HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

A stealth game is a type of
video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device to gener ...
in which the player primarily uses ''stealth'' to avoid or overcome opponents. Games in the
genre Genre () is any form or type of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially-agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other ...
typically allow the player to remain undetected by hiding, sneaking, or using disguises. Some games allow the player to choose between a stealthy approach or directly attacking antagonists, but rewarding the player for greater use of stealth. The genre has employed
espionage Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information ( intelligence) from non-disclosed sources or divulging of the same without the permission of the holder of the information for a tang ...
,
counter-terrorism Counterterrorism (also spelled counter-terrorism), also known as anti-terrorism, incorporates the practices, military tactics, techniques, and strategies that Government, governments, law enforcement, business, and Intelligence agency, intellig ...
, and
rogue A rogue is a person or entity that flouts accepted norms of behavior. Rogue or rogues may also refer to: Companies * Rogue Ales, a microbrewery in Newport, Oregon * Rogue Arts, a film production company * Rogue Entertainment, a software com ...
themes, with
protagonists A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...
that are
special forces Special forces and special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...
operatives, special agents, secret agents,
thieves Theft is the act of taking another person's property or services without that person's permission or consent with the intent to deprive the rightful owner of it. The word ''theft'' is also used as a synonym or informal shorthand term for so ...
, ninjas, or
assassins An assassin is a person who commits targeted murder. Assassin may also refer to: Origin of term * Someone belonging to the medieval Persian Ismaili order of Assassins Animals and insects * Assassin bugs, a genus in the family ''Reduviid ...
. Some games have also combined stealth elements with other genres, such as first-person shooters and also platformers. Elements of "stealth" gameplay, by way of avoiding confrontation with enemies, can be attributed to a diverse range of games, including ''
Pac Man originally called ''Puck Man'' in Japan, is a 1980 maze action video game developed and released by Namco for arcades. In North America, the game was released by Midway Manufacturing as part of its licensing agreement with Namco America. The ...
'' (1980). Early maze games have been credited with spawning the genre, including ''Manbiki Shounen'' (1979), ''
Lupin III , also written as ''Lupin the Third'', ''Lupin the 3rd'', or ''Lupin the IIIrd'', is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Monkey Punch. It follows the endeavors of master thief Arsène Lupin III, the grandson of Arsè ...
'' (1980), '' Castle Wolfenstein'' (1981), ''
005 ''005'' is a 1981 arcade game by Sega. They advertised it as the first of their RasterScan Convert-a-Game series, designed so that it could be changed into another game in minutes "at a substantial savings". It is one of the first examples of a ...
'' (1981) and ''
Metal Gear is a series of techno-thriller stealth games created by Hideo Kojima. Developed and published by Konami, the first game, ''Metal Gear (video game), Metal Gear'', was released in 1987 for MSX, MSX home computers. The player often takes control ...
'' (1987). The genre became a mainstream success in 1998, with '' Tenchu: Stealth Assassins'', '' Metal Gear Solid'', and '' Thief: The Dark Project''. They were followed by later releases, like ''
Hitman Contract killing is a form of murder or assassination in which one party hires another party to kill a targeted person or persons. It involves an illegal agreement which includes some form of payment, monetary or otherwise. Either party may b ...
'' and '' Splinter Cell''.


Definition

Unlike most
action game An action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes a large variety of sub-genres, such as fighting games, beat 'em ups, shooter games, and platform ...
s, stealth games challenge the player to avoid alerting enemies altogether. The core gameplay elements of the modern stealth game are to avoid combat, minimize making noise, and strike enemies from the shadows and behind. Completing objectives without being detected by any enemy, sometimes referred to as "ghosting" is a common approach to stealth games. Avoiding detection may be the only way to successfully complete a game, but there are usually multiple ways to achieve a goal with different pathways or styles of play. Players can hide behind objects or in shadows, and can strike or run past an enemy when the enemy is facing the other way. If the player attracts the attention of enemies, they may be able to hide and wait until the enemies abandon their search. Thus, planning becomes important, as does trial-and-error. Some stealth games put more emphasis on physical combat skill when the player is spotted. Some games offer a choice between killing or merely knocking out an enemy. When ghosting is optional, or not well-supported by a game, players may still attempt to avoid combat for moral reasons or as a demonstration of skill. Early on in the development of the stealth genre these games were referred to as ''sneak 'em up'' games.


Game design

When hiding in the dark is a gameplay element, light and shadow become important parts of the level design. Usually the player is able to disable certain light sources. Stealth games also emphasize the audio design when players must be able to hear the subtle sound effects that may alert enemies to their actions; noise will often vary as the player walks on different surfaces such as wood or metal. Players who move recklessly will make more noise and attract more attention. In order for a game to include stealth gameplay, the knowledge of the artificial intelligence (AI) must be restricted to make it ignorant to parts of the game world.Andrew Rollings & Ernest Adams (2006). ''Fundamentals of Game Design'', Prentice Hall. The AI in stealth games takes into specific consideration the enemies' reactions to the effects of the player's actions, such as turning off the lights, as opposed to merely reacting to the player directly. Enemies typically have a line of sight which the player can avoid by hiding behind objects, staying in the shadows or moving while the enemy is facing another direction. Enemies can also typically detect when the player touches them or moves within a small, fixed distance. Overall, stealth games vary in what player actions the AI will perceive and react to, with more recent games offering a wider range of enemy reactions. Often, the AI's movements are predictable and regular, allowing the player to devise a strategy to overcome their adversaries. One staple of many stealth games is an alarm phase or an alert phase, in which enemies more aggressively seek out the player character. Players can evade capture or engage in combat. This mechanic can also be used to increase difficulty over the course of the game, with missions that end immediately when the alarm phase is activated. Players are often given limited methods of engaging opponents directly in stealth games, either by restricting the player to ineffective or non-lethal weapons, equipping adversaries with far superior equipment and numbers, or providing the player with a limited amount of health that makes most combat scenarios extremely dangerous. Stealth games sometimes overlap with the
survival horror Survival horror is a Video game genre, subgenre of Survival game, survival of the players as the game tries to frighten them with either horror graphics or scary ambience. Although combat can be part of the gameplay, the player is made to feel l ...
genre, in which players are forced to hide from and evade supernatural or occasionally mundane enemies as they attempt to track down the player. While early stealth games relied on small maps and simple hitboxes, 3D stealth games have introduced more complex environments. Modern stealth games often give players the ability to quickly climb or maneuver objects, take cover with hotkeys, or mark a series of enemies for attack.


History


Early developments: 1979–1997

According to ''
Retro Gamer ''Retro Gamer'' is a British magazine, published worldwide, covering retro video games. It was the first commercial magazine to be devoted entirely to the subject. Launched in January 2004 as a quarterly publication, ''Retro Gamer'' soon became ...
''s John Szczepaniak, the first stealth game was ''Manbiki Shounen'' (''Shoplifting Boy''), published in November 1979. The PET 2001 personal computer game was developed by Hiroshi Suzuki and involves a boy entering a convenience store and attempting to shoplift by stealing "$" symbols while avoiding the line-of-sight detection of the owner. If caught, the player is led away by the police. Suzuki presented the game to developer
Taito is a Japanese company that specializes in video games, toys, arcade cabinets and game centers, based in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The company was founded by Michael Kogan in 1953 as the importing vodka, vending machines and jukeboxes into Japan. It ...
, which used it as inspiration for their similar stealth arcade game, ''
Lupin III , also written as ''Lupin the Third'', ''Lupin the 3rd'', or ''Lupin the IIIrd'', is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Monkey Punch. It follows the endeavors of master thief Arsène Lupin III, the grandson of Arsè ...
'' (based on the
manga Manga ( Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is use ...
and
anime is hand-drawn and computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japanese, (a term derived from a shortening of ...
of the same name), released in April 1980. In November 1980, Suzuki developed a sequel, ''Manbiki Shoujo'' (''Shoplifting Girl''). '' Castle Wolfenstein'', originally available in 1981, employed stealth elements as a focus of the gameplay. Players were charged with traversing the levels of ''Castle Wolfenstein'', stealing secret plans and escaping. Players could acquire uniforms to disguise themselves and walk by guards undetected. '' Beyond Castle Wolfenstein'', released in 1984, included some additions to its predecessor, such as a dagger for close-range kills and a greater emphasis on disguising in enemy uniform.
id Software id Software LLC () is an American video game developer based in Richardson, Texas. It was founded on February 1, 1991, by four members of the computer company Softdisk: game programmer, programmers John Carmack and John Romero, game designer T ...
's updated 1992 remake '' Wolfenstein 3D'' was originally going to feature some of the original's stealth gameplay, such as body hiding, but this was cut to make the game faster paced. As a result of these changes, ''Wolfenstein'' would instead pave the way for later 3D action games, specifically
first-person shooter First-person shooter (FPS) is a sub-genre of shooter video games centered on gun and other weapon-based combat in a first-person perspective, with the player experiencing the action through the eyes of the protagonist and controlling the pl ...
s. In 1981, Sega released an arcade game called ''
005 ''005'' is a 1981 arcade game by Sega. They advertised it as the first of their RasterScan Convert-a-Game series, designed so that it could be changed into another game in minutes "at a substantial savings". It is one of the first examples of a ...
'' in which the player's mission is to take a briefcase of secret documents to a waiting helicopter while avoiding enemy flashlights and use boxes as hiding spots. ''005'' holds the
Guinness World Record ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
for being the first stealth game. In 1985, Durell Software released '' Saboteur'', a game in which the player controls a ninja who has to infiltrate a facility and find a disk while avoiding or defeating security cameras, guards, and dogs. ''Retro Gamer'' has called this "the original stealth game". Mindscape's '' Infiltrator'', released in 1986, combined a flight simulator with a stealth-based "ground mission". In this ground mission, the protagonist attempts to sneak into enemy territory using false IDs to avoid detection and knock-out gas to incapacitate enemies. The goal of this mission is to photograph secret documents while avoiding alarms.
Hideo Kojima is a Japanese video game designer, director, producer and writer. He is regarded as an auteur of video games. He developed a strong passion for action/adventure cinema and literature during his childhood and adolescence. In 1986, he was hired ...
's ''
Metal Gear is a series of techno-thriller stealth games created by Hideo Kojima. Developed and published by Konami, the first game, ''Metal Gear (video game), Metal Gear'', was released in 1987 for MSX, MSX home computers. The player often takes control ...
'', released in 1987 for the MSX2 and the
Nintendo Entertainment System The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the commonly known as the The NES, a redesigned version, was released in American ...
in 1988,Shoemaker, Brad (1998-09-29)
The History of Metal Gear
, GameSpot, Retrieved 2009-06-23
utilized stealth elements within an action-adventure framework, and was the first mainstream stealth game to be released on consoles. Since the MSX2 was not available in North America, only the NES version was released there. ''Metal Gear'' placed a greater emphasis on stealth than other games of its time, with the
player character A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not control ...
Solid Snake beginning without any weapons (requiring him to avoid confrontation until weapons are found) and having limited ammunition for each weapon. Enemies are able to see Snake from a distance (using a line-of-sight mechanic) and hear gunshots from non-silenced weapons; security cameras and sensors are placed at various locations, and a security alarm sounds whenever Snake is spotted and causes all enemies on screen to chase him. Snake could also disguise himself in enemy uniform or a cardboard box, and use his fists to fight enemies. In 1988, Infogrames published '' Hostages,'' sometimes known as ''Rescue: The Embassy Mission''. One of the game's three main segments required players to evade searchlights by rolling and ducking into doorways. ''Gamestop'' has observed that the game "set important grounds and ideas for future stealth/tactical shooters," noting the game's use of time limits, cover mechanics, and tests of reflexes. The sequel '' Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake'' was released in 1990 for the MSX2. It further evolved the stealth gameplay of its predecessor and introduced most of the gameplay elements present in ''Metal Gear Solid'', including the three-dimensional element of height, allowing players to crouch and crawl into hiding spots and air ducts and underneath desks. The player could also distract guards by knocking on surfaces and use a radar to plan ahead. The enemies had improved AI, including a 45-degree field of vision, turning their heads left and right to see diagonally, the detection of various different noises, being able to move from screen to screen (they were limited to a single screen in earlier games), and a three-phase security alarm (where reinforcements are called in to chase the intruder, then remain on the lookout for some time after losing sight of the intruder, and then leave the area). The game also had a complex storyline and improved graphics.


Establishing a genre: 1998–2002

Although stealth gameplay had appeared in previous games, 1998 is seen as a turning point in gaming history because of the release of '' Tenchu: Stealth Assassins'', '' Metal Gear Solid'', and '' Thief: The Dark Project''. The
ninja A or was a covert agent or mercenary in feudal Japan. The functions of a ninja included reconnaissance, espionage, infiltration, deception, ambush, bodyguarding and their fighting skills in martial arts, including ninjutsu.Kawakami, pp ...
-themed ''Tenchu: Stealth Assassins'' was the first 3D stealth based-game. Months later, the highly anticipated ''Metal Gear Solid'' transformed its modestly successful franchise into a mainstream success. The increased power of the PlayStation console over previous platforms allowed for greater immersion in terms of both story and game environment. ''Metal Gear Solid'' has been credited with popularizing the stealth genre. ''Thief: The Dark Project'' is also credited as a pioneer of the genre. It was the first stealth game using the first-person perspective, dubbed a "first-person sneaker", or "sneak-em-up", and the first to use darkness and shadows as the mode of concealment. Another of Thief's most noteworthy contributions to the genre was the use of sound as a central mechanic. The robust simulation of sound meant players had to be mindful of the sounds they made, including what kind of surface they were traversing, lest they draw attention to them. Conversely, it meant guards could be heard from a distance and the surfaces they moved on could be identified based on the sounds they made. With further releases, many games in the genre drifted towards action by allowing the option of direct confrontations. The ''
Hitman Contract killing is a form of murder or assassination in which one party hires another party to kill a targeted person or persons. It involves an illegal agreement which includes some form of payment, monetary or otherwise. Either party may b ...
'' series, the first installment of which was released in 2000, allowed this play style, but rewarded the player for stealthy and elaborate assassination of antagonists. '' Hitman: Codename 47'', the first of the series, was the first 3D game to employ the genre's device of disguises. ''
No One Lives Forever ''The Operative: No One Lives Forever'' (abbreviated as ''NOLF'') is a first-person shooter video game with stealth gameplay elements, developed by Monolith Productions and published by Fox Interactive, released for Windows in 2000. The game w ...
'', an espionage themed parody also released in 2000, again allowed the player to combine or choose between stealth and overt violence. In 2000, the first-person
action role-playing game An action role-playing game (often abbreviated action RPG or ARPG) is a subgenre of video games that combines core elements from both the action game and role-playing genre. Definition The games emphasize real-time combat where the playe ...
'' Deus Ex'' also allowed the player the choice of taking a stealth approach. A
USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virg ...
reviewer found "At the easiest difficulty setting, your character is pureed again and again by an onslaught of human and robotic terrorists until you learn the value of stealth." 1998 also saw the release of '' Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines'', a real-time strategy game with heavy stealth gameplay. Players control a team of several soldiers, each with different limited sets of abilities. Missions are completed by navigating or clearing densely layered enemies patrols with "vision cones", similar to the Soliton radar in Metal Gear Solid. The game is recognized for its difficulty, demanding precision and memorization of hot keys. ''Commandos'' gave rise to other sequels along with third-party clones such as the ''Desperados'' series and '' Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood''. '' Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty'', released 2001 for the PlayStation 2, further evolved the stealth gameplay series. It featured an array of new abilities, including "leaping over and hanging off of railings, opening and hiding in storage lockers," and sneaking up behind enemies to "hold them at gunpoint for items and ammunition." ''Metal Gear Solid 2'' holds a Guinness World Record for being the first stealth game to feature collective artificial intelligence. ''Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty'' sold 7 million units in sales, followed by ''Metal Gear Solid'' with 6 million units.


Later developments: 2002–2012

After the mainstream success of the genre, stealth elements became increasingly incorporated into a wide range of video games, with numerous
action game An action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes a large variety of sub-genres, such as fighting games, beat 'em ups, shooter games, and platform ...
s using stealth elements in some way or another. In 2002, the first installment of the
Tom Clancy Thomas Leo Clancy Jr. (April 12, 1947 – October 1, 2013) was an American novelist. He is best known for his technically detailed espionage and military-science storylines set during and after the Cold War. Seventeen of his novels have ...
licensed '' Splinter Cell'' series was released, which attempted to add more realism to the stealth genre both in terms of graphics and in-game equipment. If the player is discovered in ''Splinter Cell'', the guards will often raise a general alarm which can cause a difficulty spike or even result in automatic mission failure.
Clint Hocking Clint Hocking (born 18 September 1972) is a Canadian video game designer and director. He has primarily worked at the Canadian divisions of Ubisoft, where he developed three titles, and briefly worked at LucasArts, Valve, and Amazon Game Stud ...
, who worked as a level designer for ''Splinter Cell'', noted that this mechanic was in place at this point because the gameplay developers could not easily implement alternative player actions in the case of such detection; for example, on detection, a real agent may react by subduing the agent that found them, but this was not possible to program in at this point in time. Hocking recognized this would be frustrating to the player and would remain an issue with stealth games for about a decade. In addition, ''Splinter Cell'' was notable for its state of the art graphics, including dynamic lighting and shadows. Like ''Thief'', Splinter Cell featured a visibility meter which determined how much light was falling on the character. These effects not only contributed to the atmosphere of the game, but dynamically affected in which areas the player could hide. The 2004 sequel, '' Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow'', added a multiplayer component to the stealth genre. The growth of the genre also led to the production of a number of E-rated stealth platformers aimed at younger audiences, most notably '' Sly Cooper'', a cel-shaded game released in 2002. Other related games include 2001 ''
Looney Tunes ''Looney Tunes'' is an American animated comedy short film series produced by Warner Bros. starting from 1930 to 1969, concurrently with its partner series '' Merrie Melodies'', during the golden age of American animation. ...
'' game ''
Sheep, Dog 'n' Wolf ''Sheep, Dog 'n' Wolf'' (released as ''Looney Tunes: Sheep Raider'' in North America) is a puzzle-platformer stealth video game developed by Infogrames Lyon House and published by Infogrames for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation. The game is ...
'' and the 2000 movie tie-in game '' The Grinch.'' Later, in 2005, '' Ape Escape 3'' featured a mini-game based on the ''Metal Gear Solid'' series. Developers continued to meld stealth with other genres. 2003's '' Siren'' combined the
survival horror Survival horror is a Video game genre, subgenre of Survival game, survival of the players as the game tries to frighten them with either horror graphics or scary ambience. Although combat can be part of the gameplay, the player is made to feel l ...
genre with the stealth genre. In the same year, '' Manhunt'' employed a snuff movie theme and allowed the player to kill antagonists with varying levels of violence, dependent on how much time was spent sneaking behind them. It was the first to show
visual The visual system comprises the sensory organ (the eye) and parts of the central nervous system (the retina containing photoreceptor cells, the optic nerve, the optic tract and the visual cortex) which gives organisms the sense of sight ...
executions in the genre. The following year,
Konami , is a Japanese multinational video game and entertainment company headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, it also produces and distributes trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, pachinko machines, slot machines, and arcade cabinets. Konami has casi ...
's ''
Metal Gear Acid ''Metal Gear Acid'', stylized as ''METAL GEAR AC!D'', is a turn-based collectible card tactical RPG video game developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan for the PlayStation Portable. The game was first unveiled at E3 in May 2004, and ...
'' combined the stealth gameplay of the ''Metal Gear'' series with
turn-based strategy A turn-based strategy (TBS) game is a strategy game (usually some type of wargame, especially a strategic-level wargame) where players take turns when playing. This is distinguished from real-time strategy (RTS), in which all players play si ...
and
tactical role-playing game Tactical role-playing games (abbreviated TRPGs), also known as strategy role-playing games and in Japan as (both abbreviated SRPGs), are a video game genre that combines core elements of role-playing video games with those of tactical ( turn-b ...
elements as well as card battle elements from Konami's own ''
Yu-Gi-Oh! is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kazuki Takahashi. It was serialized in Shueisha's ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' magazine between September 1996 and March 2004. The plot follows the story of a boy named Yugi Mutou, ...
'' games. In 2004, '' Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater'' introduced camouflage to the genre. Set in a jungle, the game emphasized infiltration in a natural environment, along with survival aspects such as food capture, healing and close-quarters combat. The game was also notable for its infamous stealth battle with a sniper, in which the player confronts the nearly invisible enemy in a boss fight that can take hours to complete. The following year, the updated version '' Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence'' added an online multiplayer mode to the game with stealth elements. Another 2004 release was '' The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay'', based on the ''
Chronicles of Riddick ''The Chronicles of Riddick'' is a 2004 American science fiction action film written and directed by David Twohy. It follows the adventures of Richard B. Riddick as he attempts to elude capture after the events depicted in the 2000 film '' Pitc ...
'' series of movies. The game follows the character of Riddick as he attempts to escape from prison. Action and stealth gaming are combined seamlessly by allowing the character to hide, sneak, or fight his way past most situations. The game was critically acclaimed, and was followed with '' The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena'' in 2009. '' Hitman: Blood Money'' released in 2006 and introduced a "notoriety" system where the player's actions in missions affect the difficulty of the stealth gameplay. If
Agent 47 Agent 47 is a fictional character, the protagonist and the player character of the ''Hitman'' video game franchise, developed by IO Interactive. He has been featured in all games of the series, as well as various spin-off media, including two th ...
is recorded by camera surveillance or witnessed committing a crime, his notoriety will rise and NPCs will be able to spot him more easily in later missions. Conversely eliminating witnesses, destroying surveillance footage or bribing officials will reduce notoriety. In 2007, ''
Assassin's Creed ''Assassin's Creed'' is an open-world, action-adventure, and stealth game franchise published by Ubisoft and developed mainly by its studio Ubisoft Montreal using the game engine Anvil and its more advanced derivatives. Created by Patric ...
'' employed a social element to the stealth game, where the player is able to hide among crowds of civilians by taking care to blend in. Stealth elements were incorporated into Crytek's open world first-person shooter '' Crysis'',
multiplayer A multiplayer video game is a video game in which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time, either locally on the same computing system ( couch co-op), on different computing systems via a local area network, or ...
first-person shooter ''
Team Fortress 2 ''Team Fortress 2'' is a 2007 multiplayer first-person shooter game developed and published by Valve Corporation. It is the sequel to the 1996 ''Team Fortress'' mod for '' Quake'' and its 1999 remake, ''Team Fortress Classic''. The game was rel ...
'', and first-person role-playing game ''
Fallout 3 ''Fallout 3'' is a 2008 action role-playing game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. The third major installment in the ''Fallout'' series, it is the first game to be developed by Bethesda after acquiring ...
''. '' Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare'' included a stealth mission called " All Ghillied Up" which has been considered one of greatest levels in video game history by critics. Also in 2007, Ben Yahtzee Croshaw published ''Trilby: The Art of Theft'', one of the first indie stealth games. The game features a rudimentary engine built in Adventure Game Studio. Because of this restricted approach, the game's maps are largely static building cutaways. Trilby's graphical style, combined with its stealth gameplay, has drawn comparisons to 1990's ''Bonanza Bros''. In turn, ''Trilby'' likely influenced later indie stealth games such as 2013's '' Gunpoint'' and 2015's ''Master Spy.'' In 2008, '' Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots'' (PlayStation 3) introduced a battlezone element, where the stealth gameplay is incorporated into a battlefield fought between two armies, both of which can be infiltrated by Solid Snake. In 2009, ''
Assassin's Creed II ''Assassin's Creed II'' is a 2009 action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Montréal and published by Ubisoft. It is the second major installment in the ''Assassin's Creed'' series, and the sequel to 2007's ''Assassin's Creed''. The ...
'' broadened its predecessor's elements of stealth by allowing the player to blend among any group of civilians, rather than specific ones. ''Assassin's Creed II'' also allowed the player to distract guards by tossing coins or by hiring thieves and courtesans, and also featured a notoriety level, which made the player more recognizable until they paid off officials or tore down
wanted poster A wanted poster (or wanted sign) is a poster distributed to let the public know of a person whom authorities wish to apprehend. They generally include a picture of the person, either a photograph when one is available or of a facial composi ...
s. The same year, '' Uncharted 2: Among Thieves'' and '' Batman: Arkham Asylum'' incorporated stealth elements in different segments of the games. The multiplayer modes of '' Aliens vs. Predator'' in 2010 and '' Killzone 3'' in 2011 also incorporated stealth elements. In 2009, independent developers began to work on a recreation of ''Thief'' called ''
The Dark Mod ''The Dark Mod'' is a free and open-source software first-person stealth video game, inspired by the ''Thief'' series by Looking Glass Studios. The game provides the basic framework and tools (engine, assets, models, and editor) for more than 1 ...
''. The project began as a mod of '' Doom 3'' but became a standalone project as of 2013. It features approximately 150 community-built missions and is one of the only open-source stealth games in development. 2010 saw the release of '' Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'', the sequel to ''Assassin's Creed II'', which is notable for continuing to evolve the series' social stealth elements by introducing a multiplayer component where players must hide in crowds from other rival assassins.


Recent developments: 2012-Present

The 2012 game '' Dishonored'' tried to incorporate stealth elements that were influenced by ''
Thief Theft is the act of taking another person's property or services without that person's permission or consent with the intent to deprive the rightful owner of it. The word ''theft'' is also used as a synonym or informal shorthand term for some ...
'', such as the importance of lighting and shadows. The developers later abandoned that system citing realism as a factor. The game instead relies on a system of "occlusion-based" stealth, using the vision cones of the enemies, obstacles, and special abilities which determines whether or not the character is visible. Additionally, while other games had implemented such systems, ''Dishonored'' was recognized for having a forgiving stealth system compared with ''Splinter Cell'', in that if detected, the player had several options available to either attack those enemies that detected them, distract them, or flee and outrun them by using parkour, rather than immediately reaching a "game over".
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
called ''Dishonored'' one of the best stealth games of 2012, along with '' Hitman: Absolution'' and '' Mark of the Ninja''. A sequel, '' Dishonored 2'', released in 2016 and was praised for improving upon the stealth elements of its predecessor. ''Mark of the Ninja'' put a twist on the stealth genre in that it is a 2D side-scroller. This posed some unique factors, such as the lack of corners for the character to hide behind, and the visibility presented in a side-scroller; the developers overcame this by adding 'fog' that prevents the player from seeing things that the character can not see, visually representing enemy line-of-sight and even visualizing the noise made by the character, including how far that noise travels. After the completion of the game, the player has access to a harder difficulty called "
New Game Plus A New Game Plus, also New Game+ (NG+), is an unlockable video game mode available in some video games that allows the player to start a new game after they finish it at least once, where certain features in NG+ not normally available in a first ...
", which further decreases visibility by adding fog behind the player and removes noise visualizations and enemy line of sight indicators. Throughout the 2010s, stronger technology allowed for larger environments and spurred the development of next-gen entries in existing stealth franchises. 2015's '' Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain'' concluded the main ''Metal Gear'' series, introducing an open-world for the first time in the franchise. In 2016, '' Deus Ex: Mankind Divided'' took a similar approach with a semi-open world designed around city hubs. 2016's ''Hitman'' reboot also drastically increased the size of its game maps. 2013's ''Splinter Cell: Blacklist'' was considered a return to form after 2010's controversial entry, '' Splinter Cell: Conviction,'' which departed from the series formula by forcing combat. ''Blacklist'' retained some of the modern conventions of the previous entry, most notably context actions, and was recognized for balancing action gameplay with pure stealth options. 2013 also saw the release of '' Payday 2'' and the
top-down Top-down may refer to: Arts and entertainment * "Top Down", a 2007 song by Swizz Beatz * "Top Down", a song by Lil Yachty from '' Lil Boat 3'' * "Top Down", a song by Fifth Harmony from '' Reflection'' Science * Top-down reading, is a part of ...
'' Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine'', both of which are
cooperative A cooperative (also known as co-operative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically-contro ...
stealth games focused around heists. Between 2013 and 2016, '' République'' reunited some of the developers and cast of the ''Metal Gear'' series in an episodic point-and-click stealth game. The game's unique play style required users to hack doors and surveillance systems from a bird's eye view in order to navigate their character through the environment. In 2014, Creative Assembly released '' Alien: Isolation'', a stealth game which emphasized survival-horror. In this game, the protagonist is trapped on a space station with an alien xenomorph which they must avoid for the majority of the game, being unable to kill it. The game also uses feedback from the player's microphone to enhance gameplay as the alien is able to hear noises made by the player and can use them to detect their location. 2014's '' Styx: Master of Shadows'' was recognized by many reviewers as a "pure stealth" game that discouraged combat. It also provided a distinctive scouting game mechanic through the use of clones. 2016 saw a comeback of ''Commandos''-like stealth games with the release of '' Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun,'' published nine years after the previous Commandos-style game '' Helldorado''. In 2020 ''Shadow Tactics'' developer Mimimi produced a new entry in the Desperados series, titled ''
Desperados III ''Desperados III'' is a 2020 real-time tactics video game developed by Mimimi Games and published by THQ Nordic. It is the newest installment in the ''Desperados'' series since the 2007 spin-off title '' Helldorado'', and it was released for Mi ...
.'' In 2021 the developer announced a standalone expansion to ''Shadow Tactics'' called ''Aiko's Choice''. Recent years have also seen procedurally generated and randomized stealth games including 2015's turn-based ''Invisible Inc,'' and 2017's top-down action stealth game '' Heat Signature.'' In 2019, Asobo Studio's '' A Plague Tale: Innocence'' and FromSoftware's '' Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice'' were recognized for their stealth elements. 2019 also saw '' Untitled Goose Game'' by Australian developer House House utilize stealth as a major mechanic alongside the otherwise comedic tone of the game, leading to comparisons to ''Metal Gear Solid'' and ''Hitman.'' In 2020, ''
The Last of Us Part II ''The Last of Us Part II'' is a 2020 action-adventure game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4. Set five years after ''The Last of Us'' (2013), the game focuses on two playable charac ...
'' released which has been praised for how its level design encourages sneaking around enemies using stealth during combat encounters. It was also praised for its AI, enemies will search for the player using tracking dogs and change their search patterns upon finding dead bodies. 2021's '' Hitman 3'' concluded the "World of Assassination" trilogy and was highly praised for its sandbox and social stealth elements, with ''
PC Gamer ''PC Gamer'' is a magazine and website founded in the United Kingdom in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future plc. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games m ...
'' calling it the best stealth game of the year. A recent development in the stealth genre has been the rise of multiplayer stealth games using elements from
social deduction games Social organisms, including human(s), live collectively in interacting populations. This interaction is considered social whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the exchange is voluntary or not. Etymology The word "social" derives from ...
like Werewolf or
Mafia "Mafia" is an informal term that is used to describe criminal organizations that bear a strong similarity to the original “Mafia”, the Sicilian Mafia and Italian Mafia. The central activity of such an organization would be the arbitration of ...
. Games like '' Among Us'' and '' SpyParty'' are all about "hiding in plain sight" and blending in to avoid detection from other players. This has the benefit of providing a "real" stealth experience compared to a singleplayer game and acts as a continuation of the trend pioneered by the multiplayer portion of ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood''.


References

{{VideoGameGenre Stealth video games Video game genres Video game terminology