December 1989, January 1990