Stealth Games.

[ipman]

So what are your favourite stealth games and why?(sell it to us). Also how do you keep your character hidden in those games(ie: which specific means and systems do they employ). Which do you enjoy using the most?.

I mean it can be as simple as in Sniper Elite V2, hiding behind walls and crawling through buildings keeping out of sight. Creeping up from behind an enemy is just a standard stealth tactic. I enjoyed sneaking the long way round and shooting a sniper in the back of the head.

In SofW, there is an elaborate construction of ropes, rooftops, walls and zip wires which keep you above the enemies line of sight. You can like many games use strategically placed bushes to sneak up on the enemy.

If you do go out in the open in a camp on say the Gravewalker mode you are spotted and hacked to pieces. I think it's one of the few games where you can be tracked by an enemy by smell. And some of those tracker captains are relentless.

HZD Aloy has specific stealth costumes with stealth modifications, which means she can traverse the whole map, using bushes, zip wires as well and never be spotted.

Watchdogs Legion is also a good stealth game. The charcter can hack into the cctv network and determine the best way through a building, watch the guards and work out their routines. I sometimes carried out a mission stealthily sitting on a drone just out of sight. And of course charcters have an additional invisibility cloak to activate.

 

[Slasken]

I really love both Dishonored games.

 

[WoodenSaucer]

I like the Thief games, especially the reboot from 2013. I want to love Dishonored, but I just can't keep from loving the stealth more in Thief. I wish they'd make another one.

 

[Alm]

I used to love the Commandos games and the Splinter Cell games. I used to play the original Ghost Recon like a stealth game too, picking people off one by one. They were all quite satisfying when plans came together.

 

[Brian Boru]

love the Commandos games

Yeah, they were great—and tough! Either Commandos or Thief were my first stealth games, and I enjoyed them at the time. I've gone off that high degree of stealth though, dropped Desperados and Shadow Tactics after only a few hours.

Next one, which I still replay every year, is Crysis and its expansion Warhead. You can have great fun with the invisibility function of the nanosuit to acquire good tactical positions, and of course sneak up on baddies.

Far Cry 3 & later generally reward stealth play, and from 4 on there's a great feature called Outpost Master which allows you to replay capturing an outpost, thereby testing various different approaches from overt machine gun blitzing to an all no-guns stealth and decoy knife and bow run.

Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 is another which needs good stealth to achieve most objectives—it's not all ranged sniping, there's plenty of distract and infiltrate work too. Sniper Elite games too—eg SE4 has a neat mechanic where you disguise your shots by waiting for a loud noise in the environment, like a plane flying overhead.

How about poker? Or Pacman? No… ok, be fussy

 

[Pifanjr]

I like Assassin's Creed for its crowd mechanics. Being able to hide in groups of other people is great. I feel like this was better in the first game, but it's been forever since I played it, so I'm not sure if that's true.

I also really like Hitman because of the ability to use disguises to get into places. I like it when you don't necessarily have to stay out of sight to be stealthy.

 

[ipman]

I like the Thief games, especially the reboot from 2013. I want to love Dishonored, but I just can't keep from loving the stealth more in Thief. I wish they'd make another one.

Yes stealth games require a whole different mindset. I think more thinking and pre planning are necessary.

You were asking about sniper games earlier. They are a specialist form of stealth game. I've got Sniper Elite V2 which I still rate as the best. As Brian Boru says the mechanic where you can take out enemies under cover of bombs going off and planes flying over is neat. Again you have to watch the enemies routines and take them out in a certain order where others won't see the dead bodies. It teaches you patience and only to take the shot when a 100% sure.

I've also got Sniper Elite 3 and Sniper;Ghost Warrior.

Are there any sniper games which allow you to make all the kills at long range? I really enjoy the the Neudorf Outpost mission in V2 because all kills are over long distance.

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

I'll also go with Dishonored, because I much prefer having the option to go loud once discovered and it feeling like youre still playing the game right.

Stealth feels weird for me atm because of where I am in life. If I have only one hour to play an action game every other day or so it feels bad to spend half of the time sitting and waiting for NPC's to move around while I just watch them.

I played Cyberpunk 2077 semi stealthily, taking out as many quietly as possible and going loud once caught. Felt to me kind of like an open world Deus Ex with the hacking skills and mods you can get.

 

[ipman]

I like Assassin's Creed for its crowd mechanics. Being able to hide in groups of other people is great. I feel like this was better in the first game, but it's been forever since I played it, so I'm not sure if that's true.

I also really like Hitman because of the ability to use disguises to get into places. I like it when you don't necessarily have to stay out of sight to be stealthy.

Yes I've got some Assassin's Creed games and Hitman, but couldn't get into them. Maybe time to try again.

WD's offers some good stealth play. In Legion(like Hitman) you can choose a character who is say a Clan Kelly operative, wears their clothes and can infiltrate their bases of operation.

I used to carry out whole missions in WD2 with Marcus sitting on a roof using a drone to cause mayhem. Flying in through a window, through the laser detections and hack their own infrastructure to take them out. Or call a gang hit. Did some long distance sniping from roofs and boats(challenging with wave motion).

Another aspect of stealth is it allows you to build elaborate traps, sneak around setting up all the mines and tripwires and then luring the enemies in. HZD is good for that. I use animal/machines that Aloy has over ridden as bait, surround them with traps and then watch the machines destroy themselves.

Stealth games make you specialise in the abilities of your enemies, watch their routines and then make a plan.
I find it more of a challenge.

 

[ipman]

I'll also go with Dishonored, because I much prefer having the option to go loud once discovered and it feeling like youre still playing the game right.

Stealth feels weird for me atm because of where I am in life. If I have only one hour to play an action game every other day or so it feels bad to spend half of the time sitting and waiting for NPC's to move around while I just watch them.

I played Cyberpunk 2077 semi stealthily, taking out as many quietly as possible and going loud once caught. Felt to me kind of like an open world Deus Ex with the hacking skills and mods you can get.

Yes it makes you appreciate how patient say snipers have to be(if you've got the time).

They mentioned something in that vid on stealth. How stealth and the possibility of detection creates a sense of jeopardy and tension.

In V2 if you make a tiny error in your long range shot, suddenly half a battalion are decending on you. So you have to stay calm and methodically take out targets as they run towards character. Keep moving stealthily to new positions is good. Always have a backup plan and escape route.

That would be a good time to have an AI companion with a machine gun to protect your character.

 

[WoodenSaucer]

I don't know why I didn't think about this earlier, but the Plague Tale games are very excellent for stealth. I haven't played the new one yet, but in the first one, the majority of the game is stealth.

You were asking about sniper games earlier. They are a specialist form of stealth game. I've got Sniper Elite V2 which I still rate as the best.

I played a little of the latest Sniper Elite game, since it's on Game Pass. But I just couldn't get into it. I think the controls just felt clunkier than what I'm used to. I don't know...maybe it's a little more technical than I like, or something. I can see how people would like them, though.

I'll also go with Dishonored, because I much prefer having the option to go loud once discovered and it feeling like youre still playing the game right.

Stealth feels weird for me atm because of where I am in life. If I have only one hour to play an action game every other day or so it feels bad to spend half of the time sitting and waiting for NPC's to move around while I just watch them.

Even though I prefer Thief, I do agree that it's nice to be able to go crazy and take everyone out on Dishonored. The only problem with that is that I almost always end up killing everyone instead, so it doesn't really feel like a stealth game to me.

About where you're at in life, I come from a different perspective. Sometimes (like recently), my work and my life can be very stressful. Stealth games relax me, while a lot of action makes me feel like my blood pressure is going through the roof, which I don't need. That's why I quit Doom Eternal after about a half hour.

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

Yes it makes you appreciate how patient say snipers have to be(if you've got the time).

They mentioned something in that vid on stealth. How stealth and the possibility of detection creates a sense of jeopardy and tension.

In V2 if you make a tiny error in your long range shot, suddenly half a battalion are decending on you. So you have to stay calm and methodically take out targets as they run towards character. Keep moving stealthily to new positions is good. Always have a backup plan and escape route.

That would be a good time to have an AI companion with a machine gun to protect your character.

Fair enough I've played stealth games in the past and liked them, and I like stealthy sections in games but the whole thing of sitting on a hill looking through binoculars and waiting doesnt appeal right now to me. You might like Cyberpunk if you can put up with the aesthetic, its pretty open ended and you can play in a few different ways.

I don't know why I didn't think about this earlier, but the Plague Tale games are very excellent for stealth. I haven't played the new one yet, but in the first one, the majority of the game is stealth.

Even though I prefer Thief, I do agree that it's nice to be able to go crazy and take everyone out on Dishonored. The only problem with that is that I almost always end up killing everyone instead, so it doesn't really feel like a stealth game to me.

About where you're at in life, I come from a different perspective. Sometimes (like recently), my work and my life can be very stressful. Stealth games relax me, while a lot of action makes me feel like my blood pressure is going through the roof, which I don't need. That's why I quit Doom Eternal after about a half hour.

I really liked Plague Tale too but for some reason I didnt think of it as a stealth game as such. It totally makes sense to call it that but in my head its not categorized that way. Missed out on the OG Thief games, I did play some of the remake but I fell off it for some reason.

Dont get me wrong Doom Eternal is pretty stressful, but I really like the game so I'm pushing through it when I'm feeling like it, near the end now anyway. Plenty of other options when I'm half asleep and not feeling it, like something turn based for example

 

[ipman]

About where you're at in life, I come from a different perspective. Sometimes (like recently), my work and my life can be very stressful. Stealth games relax me, while a lot of action makes me feel like my blood pressure is going through the roof, which I don't need. That's why I quit Doom Eternal after about a half hour.

Interesting how it works for different people. I was thinking recently about how important escapism is for our mental health(it seems many pressures are on people at present). I did that thread about the positive aspects of gaming and this is one of them. Especially if we aren't celebrities who seem to live on beaches in tropics.

If I'm stressed I play GTAV or Steep and then feel chilled enough to play a stealth game.

 

[mainer]

I think the Thief games rank as some of the best pure Stealth games ever made, they were games that were built & designed for stealth. Combat options were usually a last resort (and often fatal), and while there were options to go lethal or non-lethal while approaching a specific objective, it was all based on stealth. Staying in the shadows, extinguishing light sources, throwing a coin to distract guards, using the grappling hook to get to another route were some of the many options available.

The original Deus Ex was a game with really good stealth options, though you could build your JC Denton in different ways, I always preferred the stealthy, hacking terminals & non-lethal take down approach to the game. The first mission, Hell's Kitchen, will always be one of my favorites, sneaking through the entire mission (and it does take some time & thought) without killing anyone.

Skyrim deserves mention as well, I think, though it will never be considered a "true" stealth game, especially in outdoor areas. But it had some good stealth mechanics based on available light & the noise you made. There were many quests that required stealth with a non-lethal approach, which required you to break into certain houses while the occupants were asleep. You had to be very aware of the movements & habits of various NPCs and guards, but it was fun to watch the various routines had throughout the day/night cycle. Those quests were best when going solo, but if you took a companion, having a mod installed that made their AI better (sneak when you sneak, not attacking unless you attack, and not stepping on traps) was pretty much required.

 

[Pifanjr]

Skyrim deserves mention as well, I think, though it will never be considered a "true" stealth game, especially in outdoor areas. But it had some good stealth mechanics based on available light & the noise you made. There were many quests that required stealth with a non-lethal approach, which required you to break into certain houses while the occupants were asleep. You had to be very aware of the movements & habits of various NPCs and guards, but it was fun to watch the various routines had throughout the day/night cycle. Those quests were best when going solo, but if you took a companion, having a mod installed that made their AI better (sneak when you sneak, not attacking unless you attack, and not stepping on traps) was pretty much required.

I think Fallout: New Vegas deserves a mention as well for allowing you to disguise yourself as a member of a faction (I don't think this was a thing in 3 and I haven't played 4).

 

[Brian Boru]

Are there any sniper games which allow you to make all the kills at long range?

Not that I've played, but…

Arma 3 is likely to be mostly that, given its focus on realism—ie you won't survive any close quarters action just cos you're super you It's also only sniper I know of that you can play co-op, with one player being the spotter.

 

[ipman]

Not that I've played, but…

Arma 3 is likely to be mostly that, given its focus on realism—ie you won't survive any close quarters action just cos you're super you It's also only sniper I know of that you can play co-op, with one player being the spotter.

Yes thanks, I've looked at the Arma series a few time and some similar. This might sound strange but I'm not really into military games or FPS. Which probably rules out about half of games available.

I can handle games like Sniper V2 with it's 3rd person perspective, which shifts to 1st person perspective when looking through the scope.

I've tried a few games like Battlefield 3 and The Division2. Bit too gung ho for me.

I think you guys have played many more games than me and there's some good recommends above(some of them are used as examples in that School of Stealth series).

 

[Zloth]

If you want more Thief, there's PLENTY using The Dark Mod!

The original Thief games and Dishonored all did stealth very well. I don't think I played them close enough together to really say which did it best. Thief, however, forces you to use stealth - if you try attacking guards, you'll be doing well to defeat just one of them. That leads to a lot of fun, really, as getting noticed means running as fast as you can to get away - which may lead to you bumping into another guard!

Styx should be mentioned, too, which has a lot of excellent stealth gameplay. You can get it for super-cheap at most every sale that comes along, too. I got bored with it about two thirds of the way through when the game started sending me through the same areas over again, but it was easily still worth the price I paid.

Oh, and Metal Gear Solid 5 can have a bunch of stealth - though it is not one where you can get by exclusively with it. The enemies adapt to what you do, so, if you've been shooting them in the noggin with tranq darts, they eventually start wearing helmets. You can still mess with the baddies, though, as the game has a lot of hidden stealth tactics it won't tell you about.

 

[Hitobat]

Thief was awesome, and Styx mentioned above was decent too.

For a different flavor of stealth I recommend Mark of the Ninja, which is a 2d scrolling stealth game. You play a rather acrobatic ninja who can cling to walls/ceilings, and have to progress through the levels avoiding guards and traps/sensors. Or perhaps just sneak up behind someone and go stabby with your sword...

Another 2d alternative I played recently is Serial Cleaners, in which you play a mob "cleaner". ie. Your goal is to clear up the aftermath of a crime scene including dead bodies and bloody floors/footprints, while avoiding the patrolling police.
And now I'm writing about it, this type of gameplay reminds me of the older Commandos series from ~2000-ish, which had a similar mix of stealth, causing distractions, and moments of panic/chaos when things go wrong.

 

[Zloth]

I'd never even heard of a 2D stealth game!

 

[Pifanjr]

I'd never even heard of a 2D stealth game!

I think there's quite a bunch, though the only other one that comes to mind right now is Gunpoint, which is more of a puzzle game than a stealth game, though stealth games often have a bit of puzzle in them regardless.

Invisible, Inc. also came to mind, which is an isometric turn-based strategy game, so very different than something like Thief, but still a game about stealth.

 

[WoodenSaucer]

If you want more Thief, there's PLENTY using The Dark Mod!

That's awesome. I think I've heard of it, but I forgot all about it.

 

[ryzen5]

I liked how the stealth system was implemented in The Last of Us 2

 

[ipman]

I liked how the stealth system was implemented in The Last of Us 2

Yes that was referenced in the School of Stealth vid. How the main character while hiding outside a window can look through and recon enemies without being spotted. It's a game I'd like to play sometime on PC.

When you think about it our gaming characters have everything stacked in their favour. The enemies don't stand a chance.

Another mechanic that aids stealth is being able to scan the landscape or buildings so everything is made visible(V key).
In WD's Legion the character can scan, in SofW it's Wraith scan and HZD it's called Focus. And in most games you can use binos or a drone and tag enemies in advance.