Stealth games today generally follow the same formula: players get sent to a location with barely any equipment on their person, with an objective being blocked by a multitude of obstacles and a number of enemies that can easily overwhelm the player when caught. It’s against these odds that the likes of Solid Snake of Metal Gear, Agent 47 of Hitman, and the Assassin Order in Assassin’s Creed thrive - making them some of the icons highlighting the sheer awesomeness of subterfuge and undercover assassinations under the stealth franchise.

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However, before eagle-diving into haystacks and hiding under boxes became a thing there was a swath of other stealth games that built the foundation of the franchise. Some of these games celebrate 20 years of existence in 2022, with a lot of these games being credited for contributing to today’s vision of stealth in one way or another.

7 Eternal Darkness

Eternal Darkness

The mission to save the world isn't always done alone, and Eternal Darkness shows its story to save the Earth done across centuries. In its story, Alexandra Roivas visits her family's estate in 2000 to investigate the murder of her grandfather and discovers the Tome of Eternal Darkness in a secret room. This takes her, and the players, to the perspective of various individuals across centuries while finding and protecting artifacts known to bring about the end of the world.

The survival-horror stealth game itself takes place across four (4) timeframes with different protagonists and different perspectives, giving the story a jumbled narrative that players need to weave together. With sanity being an integral part of the gameplay, players are oftentimes encouraged to find a better way of traversing levels instead of facing foes. Not only that, certain enemies in the game are unkillable, with players only able to sneak past them in order to avoid a quick death or hurting their sanity. This provision of "the stealth options" enriches the overall Eternal Darkness experience, and this more open choice perhaps makes it stand as one of the best games of all time.

6 Sly Cooper And The Thievius Raccoonus

Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus

Even master thieves need a reference guide for their best thieving moves, and for Sly Cooper and his family in the Sly Cooper series, all of their tricks are located in the Thievius Raccoonus. Now in possession of the Fiendish Five, Sly has to traverse the city in a film noir environment as he has to ironically steal his family's heirloom back.

In this Sly Cooper title, a younger audience is treated to what may be a kid-friendly version of stealth action. While Sly is equipped with a cane to attack foes, he's defeated in a single hit. Therefore, the game heavily encourages players to use stealth components instead. The environment is filled with context-sensitive information around the map where Sly can maneuver and stay out of sight. Despite the simple nature of the game, Sly Cooper offers a complex-enough stealth system that kids can start learning the more analytical aspect of tougher stealth games, making this a good introduction to the genre.

5 Hitman 2: Silent Assassin

Hitman 2 Silent Assassin

Although the first Hitman game was released in 1999, it’s Hitman 2: Silent Assassin that showed the world the potential of the tactical stealth video game. Still starring the genetically-engineered Agent 47, the supposed-retired assassin reconnects with his previous employers, the International Contract Agency, to help him earn the money needed to rescue Reverend Emilio Vittorio, an abducted priest who previously accepted him in his church.

The game retains much of the original game’s approach, where Agent 47 comes to a location with barely any equipment and has to slowly work his way to attain disguises, optimal gear, and better vantage points to conduct his assassinations. Compared to the previous game, Silent Assassin prides itself on its open environments, giving players a ton of options to approach their kills compared to other stealth games. Prior to 2016’s Hitman, it was Silent Assassin that was the highest-selling game in the franchise.

4 Prisoner Of War

Prisoner of War

The story of Prisoner of War follows captured American pilot Captain Lewis Stone in his journey to escape various camps to return to the United States. Despite the straightforward premise, the game deviates from most stealth games with its unique mechanics. First and foremost, the game contains little to no combat features. In fact, Lewis being caught simply has guards forcing him to stop, only shooting when there's no other option.

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Perhaps more interesting is how the game applies a bit of history into the mix. With most escape attempts from World War 2 featuring a coordinated effort, so too does Prisoner of War, where players have to convince inmates to provide useful information or even help out, depending on how players move. Such was the lack of action and focus on environmental details that make Prisoner of War one of Metacritic's best stealth games.

3 Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell

Splinter Cell-2

Deservedly earning the title of one of the best games of all time, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell revolutionized modern stealth games through its careful attention to detail. Starring Sam Fisher, the game details his missions as part of the National Security Agency’s Third Echelon, an organization specifically tasked to deal with affairs beyond government control. While the stealth game emphasizes mechanics already popularized by games before it, the game shines apart from its peers with its emphasis on light and darkness.

Due to the realistic nature of its weapons, Sam of Splinter Cell is more than advised to use the shadows to conceal himself as much as possible. The game has a dedicated “light meter” to reveal how exposed Sam could be to enemies, while night vision and thermal vision goggles are specifically provided to help players navigate extreme visual situations. Moreover, the game emphasizes the use of stealth over lethal action, courtesy of Sam’s limited arsenal and frailty.

2 Robin Hood: The Legend Of Sherwood

Robin Hood the Legend of Sherwood

Compared to the multiplayer experience of Hood: Outlaws & Legends, the more strategic nature of Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood gives players a more hands-on approach to managing the heroic thieves of the Merry Men. Where most missions allow players to injure or kill enemy soldiers to accomplish objectives, the Merry Men are always finding themselves lacking the necessary gear to be more optimal in combat encounters.

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This handicap is by design, especially when the game also encourages players to give gold to the common folk as part of their duty and, with luck, have them provide hints. These disadvantages encourage players to approach missions more stealthily and use up as few resources as possible when executing them. This gives Legend of Sherwood a vibe similar to Commandos, albeit with more room for combat.

1 Lupin The 3rd: Treasure Of The Sorcerer King

Lupin 3rd and the Treasure of the Sorcerer King

Arsene Lupin III and his gang of thieves is perhaps the most iconic group of ne'er-do-wells the anime scene has encountered. Seen as heroic in their exploits in various Lupin the 3rd anime, players now have a chance of controlling Lupin III and the team in Lupin the 3rd: Treasure of the Sorcerer King. In this Lupin the 3rd game, Lupin and the crew have to steal pitchers that are said to contain a map leading to the treasure of King Randolph II. However, he is duped along the way, forcing the team to resort to finding the treasure from scratch.

Aside from Treasure of the Sorcerer King providing a firsthand Lupin anime experience for fans, the gang does provide an intriguing stealth experience. For instance, Lupin has to sneak around various locations to avoid being detected, and even has options such as hiding behind statues. They can even wear various disguises and do interesting interactions with NPCs, such as stealing from guards.

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