Project Shadowglass is a love letter to classic immersive sims such as Thief, Deus Ex, and System Shock, built with unique 3D pixel art technology. A new gameplay trailer released at the Future Games Show has made the depth of that reverence clear, almost overwhelming in its homage to Looking Glass' 1998 stealth masterpiece.
The latest footage shows mechanics that directly echo Thief's playbook. The video shows the ability to slide down rooftops, shoot explosive barrels with fire arrows, and splash water arrows on the floor so guards slip on the liquid. The allusions to Looking Glass' work are initially broad, like skulking across tiled rooftops, peeking around alley corners, and bonking guards on the head with a blackjack.
Developer Starhelm Studios has not tried to hide these influences. What sets Shadowglass apart, however, is how it handles the details. The swordfighting also looks slightly more involved than OG Thief too, though the Steam page notes that your character still fights "sloppily", which is exactly how swordfighting in a stealth game should work. Rather than becoming a swordmaster, you remain fundamentally vulnerable.
Set in a dark fantasy seaside kingdom, the game casts you as a struggling thief hired to steal powerful ancient artifacts in a society divided by wealth and surveillance. The environment reacts dynamically to your choices: guards remember your face, citizens adjust their behaviour based on your notoriety, and every action has lasting consequences.
By day, you will plan and prepare from your humble flat in the slums. Spend the gold you've acquired on new tools and items, upgrade your hidden workshop, acquire intel, and case your next target location. By night, you must move and act unseen if you wish to succeed.
The game's core philosophy rejects power fantasies. This is not a power fantasy. You are no hero with powers. Instead, you must rely solely on improving your own planning and skill. Get caught alive and you'll need to break yourself out of prison. Kill someone and the city's fear of you spreads; civilians will flee on sight.
No content or art featured in Project Shadowglass will be AI generated, a point the developers emphasise given the proliferation of AI art tools in indie game development.
Project Shadowglass is planning an Early Access release on PC in 2027, though there is also a demo coming in 2026. Project Shadowglass, developed solo by Dominic John's Starhelm Studios, got its first extended look at real-time heist mechanics, combining strategic planning, skill-based stealth, and a fully 3D pixel-art world that is both nostalgic and modern.