Stealth games are one of my go-to comfort genres in video games for various reasons. Besides providing a nerve-wracking experience, stealth games force you to think outside the box to get things done. However, in the ever-generic world of 2024, finding the best stealth games to try can be hard. As someone who deeply relates, I had the same problem. So, I decided to handpick them myself. Let’s take a look.
1. Thief Gold
- Released: December 1, 1998
- Platform(s): PC
The first game on our list is what I consider the granddad of the stealth game genre. Thief Gold is a first-person stealth game in which you play as the master thief Garrett. You play through fifteen missions with different objectives and can choose from various solutions to a given challenge. After all, this is made by Looking Glass Entertainment, the folks responsible for popularizing the immersive sim genre.
Thief Gold requires some additional work to run on modern systems. However, once you overcome that hurdle, you have a solid game to enjoy. And if you finish playing the fifteen missions, the community still creates fan-made levels for the game, so that is something to seek after. You can get Thief Gold for under a dollar as it’s on a massive discount. Get the game and see if old school stealth is your cup of tea.
2. Dishonored
- Released: October 9, 2012
- Platform(s): PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PS4 (definitive edition), Xbox One (definitive edition)
Thief Gold lived up to its name and created a gold standard in first-person immersive sim stealth games. Dishonored, contrary to its name, honors the legacy of Thief in the best way possible, creating one of my favorite stealth games ever. It is a first-person stealth-action game, where you play as Corvo Attano, who seeks to bring justice to the Empress’ killers and rescue the rightful heir.
Dishonored features a beautiful art style and gameplay that is modular in some sense. The game has otherworldly powers, allowing you to gain an edge over others. And you can always pick and change what power to use. Combine that with the consequences of your actions and multiple endings, Dishonored will never bore you.
3. Gloomwood
- Released: 16 August 2022 (early access)
- Platform(s): PC
I don’t want to start gushing about New Blood and how they have become one of my favorite game studios. Not at all. I want to talk about Gloomwood, a game made by Dillion Rodgers and David Syzmanki, based on their love for immersive sims, and Thief, and published by New Blood because Dave Oshry and the team have eyes for good games. And low poly graphics. That is important.
Gloomwood is a first-person stealth game with immersive sim elements, set in a 90s Victorian city consumed by an ancient curse. You sneak, plan your path, and finish levels accordingly. It has a unique inventory system inspired by the survival horror of the yesteryears and a very cheeky 0451 easter-egg that you should try. Currently, in early access, the content length might be short, but it is polished and fulfills that itch left by Theif and Dishonored.
4. Hitman: World of Assassination
- Released: 26 January 2023
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S.
The 2015 reveal trailer of Hitman is one of my favorite game trailers. It sold me on trying the game and convinced me to try the future sequels. After the sequels launched, IO Interactive compiled every title into one collection – Hitman: The World of Assassination. The trilogy puts you in the shoes of the iconic Agent 47, a hitman for hire.
The story follows him trying to stop the shady Providence from doing their wrong misdeeds. The Hitman trilogy is known for its social stealth, where you have various ways to approach a challenge. Furthermore, the game is well-known among players who enjoy challenge runs and contains online features like the elusive targets. It also has a rogue-lite gameplay mode called Freelancer. So, it is a must-play for anyone who enjoys stealth games.
5. Mark of the Ninja
- Released: 9 October 2018 (remastered)
- Platform(s): PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch.
Klei is one of those studios that always invokes a lot of confidence in me for their games. Before they became popular with Don’t Starve and Oxygen Not Needed, they made a 2D stealth title called Mark of the Ninja. To this date, it remains one of the best stealth games you can buy on Steam.
Mark of the Ninja follows a Ninja with a cursed tattoo that gives him heightened senses. After his clan gets taken out by a mega-corporation, he goes on a rampage to bring justice against the people who wronged him and his clan. It features stunning 2D visuals, which Klei is known for, and intuitive gameplay anyone can pick and play.
6. Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
- Released: March 28, 2005
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox.
Sam Fisher. It’s a name that any kid playing games from the 90s-2000s should know. Arguably one of the most iconic characters in video games, the series of games by Tom Clancy’s Red Storm Entertainment (now Ubisoft RedStorm) has amassed a large fanbase. And, while each of the entries in the series is my favorite, Chaos Theory takes the cake.
Chaos Theory sees Sam Fisher and the Third Echelon in action, upholding the Fifth Amendment and saving the United States from its enemies. The game features the best stealth system in the series and multiple ways to approach a given mission. For all these reasons and more, Chaos Theory is one of the best Stealth Games in 2024 I’ll recommend.
7. Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection
- Released: 24 October 2023
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch.
Other characters that have transcended gaming and even gone into the broader pop culture are Solid Snake and Big Boss from Metal Gear Solid. And, if we are making a stealth game list, we have to include the game that oozes the tagline “tactical espionage action.”
Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection might’ve fumbled hard at its launch, but it has received the necessary patches to recommend players to try the game over time. This collection houses the entire series, excluding the PSP games and the PS3 MGS4. It follows the adventures of Solid Snake and Big Boss as they work to save the world from Nuclear warfare and Metal Gears.
8. Metal Gear Solid 5
- Released: 1 September 2015
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S.
The final entry in the long-running Metal Gear Solid series, Metal Gear Solid 5, concludes the storyline of Big Boss, showing us how he became the legend that he was in the earlier games and why he became a bad guy. It is a third-person open-world stealth game where Big Boss and his Diamond Dogs work together to stop a Nuclear War from happening.
Konami, the publisher, split the game into two parts – the prologue Ground Zeroes, and the main title Phantom Pain. We suggest playing both of them, as Ground Zeroes gives you the knowledge of why the entire events of Phantom Pain occur. Overall, it is a solid stealth game that allows players to experiment and create their own experiences.
9. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
- Released: October 2013 (Director’s Cut)
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii U.
I could’ve swapped Human Revolution with the original Deus Ex. But I just can’t help it since I love the game so much. Human Revolution is canonically the first game in the series, and it follows Adam Jensen, the security personnel of Saref Industries, an augmentation company based in Detroit.
Adam gets unknowingly entangled in a conspiracy that spans countries and can change the world’s future. Human Revolution allows players to play how they feel, giving them multiple choices to approach a problem. And the game rewards you for playing in stealth. Arguably, it is one of the well-written games that also comes with a captivating story.
10. Alien Isolation
- Released: 6 October 2014
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, android, iOS.
The final game in this list inadvertently became one of the best pieces of Aliens media right after the Ridley Scott movies. Alien Isolation is a first-person stealth survival horror game set fifteen years after the first Alien movie. You play as Ellen Ripley’s daughter Amanda, who gets trapped in USS Sevastopol, a spaceship with rampant androids and a ruthless Alien out to hunt.
Alien Isolation is well-known for its oppressive atmosphere, mimicking the first movie. However, what makes it so terrifying and sneaky is the reactive AI, which changes its strategy depending on how you perform. So, each encounter will be different from the other, and you improvise accordingly to survive. Do you have what it takes to escape?
These are my favorite picks for stealth games that you should play. Each of these games provides various unique experiences and will make you fall in love with the genre all over again. So, which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below.
