What's the best stealth game of all time? Hitman 2: SA, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, Thief II, or Metal Gear Solid 2?

Best Stealth game of all time?

  • Hitman 2: Silent Assassin

    Votes: 13 5.6%

  • Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory

    Votes: 79 34.1%

  • Thief II: Metal Age

    Votes: 31 13.4%

  • Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

    Votes: 48 20.7%

  • Other

    Votes: 61 26.3%
  • Total voters
    232
Perrott said:
How can mechanically outdated stealth games be brought up in a discussion about the best stealth game of all time? That's like asking "is Gran Turismo 2 the best racing game of all time?", well obviously not, because since then there have been games that have provided better, deeper and more responsive driving experiences than GT2. The same can be said about the best modern stealth games when compared to the ones mentioned in the OP.

And given that you don't know me nor the games that I have or have not played, I think that you should keep all of that "kids these days" bullshit to yourself.
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Unironically putting Metal Gear (any of them) above stealth masterpieces like Splinter Cell and Thief just shows how little people know about the genre.
 
I remember back when I played Chaos Theory.
MGS 1 was/is a masterpiece for me and although I love MGS2, CT took the crown for stealth. Back then as a kid I didn't want to admit it, but CT was just stealthy as fuck. MGS2 is goofy stealth, which I love Kojima and his games for.

Anyways I voted for Chaos Theory, it is really Thief 2 but CT has me with the modern tech/world angle.
 
brian0057 said:
The people voting for MGS2 have a very loose definition for stealth... or don't have a definition at all.

The top 5 Stealth games:

  1. Thief II: The Metal Age.
  2. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory.
  3. Hitman: Blood Money.
  4. Styx: Shards of Darkness.
  5. Mark of the Ninja.
Click to expand...
Check out Shadow Tactics. It deserves a place on your list. It is pure hardcore stealth to the core.
 
House House Hello GIF


/thread
 
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Perrott said:
How can mechanically outdated stealth games be brought up in a discussion about the best stealth game of all time? That's like asking "is Gran Turismo 2 the best racing game of all time?", well obviously not, because since then there have been games that have provided better, deeper and more responsive driving experiences than GT2. The same can be said about the best modern stealth games when compared to the ones mentioned in the OP.

And given that you don't know me nor the games that I have or have not played, I think that you should keep all of that "kids these days" bullshit to yourself.
Click to expand...
Quite simply: games are more than their base mechanics, and stealth isn't the same as driving.

MGS5TPP is mechanically the best thing I've ever played, but it's not even the best MGS5 game, let alone the best MGS game or the best stealth game.
 
brian0057 said:
I'll pay Hideo Kojima for him to stop making games altogether.
Click to expand...
You're behaving as quite the gatekeeper, my dude. I've seen you post before and you're knowledgable and all, but things change and tastes evolve...
 
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Splinter Cell is the greatest stealth game IMO. No super natural stuff, no cardboard boxes; just darkness, a suppressed FN five-seven, and some thermal mods hybrid.

Part of the reason I think MGSV was the best MGS is because they essentially just copied Splinter Cell and made it open world.
 
brian0057 said:
Unironically putting Metal Gear (any of them) above stealth masterpieces like Splinter Cell and Thief just shows how little people know about the genre.
Click to expand...
Maybe it is that I'm looking at the question in the OP more from a mechanical and controls standpoint than from a gameplay systems one, but again, it is difficult for me to think about the best FPS games of all time and not think of the ones with the best gunplay, if you know what I mean.
 
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Far Cry 2, the only time you have even the slightest chance at stealth is night time. The A.I. literally just act like real people and can hear you when you bump into bushes or see you even when crouching in tall grass.

Edit: Spelling
 
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22:22 said:
Would you guys say Alien Isolation is a stealth game?
Click to expand...
I'd say it is but only up to the point where you get the flamethrower.
After that, the reliance on stealth goes down.
Roni said:
You're behaving as quite the gatekeeper, my dude. I've seen you post before and you're knowledgable and all. But things change and tastes evolve...
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I'm mostly jesting but my distaste for Kojima's output is very real.
Even then, If people like those game, I'm not gonna stop them.
 
I think MGSV does the best and most accurate job at stealth.

Dishonored, Deus Ex and Hitman are good too but sometimes the AI seems a little too dumb.
 
King Harkinian said:
Thief: Deadly Shadows
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Ah, I see I'm not the only one who unironically considers Thief: Deadly Shadows one of the best Stealth games ever made.
That said, I'm genuinely curious as to your thought process for considering as the best above Thief II and Chaos Theory.
Not judging.
I also love that game. I'm currently on my third playthrough (with the Sneaky Upgrade, of course).
 
See you asked what's the best stealth game, not what stealth game does stealth best
MGS2 is the best stealth game
Splinter Cell Chaos Theory does stealth better
 
Delco Airsoft said:
Far Cry 2, the only time you have even the slightest chance at stealth is night time. The A.I. literally just act like real people and can hear you when you bump into bushes or see you even when crouching in tall grass.

Edit: Spelling
Click to expand...

Yeah the tuning of enemy AI in stealth games is pretty tricky to do just right. Noises you make, line of sight, etc. Some cases like your example I feel can be very frustrating indeed. It's a fine balance between fun/difficulty/realism.
 
Best is probably Thief 2, my favorite is Chaos Theory. Chaos Theory offered such a great package, amazing single player campaign with great levels, really fun and innovative co-op campaign and an awesome Vs. mode with Spies vs. Mercs.

Thief 2 though, compared to it's competition, was essentially untouchable. There wasn't other games like Thief 2 and they essentially created the immersive stealth genre with nobody else to learn from or emulate.

MGS2, while amazing for it's day, just felt like stealth wasn't very well done. I LOVED MGS2, it's crazy as balls, and it was STUNNING in regards to pretty much everything else released around it, but it's A.I. was not very well done and it just didn't do stealth as well to me. When I think about MGS2 I think about it's crazy attention to detail and insane characters and forward thinking story. Last thing I think about is stealth.

Thief 2 gets my vote. Not my favorite of those options(again Chaos Theory) but def. the best at pure stealth and immersion.
 
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TGO said:
Never played it's, I've only played the one that was released on PS4 and well...
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You're missing out.
The trilogy comprised of The Dark Project, The Metal Age, and Deadly Shadows is constantly on sale on both Steam and GOG (get the latter).
Also, Thief 2014 is trash and should be avoided at all cost. It does not represent the majesty of the series.
 
Perrott said:
How can mechanically outdated stealth games be brought up in a discussion about the best stealth game of all time? That's like asking "is Gran Turismo 2 the best racing game of all time?", well obviously not, because since then there have been games that have provided better, deeper and more responsive driving experiences than GT2. The same can be said about the best modern stealth games when compared to the ones mentioned in the OP.

And given that you don't know me nor the games that I have or have not played, I think that you should keep all of that "kids these days" bullshit to yourself.
Click to expand...


You can tell you havent played the games layed out in the op because you call them mechanically outdated. When Thief from 1998 has more stealth mechanics that near every stealth game today. Second, its the entire package, not the mechanics alone, in a vaacum. The level design, the options, the layout.

MGS 5 with its vast spaces of nothing, copy pasted and empty interiors and samey situations is not a benchmark of stealh gaming. It itself copies Splinter Cell and Far Cry 2.
 
brian0057 said:
You're missing out.
The trilogy comprised of The Dark Project, The Metal Age, and Deadly Shadows is constantly on sale on both Steam and GOG (get the latter).
Also, Thief 2014 is trash and should be avoided at all cost. It does not represent the majesty of the series.
Click to expand...
At this point, and with the attention span you get with today's general audience, I just tell people to check out The Dark Mod standalone if they ask. It's free and it mostly captures the same magic without so much of the jank.

But if people understand what they are getting into with Thief 2 they are in for something special.
 
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Krappadizzle said:
At this point, and with the attention span you get with today's general audience, I just tell people to check out The Dark Mod standalone if they ask. It's free and it mostly captures the same magic without so much of the jank.

But if people understand what they are getting into with Thief 2 they are in for something special.
Click to expand...
Agree.
Although The Dark Mod can be a punishing son of a bitch.
Fans sometimes make the missions unnecessarily hard.
 
mansoor1980 said:
cant believe thief 2 is loosing the poll , i guess not everyone played it back in the day
Click to expand...
Thief 2 is PC only and most of the casual gamers are console centric.
Not only Thief 2 but any PC only game will always be last place on forum polls, they are after all popularity contest.

Yes, Thief 2 is the best stealth game, it made me feel like a real thief, its dark, innovative and hardcore stealth game not action or whatever.
 
MGS2 is perhaps the best game of all time period.

Chaos Theory is an undeniable 10 out of 10 though. A true masterpiece of stealth gameplay mixed with unforgettable levels & a rock solid soundtrack. Dat animation where Sam reaches for his knife as you get closer to a guard is pure kino. I've never felt like a 21st century ninja in a game other than Chaos Theory, except perhaps Blacklist.
 
Krappadizzle said:
Are you talking about the plots of MGS4 & MGSV?
Click to expand...

Stupid in that case is far more interesting than the milquetoast military fanfiction in Tom Clancy inspired universe, but no. Chaos Theory is the better straight forward stealth game, MGS3, 4 and V are the better stealth sandboxes. Both have the merits and own share of drawbacks. Ignoring what either brings to the table is the stupid I was referring to.
 
How can you put MGS 2 in , not MGS 3 or MGS5? How can one person so wrong? MGS 3 easily best story/gameplay in the series and MGS5 has the best gameplay far and above.
 
I love Splinter cell, but Thief is the King of that list. Nothing else gets close to the tension you experience when a guard you've not noticed, walks by millimetres from your nose in a pitch black corridor, whistling away. I don't think the AI in the other games would let you get that close. And they don't whistle...

Raw Stealth
 
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