The Whistling of the Gears impresses players with its layout and level design, which is done really well. Returning to Thief I's aesthetic took some getting used to after all the T2 FMs, but I quickly adjusted to the grimier setting. The cityscape is very expansive and dark, and most of all, complicated. It's hard to familiarize yourself with this map, and that's mostly a good thing. There's a lot to see, many hidden nooks and crannies. Some places tell stories or give life to the world. My favorite place was the museum, which, even if small, has so much character to it.

My problem with this mission lies in how hard it is to find what you need at times. Another problem lies in how the main objective extends in such a way that forces you to chase small objects through the entire map. This becomes worse when you've already been through the entire map, just because you wanted to explore (something you tend to do when playing Thief). I think there was no need to include the second "part" of the first objective. It felt like useless padding and it hampered the experience this great level can provide. Also, items are hidden really well. I'm not sure how you're supposed to remember the four locations of the main items based on a one-second look at said locations. This seems impossible when you've never been to these locations in the first place, which is still kind of recommended if you don't want to explore the cityscape twice. Even disregarding this, three of the four main items are annoyingly well-hidden.

It's a big shame, because otherwise, this level is just great to play through. Now, I was just having a walkthrough video next to me for 50% of the experience. Not really fun. Still, this level is worth a play. Just don't be afraid to use a walkthrough when stuck.