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 2025, 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 the best stealth games myself. So, with that, let’s begin discussing them all.
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, you have a solid game to enjoy once you overcome that hurdle. 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. Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood
- Released: November 16, 2010
- Platform(s): PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Earlier, when games made by Ubisoft were exceptional, the Assassin’s Creed series was one of the best in this genre. Among all those titles, Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood takes the concept of stealth mechanics to an entirely new level.
There are a lot of missions where you must track down a specific target while being hidden from the ones hunting you. The catch in this mission is that your target will blend seamlessly among the crowd, looking very similar to any other NPC on the streets.
Although its multiplayer feature is not available, you can still enjoy its story mode, exploring the secrets of Templars, gathering your kind, and reviving the cities of Italy. This game has some cool and refined stealth mechanics and can be the most fun to pass the time while you wait for the release of Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
3. A Plague Tale: Requiem
- Released: 17 October 2022 (early access)
- Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
A Plague Tale: Requiem is an underrated gem in the genre of stealth combat games. As you start the game, you will step into the shoes of Amicia, a young girl fighting for her survival along with her brother Hugo. The story is set in a plague-ridden, war-torn medieval-age France, and the combat is slightly different from most other stealth titles.
Unlike others, Plague Requiem approaches a slower progression system methodically. As you move on with the story, you will realize the game focuses on non-lethal attacks, some anxious hide-and-seek moments, and smart puzzle-solving.
Furthermore, you will find numerous ways to tackle each encounter. Either using the surroundings to create distractions or taking down enemies silently, it’s totally up to you. What sets this game apart is its exceptional narrative that is going to linger long after the credits start rolling
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 who have transcended gaming and even entered 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 all the 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, the reactive AI makes it so terrifying and sneaky, 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.
