There's a common misconception that stealth videogames - often declared "dead" by over-weening or uninspired editorialists - are fundamentally an exercise in hiding from things. Well, obviously they're an exercise in hiding from things, but that's not why people enjoy them. Hiding from things can be staggeringly boring, as veterans of countless gently-does-it "palette cleanser" levels in the duller kind of shooter behemoth well know.
The appeal of stealth, rather, is that it intensifies your appreciation. A good stealth game obliges you to painstakingly unpick the rationale behind each chunk of geometry, every bundle of AI routines, each tool in your arsenal. In breaking the game's offerings down, you become more aware of how well it's put together, more sensitive to subtleties of execution that go unreported in twitchy, short-lived action titles.
1. Assassin's Creed 2
The first Assassin's Creed was an elegant, fleet-footed affair, but it was elegant and fleet-footed like a long-distance runner i.e. decidedly underfed. The second game adds more abilities and gadgets (including the ever-entertaining poisoned blade) and more extended, varied missions that are led by the story rather than some top-down design remit. You're not just diving into haystacks any more - you're shadowing boats from the rooftops, taking out archers and plotting the perfect route across bustling intersections.
Read our Assassin's Creed 2 review for more.
34 comments so far...
Clanger67 on 10 Oct '12 said:
Yep would agree with most of them.Not sure with Dishonoured still to find out,lol.I reckon i prefer Crysis 1 rather than 2 though.Despite the on rails nature of one enjoyed it a lot more than 2,which i haven't even finished yet.
arranhiggs on 10 Oct '12 said:
Think it sais something about the direction splinter cell is going to not make it onto this list...
If this was about the original console, splinter cell would have dominated
OXM ETboy on 10 Oct '12 said:
Conviction missed a mention by inches. If it's last gen stealth you're after, Chaos Theory and Thief: Deadly Shadows are probably the star picks.
Clanger67 on 10 Oct '12 said:
I reckon the last decent SC this gen. was Double Agent,despite the slightly bemusing story,lol.Think it is down to some of the new IP's soon or next year to fill in the gap left by SC because i don't think it will ever be the same again as the classic first ones that made its name.
Caligulove on 10 Oct '12 said:
Disagree with Assassins Creed being in there, personally I feel like its an action game pretending to be something its not. After recommending the second one, as a good game, to a friend who'd never played the series his opinion on it was "its the least stealty, stealth game ever", and I can't argue with that.
Even though its not in the list and a few posts above don't like it, I still think SC Conviction was far better as a stealth game than any Assassins Creed. Especially if you include the totally separate and excellent co-op campaign.
kronk10 on 10 Oct '12 said:
The best stealth game on the list is deffo mark of the ninja and you have to remember that it is only a 2d platformer and yet it feels like so much more when you play it
kronk10 on 10 Oct '12 said:
Also have to agree with the last gen thief game as that was bloody brilliant oh and a quick question for OXM have we heard any news on the new thief game? heard the dev's who did the last deus ex game will be making it?
ItchyRash on 10 Oct '12 said:
Agreed. There were some sections when stealth came into play, and I was genuinely excited when it happened and it seem to finally nail what Assassins Creed should have been but those moments were few and far between. Definitely an action game. And if Brotherhood deserves a mention based purely on an average multiplayer then Conviction deserves a mention based on it's excellent co-op campaign and multiplayer modes. Surely Brotherhood needs off this list and replaced by Conviction. Plus, if 2 Assassins Creed games are allowed then leaving off Hitman Blood Money is a crime. A CRIME! Would also agree that Crysis 1 offers more stealth than 2.
Really looking forward to Dishonoured. Paid no attention to it until I looked over the review. Looks amazing. And glad Hitman is coming along nicely. Was worried they had gone for action.
Bongzilla1878 on 10 Oct '12 said:
I thought that The Saboteur was a good stealth game, okay, maybe more action with stealth elements but still a good (underrated) game
FishyGinger on 10 Oct '12 said:
Seems like a good selection, but maybe splinter cell double agent? Not played it but isn't it in the same style as the older games?
And as for brotherhood, I know I should have been stealthy but think I was far more stealthy in skyrim, running over buildings was too much fun to stay stealthy.
Clanger67 on 10 Oct '12 said:
Already mentioned it fourth post down.
SidTheSloth on 10 Oct '12 said:
Surely bezza will have a meltdown when he reads this? I still agree MGS is a PS series but it is playable on 360 and is a better stealth game than a few on that list!!?
I agree with the AC comments too, i love the series, but have always wanted it to be more stealthy - i just think they'd alienate a lot of the audience if they did?
I know a lot of people don't like them too, but i actually love the assassin brotherhood apprentices you can train too, love walking around and then calling them in just before i strike!
Really intrigued by mark of the ninja too, will have to invest at some point...
I will say nothing more about Deus Ex...
>mumble... overrated mumble mumble tedious mumble<
Clanger67 on 10 Oct '12 said:
Deus Ex deserves to get a mention as a good stealth game though Sid.There is even a cheevo for not getting spotted.
Decent_Jam on 10 Oct '12 said:
I enjoyed Deus Ex and Splinter Cell Conviction, which probably says something about my attention span for stealth - I'm more of an all guns blazing (and then die horribly with bullets spraying everywhere) kind of guy.
Good games by reputation on there at least. Interesting to hear everyone's opinions on it.
schwepterbrowser on 10 Oct '12 said:
I have to agree with the AC comments as well and I thought Crysis 2 was pretty bad all-round. As others have said MGS and Splinter Cell (including the fantastic Conviction) would have been better picks.
Plamsa wing on 10 Oct '12 said:
Not quite sure about Crysis 2, I pretty much just ran through it hard using the cloak, made the game very easy. Although I did do that for Crysis both on the PC and Xbox 360.
On the topic of Assassin's Creed, for assassin's they doesn't seem all that stealthy, at best I'd say it's an action game with stealth aspects.
I think the Spider-Man Noir parts on Shattered Dimensions are worth a mention, they were actually quite good.
You know I did the three "hard" achievements in the same playthrough, it was quite interesting. Nearly got caught towards the end.
SidTheSloth on 10 Oct '12 said:
It deserves a mention i agree, but not on this list, how about this one instead?
ChillieBonBon on 10 Oct '12 said:
Not sure if anyone will agree with me but Skyrim offered a way to pay the game stealthly if you had the right perks and whatnot. Perhaps not through all the game ,killing a dragon requires more than a backstab (something i learnt all to well), but most of the time the option was there.
Clanger67 on 10 Oct '12 said:
Good going with that Plasma,not easy to not get spotted the whole game.I have yet to go through it again after getting the dlc after i had finished it first time.
msbhvn on 10 Oct '12 said:
I have to wade in on this and say Assassin's Creed 2 couldn't have been a stealth game because I 100% completed it, and I'm terrible at stealth!
Bezza89 on 10 Oct '12 said:
Meltdown? I'm staking out Eds house using all my stealth abilities, we'll see how long it takes him to find me... /dons cardboard box/ Avass my maties!
I'd also say though I love deus ex and assassins creed, I wouldn't say they were great stealth games, just great games with stealth aspects poorly implemented. Blood Money, MGS HD are sorely missing in my view, but what do I know.
Bezza89 BSc Stealth Games.
Joe90_Remy700 on 10 Oct '12 said:
was gunna say the same thing myself. played pure sneaky-buggers in it, managed to take down elder dragons without getting spotted. quality
Clanger67 on 10 Oct '12 said:
I wouldn't say poorly implemented in DE Bezza,hard work sometimes maybe.Plus the devs. are doing the new Thief that game is nothing but stealth if they stick to the plan of the originals.
Joe90_Remy700 on 10 Oct '12 said:
so thi4f is defo in development? any further details?
Clanger67 on 10 Oct '12 said:
There have been a few mentions on here of the new Thief couple of screenshots etc. Not a lot though and not for a while.
http://www.oxm.co.uk/43612/features/int ... d-thief-4/
Clanger67 on 10 Oct '12 said:
I think there may be another couple of articles on it.Had a search in here though and took a while to find the one i shortcuted.
Bezza89 on 10 Oct '12 said:
It's really not that great, you can go invisible - automatically loses 10 points of being a stealth game -that's cheating, Other than that it's good, but assassins creed you sneak about and take out the guy with no witnesses, and suddenly you're being attacked - how?
ItchyRash on 10 Oct '12 said:
Can't believe I forgot about Deus Ex. Loved that game and the series as a whole. I tried to get the achievement for not setting off alarms but failed. Not sure where. Can't be bothered trying again. Great game though and certainly stealth in my eyes. More so than either Assassins Creed games mentioned above. If not Conviction then Double Agent certainly deserves a mention. Currently playing through Metal Gear HD collection. As its available on 360 it certainly needs a mention on here. Think the list needs an overhaul. Created a fair level of debate though
Clanger67 on 11 Oct '12 said:
But it's set in the future and isn't there a Ghillie suit even today that sort of makes you invisible.Plus the devs. said they never intended it to be 100% stealth you are meant to be able to play it how you want.Although there are some achivements for playing it stealthily.
I don't think Assassins creed has ever been a stealth game.Although think if any came close it was the first one.
CunningSmile on 11 Oct '12 said:
Pretty sure that Assassin's Creed was never intended to be a stealth game, they even say in the first game that being spotted is half the point as it helps spread the word. The Assassins order (in the real world as well as the game) were/are terrorists not ghosts.
And give it up Sid, you are all alone in your DE hate...except possibly Jam and he has the attention span of a 3 year old
mistergrimm on 11 Oct '12 said:
True dat, flamboyant public assassination is meant to be the order's MO
Bezza89 on 11 Oct '12 said:
As I said, poorly implemented stealth in assassins creed and therefore shouldn't be in this list. Regards deus ex, a ghillie suit would give it 10 points, the hiding in plain site aspect of splinter cell and mgs enhance the game and make you feel uber cool because the numpty can't see you right next to him, and thinks that sound of people being stabbed was 'just a rat'. I love deus ex, but there are some things that you don't do with stealth, and making you invisible is one of them - take crysis, you can go invisible and walk through the entire game. Fun.
GTRogers on 11 Oct '12 said:
Brother hood is defiantly not a stealth game I spend 90% of my time getting as many guards to chase me as I could, leading them into an open area then calling in my assassins so we could have one huge fight. It was epic. I do hope they add more stealth into AC3 tho
Clanger67 on 11 Oct '12 said:
Yeah i agree Bezza.That's why i said Crysis over 2 as at least in that you felt the need to use the suit invisibilty sometimes.As in when you knew you couldn't take on the three guys heading your way without causing too much trouble for yourself.Think that is why i have never finished 2.I just mentioned the Ghillie suit as that may not be the future.I remember seeing something on the Marines messing with a Ghillie suit that is like the Predator camo. and bends and refracts light too make you essentialy invisible.Last i saw though they where having a load of probs. with it mostly down to the operating system that it was linked to kept crashing,lol.