Stealth Games

Thief is credited with starting the whole "stealthy" game genre. However, the genre remained pretty subtle until the original Splinter Cell blew open the doors. Splinter Cell is a technical marvel. The animations, the lighting, the unfolding storyline, the lead character Sam Fisher, and the sound all create a hugely compelling and awesome game.

And immersive. The best example of the immersion is when you're creeping along and somebody hears you, or maybe spots some motion in the shadows. At that point, the "other guys" become alert and will start looking around more actively. But here's the kicker: at the point that they become alert, the game issues this sort of "bong!" sound, which then kicks off some suspense-y music. But that initial bong -- you totally tense up and freeze. You stop and listen to what the guard might mutter. You quickly look around to see what is going on; where the guy might be; is he coming your way? But you physically tense up and react.

That is immersion. And it rules.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

i am looking for some other stealth games besides thief and splinter cell

Anonymous said...

try Hitman series...

Greg said...

Absolutely.

In response to the first comment, I wrote a post recommending Hitman:
Stealthy Games

Anonymous said...

yo man for real ur a fucking idiot thief didnt start shit metal gear solid kicked off stealth games and if ur looking for a sick game thats the only one u need to check out

Anonymous said...

dude if your looking for an alright stealth game, try TENCHU..? its okay, but way too easy for expirienced stealth gamers...

i bin looking for a new stealth game since i completed MGS3, but nothing goods come out since then...

got anything you could recomend to me?

Anonymous said...

Manhunt is HILARIOUS

Anonymous said...

Actually, Castle Wolfenstein (waay before wolf3D) was the 1st game featuring sneak attacks rather than rambo-like shootouts, then came metal gear, the whole series is great. Then Tenchu in 1997 or 98, also a cool game, no guns though. The recent are Manhunt, thief, Splintercell and Hitman. My favourite is Hitman 2 and 4 (1 and 3 aren't too great) and splinter cell is also quite good. Haven't played thief or manhunt though.

Anonymous said...

Actually, Castle Wolfenstein (waay before wolf3D) was the 1st game featuring sneak attacks rather than rambo-like shootouts, then came metal gear, the whole series is great. Then Tenchu in 1997 or 98, also a cool game, no guns though. The recent are Manhunt, thief, Splintercell and Hitman. My favourite is Hitman 2 and 4 (1 and 3 aren't too great) and splinter cell is also quite good. Haven't played thief or manhunt though.

Anonymous said...

the orginal metal gear (no solid) was the first game to be a stealth driven game. tho wolfenstien was the first to offer stealth aspects, it was not the main focus. making metal gear 1 the true poineer of stealth game. nuff said.

Anonymous said...

an alright game is theif

Anonymous said...

He didn't ask what game came first. He mentioned the game that started the modern stealth genre. And that was Thief for sure.

Anonymous said...

I personally dont like Metal gear at all. Its all about the light/dark stealth gameplay for me.

Metal Gear might have been the pioneed, but Thief made the light/dark system that most of us stealth gamers came to love.