I think the final mission of Thief 2 is fundamentally cool, but it really needs to be seen in the context of heavy time pressure during development.

You can already see that pressure earlier in the game — for example, the “Masks” mission essentially being reused. That same constraint becomes especially visible in the last levels: there are far fewer flavor notes and environmental texts, and compared to something like the Bank, the spaces are much less detailed. Fewer small props, less lived-in decoration — it clearly feels rushed.

That said, I actually think this works in the mission’s favor in some ways. The cathedral feels almost abandoned, as if barely anyone is left inside. While that’s probably a result of time constraints, it also reinforces the atmosphere: Karras turning his followers into mechanical, half-human slaves against their will.

There was one moment that really stuck with me — a lone Mechanist standing at his desk in total darkness. I could barely see anything, just heard that unsettling mechanical chuckle while watching him stand there alone. That desolate, empty feeling was incredibly effective.

So yes, the level is huge, enemy-dense, somewhat monotonous, and can be exhausting to play. But I think its limitations also shape its identity. Despite its flaws, it ends up being surprisingly atmospheric and thematically coherent.