2For fans of games like Assassin's Creed, Hitman, and Payday 2, some of the tensest and most exciting parts of the game are when players get to sneak around and achieve their goals without raising any suspicion. However, these big-name titles aren't the only ones that have mastered the use of stealth in video games.
Over the years, many entertaining indie developers have released games that involve a lot of sneaking around, whether these scenarios are done alone or with friends. Here are some of the best of the best indie games for those who think they're stealthy enough to play them.
10 Of Guards And Thieves (PC)
This game is still in Early Access on Steam, but it's still incredibly entertaining to play with a group of friends. In Of Guards And Thieves, players are either on a team of guards or a team of thieves. The guards must try to stop thieves to protect items on the map, and thieves must try to sneak around and steal certain items without getting caught.
There are also multiple different game modes that keep the game from feeling too repetitive, such as Capture The Flag, Team Deathmatch, and even a mode where thieves play as zombies that are trying to steal a brain. Best of all: it's currently free to play!
9 The Escapists Series (PC, Xbox One, PS4, Switch)
In this series, players take on the role of an inmate who is trying to escape prison. There are many different prisons, scenarios, and obstacles to escape from, but all these elements can encourage players to get creative with how they escape.
The first game is a good starting point for players who might be interested in the series, but The Escapists 2 gets much more creative with its available customization options, maps, and escape methods. Plus, it's a few modes for multiplayer that are a great way to play with friends.
8 Invisible, Inc. (PC, PS4)
From the developers of Don't Starve and Oxygen Not Included, this game is turn-based and follows the agents of Invisible, Inc. as they try to take down large corporations that have a lot of control in the world. There are several different agents, strategies, and loot that make the game feel unique.
Plus, this game creates all the maps, enemies, and items randomly in each level, so players can play over and over again without knowing what to expect. This also gives players more opportunities to switch up their strategies and abilities to find what playstyle is best for them.
7 Budget Cuts Series (PC, PS4)
There are two games currently released in the Budget Cuts series, and both are a great use of VR. For those that might be worried about robots taking over the world one day, this game will be their worst nightmare. These games follow a protagonist who is about to be replaced by a robot at their job.
The protagonist decides to fight back against the world that is starting to turn to robots for everything, and that leads to the sneaking and slicing action that these games provide. Plus, if players want to switch things up, they can always just run around and cause a raucous rather than sneaking.
6 Inside (PC, Xbox One, PS4, Switch)
Nearly everything about the world of Inside is incredibly unsettling, but that's a good thing in this case. This gives players a lot more motivation to try and stay alive in this setting that wants to stop them at all costs.
Inside has a great narrative that will make players feel both curious and uneasy about what's going on right up until the game ends. Each little piece of the puzzle about this game's story feels satisfying yet brings up so many other questions. It keeps players on the edge of their seats as one thing about the game's story is always clear: don't get caught.
5 Party Hard Series (PC, Xbox One, PS4, Switch)
This series has some dark humor to it, but it's entertaining nonetheless. Players take on the role of a man who wants to stop parties so he can sleep. How does he do that? By going to loud parties and killing everyone there.
Players have to be stealthy about killing party guests quickly and quietly, or else other guests will call the police on the player. To avoid suspicion, players can hide bodies in different areas, or even create distractions by dancing or creating explosions. The second game is currently only available on PC, but players can still enjoy the first game on multiple different consoles.
4 Serial Cleaner (PC, Xbox One, PS4, Switch)
Serial Cleaner follows the story of a man who isn't actually killing anybody. Instead, his job is just to clean up the evidence from members of the mob who did the killing themselves.
To some, that might sound like an odd concept for a game, but its setting and art style are very nostalgic, and the importance of stealth makes the game super exciting. Cops are everywhere on the map, and players have to make sure that they clean thoroughly to please the mob and clean quickly to avoid the police.
3 The Blackout Club (PC, Xbox One, PS4)
Here's a horror game that players can enjoy with friends online. In a town where an unknown entity is causing people to sleepwalk and disappear at night, a group of 4 teenagers who work together to try and prove what's going on and put a stop to it.
The main aspect that makes stealth so important in this game is that players can only see the monster that's coming for them when their eyes are closed. Because of this, it's all the more important for players to work together so none of them get caught while they sneak around and try to stop this creature.
2 Outlast Series (PC, Xbox One, PS4, Switch)
The Outlast series is not for the faint of heart, and sometimes the stealth in this game can be more of an attempt to not look terrifying characters in the eye rather than actually avoiding real danger. Still, hiding from violent enemies is a large part of the game, as well as running and escaping scenarios that will leave a player's heart pounding.
For fans of horror games, this is a great series with intriguing stories to tell. For those who might be more worried about getting too scared, maybe this is a game that should be skipped, or watch someone play it online.
1 Thief Simulator (PC, Xbox One, PS4, Switch)
Thief Simulator is fairly self-explanatory on the surface. Players take the role of a thief, and they try to steal things from people to gain money by selling stolen items. So, what more does the game have to offer? Quite a bit, actually.
This game is great about encouraging players to keep going by giving more opportunities to get better equipment, new items, and more skills to do different things like stealing cars. Obviously, being a thief requires players to be sneaky, or else the cops will soon be on their tail.