Highlights

• Metal Gear Solid popularized the stealth genre in the 90s, requiring players to use strategy and patience rather than relying on action.
• Fans of Metal Gear Solid should check out games like UnMetal and Shadow Tactics that offer unique takes on stealth gameplay.
• Other games, such as Sniper Elite 5 and Ghost of Tsushima, provide open-world environments with stealth mechanics that will appeal to Metal Gear fans.

Metal Gear Solid set the bar for stealth and espionage spy games. It gave gamers an alternative action game that requires thought and patience instead of running and gunning. Other than Goldeneye 007 and Tenchu: Stealth Assassin, it had very few rivals in the sub-genre. Over the decades, the Metal Gear series has had four more sequels and several spin-off entries, expanding its unique universe.

RELATED: Stealth Games That Predate Metal Gear Solid

In addition to the long-awaited sequels, several other games in the stealth genre have become classics in their own right, influencing the more recent MGS titles. While Metal Gear Solid’s science fiction-based world stands very much alone, several titles across genres are worthy of a Metal Gear Solid fan's time and attention.

Updated December 11, 2023, by Michael Llewellyn: The Metal Gear franchise helped popularize the stealth genre as a thinking person's alternative to the action-adventure. While there is usually no shortage of action if things take an unfortunate turn, patience and timing are rewarded in the genre. The Metal Gear series offers a balance of stealth and action that fans love. This list is updated to include more games like Metal Gear Solid that fans should play and their specifications.

1 Undetected

A Classically Styled Love Letter To Old-School Metal Gear Titles

• Released: 2022
• Developer: Digerati
• Platform: PC

Undetected is a stealth game that wears its Metal Gear influences on its sleeve. It unapologetically mimics the gameplay from the PS1 classic Metal Gear Solid, and even though it is old school to fault, fans of the classics will want this title in their playlist.

It mimics the classic and almost Pac-Man-style top-down mazes as the protagonist must avoid getting caught by enemies. Players must use non-lethal tactics, rescue hostages, and utilize the environment to gain an advantage in Undetected.

2 UnMetal

A Comedic Stealth Title Inspired The 16-Bit Era Metal Gear Games

• Released: 2021
• Developer: @Unepic_Fran
• Platform: PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One

UnMetal is a 2D top-down throwback to the stealth genre that fans of the classic 80s and early 90s era Metal Gear will love and enjoy. It takes a comedic approach to storytelling with its tongue firmly in its cheek. Unlike Metal Gear, which pays homage to action movies, UnMetal is a spoof action comedy game with a sense of humor similar to the Airplane and Naked Gun movies.

As the protagonist, Jesse Fox, players must escape a military prison using stealth, weapons, and gadgets. In addition to being a parody, UnMetal includes modern mechanics in stealth games, such as hiding bodies and an RPG system that will improve Jesse's abilities in battle.

3 Signalis

A Retro-Inspired Horror Game With MGS-Like Mechanics

Signalis is a different title from the rest of the games on this list, as it is a survival horror game. Resident Evil and Silent Hill are an influence, but the top-down view and exploration also hark back to Metal Gear Solid on the PS1.

The Retrotech sci-fi future and classic feel make it a good fit for fans of Metal Gear's science fiction world and bizarre characters. 90s survival horror is the primary inspiration for Signalis, but the stealth, puzzle solving, and even the radio conversations feel drawn from Metal Gear Solid.

4 Shadow Tactics: Blades of The Shogun

A Samurai Stealth Game In The Style Of Commandos

Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is a top-down tactical stealth game inspired by the Commandos series. Stealth fans looking for something more challenging with a mission structure that requires precise planning and multiple ways to achieve goals should consider Shadow Tactics.

Instead of controlling one character, the player utilizes ninjas and samurai to get the job done. It is set in Feudal Japan, and the team must discover and defeat a mysterious warlord. Espionage, assassinations, and ambushes are vital in Shadow Tactics, making it an easy recommendation for Metal Gear fans.

5 Horizon Forbidden West

A Beautiful Open-World Adventure With Excellent Stealth Mechanics

Horizon Forbidden West is one of the best-looking games on the PS5, and the world and environment also allow for some excellent stealth opportunities. Fans of the open world in Metal Gear Solid 5 will enjoy taking down human enemies using all the tools at Aloy's disposal. She can use long grass to hide and then use her bow to clear out a camp of enemies with stealth.

Moreover, Aloy can set traps for her enemies and the machines she encounters. The giant robots will appeal to fans of Metal Gear's science fiction story with its mechs and anime-style storyline. The world-building and story are always intriguing, and players will enjoy uncovering the secrets of the past,

6 Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

An Excellent Action Game Starring MGS2's Raiden

Gameplaywise, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is a different experience from the mainline series. It was developed by PlatinumGames, a studio known for its action-adventure games like Bayonetta and Transformers: Devastation.

The combat and swordplay are among the best in the genre. It has epic boss fights and continues the story of Raiden, the blonde-haired protagonist from Metal Gear Solid 2. Raiden is a cyborg ninja in Metal Gear Rising, which helped him find redemption in the eyes of fans initially disappointed by the switch in protagonists in Metal Gear Solid 2.

7 Sniper Elite 5

A Second World War Stealth Game That Will Satisfy Fans Of MGS 5

Sniper Elite 5 is a game that fans of the open-world design in Metal Gear Solid will enjoy. Players can tackle missions and take out targets in ways that suit their playing style. The openness of the environments offers players multiple ways to take down targets. However, the tension gets ramped up as one mistake can be costly and will find the protagonist, Karl Fairburne, flanked and surrounded by enemies.

These moments force the player to think on the fly and either fight to survive or make a run for it, hide, and find a new strategy and approach. The game takes a Hitman-like approach to its level design, with multiple ways to complete a stage. Similarly, players can unlock new equipment and starting points to replay the missions with different outcomes and tactics.

8 Death Stranding

A Unique Adventure Game That Only Kojima Could Produce

First launched in 2019, Death Stranding is a polarizing open-world adventure game from Hideo Kojima. Fan opinion appears divided by those who loved or hated the game. However, for fans of Kojima's unique storytelling and strange characters, Death Stranding is a perfect fit.

It is heavy on stealth, but the Director's Cut version, launched in 2021, features stealth elements and a definite throwback to the Snake's adventures. Death Stranding is a strange game, but the stunning visuals, presentation, and characters will appeal to Metal Gear fans.

9 Commandos 2: Men of Courage

A Top-Down Strategy Stealth Game That Will Appeal To Fans Of Classic Metal Gear Games

First launched in 2001, Commandos 2: Men of Courage is still regarded as one of the best tactical stealth games ever. The World War 2 setting in Commandos is still iconic, and the top-down view allows players to carefully plan their strategies when infiltrating a base with a team of elite commandos.

Commandos 2 was remastered in HD in 2020, which makes this the most accessible and attractive version yet. Additionally, the gameplay has influenced modern tactical stealth games, like Desperados 3 and Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun.

10 Alpha Protocol

An Espionage RPG Where Choice Matters

Obsidian Entertainment's bold attempt at creating a spy-based RPG with stealth elements is an ambitious project that did not quite reach its potential, thanks to a troubled development phase under the Sega banner.

Still, Alpha Protocol deserves a place on this list as despite it not being as polished as it should be, it is still a solid 15-20 hour adventure - with replay value - worth undertaking if Metal Gear fans can look past the flaws. As Michael Thornton, players can choose to be more sophisticated, like James Bond, or handy with their fists, like Jason Bourne. It features pulp-like characters with a sense of humor that would not feel out of place in a Metal Gear Solid game.

11 The Assassin's Creed Series

The vast array of Assassin's Creed titles takes place many years before the Metal Gear games are set, resulting in significantly different weaponry between the series. However, Ubisoft's AAA franchise deserves a spot on this list for its recent dominance in the stealth genre.

Ubisoft wasted little time realizing the potential of Assassin's Creed as a series, with its successor Assassin's Creed 2, taking the objective-based stealth missions and improving them. The more recent Assassin's Creed games are a perfect choice for Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain fans. The Assassin's Creed games lean into the open-world mechanics while expanding upon the base-building features established in earlier titles.

12 Ghost Of Tsushima

A Stunning Samurai Action Game With Outstanding Combat And Stealth

Released in 2020, Ghost of Tsushima is an open-world action-adventure game set during the first Mongol invasion of Japan in 1274. The game features some of the best sword combat in gaming, but the stealth mechanics will appeal to fans of Metal Gear.

The open-world nature allows players to plan their strategies when approaching an enemy encampment. In addition, the protagonist, Jin Sakai, has lots of ninja-like tools at his disposal, making him the titular Ghost of the story.

13 James Bond 007: Everything Or Nothing

A Cinematic Adventure In The Role Of The Ultimate Super Spy

Considering that Hideo Kojima has listed the James Bond film series as one of the pop culture icons that influenced the Metal Gear series on multiple occasions, it is little surprise that the many 007 games are excellent options for Solid Snake fans.

Everything or Nothing is the best choice for Metal Gear enthusiasts as it is one of the few Bond games in the third-person. EA did a fantastic job of making players feel like they were in a 007 film through the cinematic stealth action supplemented by gadgets to use and flash cars to drive.

14 Syphon Filter

A PS1-Era Stealth Game With Cleverly Designed Levels

Released in 1999, the first entry into the Syphon Filter series is also its most critically praised, exemplified by the excellent 90 Metascore. Developed by Bend Studios, Syphon Filter was ahead of its time. The level design showcased interconnected and explorable maps that allowed players to use various approaches and tactics.

Syphon Filter features movie-like action gameplay that was unprecedented upon release. Visually and mechanically, Syphon Filter has aged, but it is still a solid option for fans of the late 90s and early 2000s Metal Gear titles.

15 Alien: Isolation

A Terrifying Stealth Game Set After The First Alien Film

Metal Gear Solid puts players in the shoes of an action hero who consistently takes down foes against the odds. Alien: Isolation puts a survival horror twist on the stealth genre as players hide from not just human enemies but from the iconic Alien.

Hiding from the Alien is a tense and terrifying experience. However, it is a nostalgic callback to Ridley Scott's 1979 horror classic, as its video game iteration pays homage to the near-invincible Xenomorph, ensuring players utilize every tool and stealth skill to survive.

16 The Last Of Us

• Released: 2013
• Developer: Naughty Dog
• Platform: PS3 (Original) PS4 (Remastered) PC (Remake) PS5 (Remake)

The Last of Us is one of the best games on the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. It is a survival horror game with very accomplished stealth mechanics. The game puts the player in the shoes of two protagonists, Joel, a battle-hardened fighter, and Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, a resourceful teenager with an immunity to the Cordyceps fungus that wiped out most of humanity.

Both characters use spatial awareness and hearing skills with the Listen Mode mechanic to detect the whereabouts of enemies and either avoid or take them down. In addition, The Last of Us has a dynamic cover system that plays a large part in its stealth mechanics. The Last of Us Remake for the PS5 launched in 2022, with a PC version following in 2023.

17 Far Cry 5

An Open World Action Game With The Freedom To Use Stealth And Force

All of the Far Cry games use stealth and action-heavy gunplay. However, stealth in Far Cry 5 is more polished than ever before. The fifth entry features a fictionalized version of Montana and is a seemingly limitless open world that expands on the environmental mechanics encountered in Metal Gear Solid 3.

Enemy NPCs are more reactive and can recover their partners when shot, or they will panic and try escaping if their morale is adversely affected. It gives the player a sense of empowerment, and it is far more satisfying and less time-consuming to take out enemy encampments undetected than it is to go in all guns blazing.

18 Thief: Deadly Shadows

A Medieval Stealth Game Where Avoiding Conflict Is Paramount To Success

Thief: Deadly Shadows is a stealth game from Ion Storm, the developers of the original Deus Ex. It was released on the PC and original Xbox in 2004. The biggest draw of Thief as a stealth game is that if the protagonist is caught, he will find himself on the wrong end of a sword, forcing players to rethink their strategies. Thief: Deadly Shadows is a challenging game that embraces hardcore stealth mechanics.

Unlike Snake or Sam Fisher, he does not handle himself well in a face-on confrontation. The mechanics force players to plan their every move. The game's strength comes in accomplishing its goals through evasion, distractions, and lethal or non-lethal stealth takedowns.

19 Shadow Of The Tomb Raider

Lara Utilizes Rambo-Like Stealth Combat That Will Appeal To MGS Fans

Since the rebooted Tomb Raider series began in 2013, the mechanics have incorporated more stealth and survival skills than ever before. Shadow of the Tomb Raider, however, stealth is more refined, and the now battle-hardened Lara is a bona fide killing machine.

Like Metal Gear Solid 3, Lara is put in a jungle environment and can use camouflage and fear tactics against her enemies. She can now cover herself with mud like Rambo and blend into the jungle foliage to avoid or escape detection. Considering how many allusions to Rambo are in the Metal Gear Solid series, Shadow of the Tomb Raider seems like a solid recommendation.

20 Deus Ex: Human Revolution

A Cyberpunk RPG With Incredible Stealth Elements

Deus Ex: Human Revolution was released in 2011, and as a prequel, it reintroduced gamers to its unique cyberpunk setting that was first introduced in 2000 with the original Deus Ex. Just like its predecessor, Human Revolution gave its players the choice of stealth or head-on action.

Of course, tackling enemies like a cybernetic ninja is far more satisfying because of the layered-level design and tools available. The protagonist, Adam Jenson, can unlock Augmentations like the Glass-Shield Cloaking System - which works like the camouflage suit from The Predator movies - Smart Vision that allows Jenson to see through walls, and more, making Human Revolution one of the most polished stealth games available.