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[IbizaPocholo]

Walking into a room in a video game and overpowering every enemy you can see with devastating abilities can be a lot of fun. Tearing foes apart with incredible strength, chaining together combos of fast-paced moves, engaging in tense firefights- games have never really been short on ideas of how to empower players to defeat enemies.

But as enjoyable as it can be to get in an enemy's face and overpowering them with pure strength and skill, there's something so incredibly satisfying about doing it all while hiding in the shadows. Staying out of sight, systematically dispatching foes one by one, remaining hidden and overcoming the odds- these are the tenets that stealth games are built around, and when they're properly put to use in gameplay mechanics, there's nothing else quite like them.

 

[Concern]

We need a new Splinter Cell

 

[Krappadizzle]

We need a new Splinter Cell

Hopefully this is the year, I've said, "This is the year" every year right before E3 for the past 5 years. Ubisoft constantly finds a way to disappoint me.
-------------------------------------------

Honestly the last great stealth game that I really enjoyed was Dishonored. Game is a blast if you are willing to handicap yourself and try to Ghost it. Was playing through Twin Snakes last night and was just thinking I wish the Stealth genre would make a resurgence.

 

[Concern]

Hopefully this is the year, I've said, "This is the year" every year right before E3 for the past 5 years. Ubisoft constantly finds a way to disappoint me.
-------------------------------------------

Honestly the last great stealth game that I really enjoyed was Dishonored. Game is a blast if you are willing to handicap yourself and try to Ghost it. Was playing through Twin Snakes last night and was just thinking I wish the Stealth genre would make a resurgence.

I even enjoyed Conviction and Blacklist regardless of how watered down they were compared to the original games. I still have yet to play Dishonored 2. Beat 1 a few times on 360 and Ps4 tho.

 

[Krappadizzle]

I even enjoyed Conviction and Blacklist regardless of how watered down they were compared to the original games. I still have yet to play Dishonored 2. Beat 1 a few times on 360 and Ps4 tho.

I thought Conviction was a lot of fun, the mark and execute system felt really cool(even if it was OP), and I had a really fun time with the co-op(even if it wasn't as good as Chaos Theory's) and I really liked the Panther style things you could do in Blacklist and how you could do some very cool cinematic assaults with the evolution of the mark and execute system. The stories in both of those games was pretty awful though tbh. But they both def. had some redeeming qualities for a fan of the SC universe or Stealth gaming in general. I WOULD LOVE a Chaos Theory style return to form, but at this point I'll take any combo of Chaos Theory/Conviction/Blacklist type game in the SC universe that Ubisoft will give me.

THIS IS THE YEAR!

 

[Concern]

I thought Conviction was a lot of fun, the mark and execute system felt really cool(even if it was OP), and I had a really fun time with the co-op(even if it wasn't as good as Chaos Theory's) and I really liked the Panther style things you could do in Blacklist and how you could do some very cool cinematic assaults with the evolution of the mark and execute system. I WOULD LOVE a Chaos Theory style return to form, but at this point I'll take any combo of Chaos Theory/Conviction/Blacklist type game in the SC universe that Ubisoft will give me.

THIS IS THE YEAR!

Yea I had a lot of fun with it as well as the coop. This better be the year lol. We're long overdue a new game.

 

[Bragr]

Stealth advanced during 2000 - 2010, then has regressed ever since.

Hiding in tall grass ruined Assassin's Creed stealth, it's such a crutch now.

 

[brian0057]

We need a new Splinter Cell

From current year Ubisoft?
Given the quaity of their games post 2010 that aren't UbiArt, I honestly want the series to remain dead.

 

[Concern]

From current year Ubisoft?
Given the quaity of their games post 2010 that aren't UbiArt, I honestly want the series to remain dead.

Tbf Rainbow Six is a solid game and supposedly so is Ghost Recon. I think Splinter Cell could still be done properly.

 

[Krappadizzle]

From current year Ubisoft?
Given the quaity of their games post 2010 that aren't UbiArt, I honestly want the series to remain dead.

As easy as it is to give flak to Ubi, they have shown that they are willing to work/improve a game and will even support one for a very long time. Ghost Recon: Breakpoint is a vastly better game with a ton of improvements and changes/options that people wanted day 1 that they DID put in eventually. Hell, they've been supporting Breakpoint and have continued to improve it well after it's rather mediocre launch which is more than we can say about most publishers, which typically drop a game quickly if it doesn't hit on the pulse of video-game zeitgeist immediately. So there IS hope that Ubi could do something right with the franchise. R6:Siege was awful on launch and improved a TON in it's first year alone, not to mention the continued support these last 4 or 5 years.

 

[Phase]

I started playing A Plague Tale: Innocence and the stealth is like every stealth section in every game ever made. Except here that's the whole game... and it's boring af.

When there's some real innovation in stealth gameplay again it'll be fun to see.

 

[Arachnid]

God, I miss Sam Fisher.

 

[bender]

From current year Ubisoft?
Given the quaity of their games post 2010 that aren't UbiArt, I honestly want the series to remain dead.

Pretty much. The series peaked at Chaos Theory.

 

[SlimeGooGoo]

.

 

[Bakkus]

Never played the games, but why was Thief just barely mentioned?

 

[KyoZz]

You mean the DEvolution right ?

 

[brian0057]

Never played the games, but why was Thief just barely mentioned?

The biblical plague known as Metal Gear Solid came out earlier on the same year as Thief: The Dark Project.
The former garnered all the fame despite the latter becoming the bigger influence.
Hideo Kojima and his consequences on the industry have been devastating.

 

[Balducci30]

The biblical plague known as Metal Gear Solid came out earlier on the same year as Thief: The Dark Project.
The former garnered all the fame despite the latter becoming the bigger influence.
Hideo Kojima and his consequences on the industry have been devastating.

Man thief was an incredible game. Never got into MGS or splinter cell really

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Some website says this 1981 Sega game is the first stealth game, as you got cops with flashlights.

Warning: Worst sound and music ever.

 

[jaysius]

New Splinter Cell with 10 editions and not one of them have the full game, open world and full of P2W GaaS mechanics. Essentially a mod for Ghost Recon Breakpoint.

I really miss Splinter Cell too, but the way Ubi has gone design philosophy wise, I don’t think they even know how to create a good game anymore, let alone a single player one, they’ve gone senile and it’s time to let them go out to pasture.

 

[Rayven_king]

I love the tactical military stuff ofcourse but I wouldn't mind a Tenchu revival or something like it with ninjas in 3rd person

 

[IbizaPocholo]

Back in the day, stealth games weren't expected to be very successful. After all, who wants to play an action game where not killing foes is an optimal way to play? However, throughout the decades, the genre has evolved in numerous ways, providing countless enjoyable experiences.

Let's take a look at 15 of the best stealth games of all time, thus far, and what makes them such classics.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

The zenith of the genre was Chaos Theorys Spies vs Mercs. It has never sniffed those heights since.

 

[Gen X]

I love stealth games although I only play on console. I did try Thief about 10yrs ago but by then games had advanced so I couldn't get into it although I could appreciate what it was for its time. Sadly the stealth market still seems to be a bit niche, that or some of the games changed over the years to cater for a different market (I'm looking at you Splinter Cell).

Maybe a reboot of Syphon Filter could be the key?

 

[intbal]

This thread should have included a poll. Top 3 favorite Stealth games.
Mine:
1. Thief: The Dark Project
2. Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
3. Airborne Ranger

 

[Javthusiast]

Stealth games evolved into being fucking dead. Thanks Konami and Ubisoft.

The most we get are shitty stealth mechanics in games not designed for it or indie games.

AAA stealth games died with MGS and Splinter Cell.

 

[Nico_D]

Oh wow, what an amazing list. Just forgot the best stealth game ever conceived.

Metal Age is better but yeah. And opinions.

 

[R6Rider]

Hitman is a different type of stealth, but still among the best. Many stealth series are among my favorite series of games overall and it sucks to see a lack of them in the past decade overall.

 

[Cryio]

Splinter Cell: I'm doing a yearly playthrough of Splinter Cell 1 through Double Agent on PC and emulated from PS2 (to get to play both variants of these games and the 2 entirely different Double Agent titles). I don't really replay Conviction. Only did it once. And I still hate Ubisoft for making the "coop LAN" actually a misnomer for not being LAN and relying on their servers. The coop on PC has never worked pasted the 1 year release window AFAIK.

Metal Gear: Finished Twin Snakes and MGS2 some years ago. Got my Snake Eater playthrough interrupted. At this point, it's been so long I might as well replay them, try the MSX and NES titles and play the rest of the franchise.

Thief: Played T3 twice. One day I'll try it with the Gold upgrade la removes mid level loading screens. T1 almost finished it, this was back on 2011 when Windows 8 developer builds launched and broke TFix. Need for give it a replay. Never played T2 currently. Finished Thief 2014 twice.

Dishonored: Need to replay all 3.

Deus Ex: Need to replay HR and MD one day. Need to properly finish DE1. Need to play IW and The Fall. Also Deus Ex: GO.

Hitman: They always felt way too janky for me. Hitman 1 (2000) is unplayable nowadays (and most of its interesting levels were remade for Contracts). I tried Hitman 2: Silent Assassin recently and while I get the appeal of the game, these early games are so unreliable.

 

[IbizaPocholo]

Here are some of our favorite stealth sneaking games throughout gaming history.

#20 Aragami

Platform : Linux PC OS X PS4 Xbox One Switch Amazon Luna



#19 Sly Cooper Series

Platform : PS2 PS3 PS Vita PS4



#18 Assassin’s Creed Series

Platform : PC PS3 Xbox 360 PS4 PC XBOX ONE



#17 Deus Ex Mankind Divided/Human Revolution

Platform : PC PS3 Wii U PS4 Xbox One Linux



#16 Tenchu series

Platform : PS PS2 Xbox PS Portable Nintendo DS Xbox 360 Wii



#15 Alien Isolation

Platform : PC PS3 PS4 Xbox 360 Xbox One Linux OS X Switch Amazon Luna



#14 Chronicles of Riddick

Platform : PC Xbox



#13 Invisible Inc.

Platform : PC OS X Linux PS4 Switch



#12 Volume

Platform : PC OS X PS4 PS Vita



#11 Syphon Filter

Platform : PS, PS2



#10 Batman: Arkham City

Platform : PS3 Xbox 360 PC Wii U OS X PS4 Xbox One



#9 Styx Master of Shadows/Shards of Darkness

Platform : PC PS4 Xbox One



#8 Shadow Tactics

Platform : PC PS4 Xbox One Linux



#7 Dishonored PC PS3 PS4 Xbox 360 Xbox One) (DEATHLOOP PC PS5)



#6 Sniper Elite 4

Platform : PC PS4 Xbox One Stadia Switch



#5 Mark of the Ninja

Platform : Xbox 360 PC Linux OS X Switch Xbox One PS4



#4 Hitman series

Platform : PC PS3 PS4 PS5 XBOX ONE XSX|S Switch Stadia PS VITA PS2 Xbox 360



#3 Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

Platform : PC PS3 PS4 PS5 Xbox 360 Xbox One



#2 Splinter Cell Chaos Theory

Platform : PC PS2 Xbox GameCube Nintendo DS Nintendo 3DS PS3



#1 Thief 2: The Metal Age

Platform : PC



HONORABLE MENTION:

Ghost of Tsushima

Platform : PS4 PS5



Sekiro Shadows Die Twice

Platform : PC PS4 Xbox One Stadia


0:00 INTRO
0:17 Aragami
1:10 Sly Cooper
1:42 Assassin’s Creed
2:42 Deus Ex Mankind Divided/Human Revolution
3:23 Tenchu series
4:10 Alien Isolation
4:47 Chronicles of Riddick
5:36 Invisible Inc.
6:29 Volume
7:11 Syphon Filter
7:56 Batman: Arkham City
8:54 Styx Master of Shadows/Shards of Darkness
9:57 Shadow Tactics
10:54 Dishonored / DEATHLOOP
11:47 Sniper Elite 4
12:52 Mark of the Ninja
14:03 Hitman series
15:16 Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
16:09 Splinter Cell Chaos Theory
16:59 Thief 2: The Metal Age
17:42 (Bonus) HONORABLE MENTION:
Ghost of Tsushima
Sekiro Shadows Die Twice

 

[Sidney Prescott]

Hitman: Blood Money is my Number 1 I think. Stealth isn't really my genre, but I loved that game so much. Especially some of the levels. The one in the suburbs and the casino were my favourite.

 

[Rickyiez]

Peak of stealth game was Chaos Theory, and then it's devolution until now.

 

[SafeOrAlone]

Metal Gear is my favorite, Splinter cell is the runner up....

But what I really want is a new Tenchu.

 

[IbizaPocholo]

The stealth genre is one of the staples of the medium, and usually involves hiding around corners while patiently waiting for an opening to either attack or flee. Most of the well-known stealth franchises of today play either in a first-person perspective or a third-person one.

That said, there's still no shortage of stealth games with a top-down camera, which allows for greater peripheral vision, opening more possibilities for players as well as developers to come up with creative stealth design. To that effect, here are 10 of the best top-down stealth games in recent memory.

 

[IbizaPocholo]

These are the biggest stealth games we could find. Here are some games with wide-open stealth opportunities that we love.

0:31 AC: Syndicate
2:00 The Saboteur
3:14 Shadow of Mordor
4:16 Ghost Recon: Wildlands
5:07 Elder Scrolls
6:03 Far Cry
7:12 Prey
7:53 Batman: Arkham City
9:17 Watchdogs 2
10:21 Metal Gear Solid V