Top 10 Best Stealth Game Franchises

Encompassing two games, “Escape From Butcher Bay” and “Assault on Dark Athena,” “The Chronicles of Riddick” franchise proves that tie-in games are not ALWAYS terrible. Just 99% of the time. These games act as a prequel to “Pitch Black,” the first entry in the Riddick movie franchise, and they contained some of the most rewarding and best-looking stealth gameplay on consoles at the time. Complete with state of the art graphics, brutal violence, and a surprisingly decent performance from Vin Diesel himself, these games perfectly blended stealth, shooting, and fighting into one unique package.

While the stealth elements on hand in this franchise might not be as robust as some of the other entries on this list, there's no denying that the “Assassin's Creed” games have had a huge impact on gaming as a whole. The stealth gameplay is always exciting, complete with multiple paths in which you can approach the objective and a functioning blending system, allowing you, a very obviously-clad assassin, to blend in with regular citizens as you walk away from a bloody corpse. The games’ historic settings are always unbelievably detailed as well, ranging from Renaissance Italy to Victorian England to 18th century Caribbean. By blending diverse gameplay with beautiful locales, these games earn their reputation as some of the best games of the seventh generation.

A PlayStation exclusive series, the “Sly Cooper” games follow the adventures of, well, Sly Cooper and his gang of thieves called, well, the Cooper Gang, as they steal various objects around the world, all in an absolutely gorgeous and detailed film-noir, comic book art style. If the art style itself doesn't win you over with its unique beauty, the complex level design certainly will, as the games expertly combine platforming with stealth elements. While the games may be a tad short, they were nevertheless beautiful, challenging, and above all else, fun.

A series that rewards player creativity and experimentation, “Dishonored” follows the adventures of Corvo Attano as he attempts to clear his name from an assassination the only way he knows how - by assassinating people. Yeah, revenge! By emphasizing player choice and agency through the use of multiple paths, tools and supernatural powers, everyone’s experience with these games will differ, making each playthrough unique and equally as adventurous. Set in the detailed and expansive industrial city of Dunwall, the games are immersive, all while promoting experimentation and discussion with other gamers.

Set in a deliciously intriguing steampunk world, the “Thief” series is unique to the stealth genre in that it emphasizes an avoidance of confrontation. In 1998, a first person game where you COULD fight but probably shouldn’t cuz you’ll probably die was a rather novel idea. Coming into the scene at a time when three dimensional stealth games were still rare, and perfecting the concept of sticking to the shadows, “Thief” can be considered a grandfather to the genre and helped influence many games that would follow in its footsteps. It's very quiet footsteps.

Beginning with the widely acclaimed “Arkham Asylum” and finishing with the more lukewarm “Arkham Knight,” these games rose and dipped in quality throughout the four entries, but when taken as a whole, this series can be seen as a revelation. The games perfectly mixed brutal, fluid, and fast-paced combat with Batman's signature sneaky style, allowing players to approach the games in a number of unique ways. By emphasizing the use of gadgets, shadows, and stealth, players truly got a sense of what it would feel like to be Batman, and it was just as much fun, if not better, than how we always envisioned it.

Combining different styles, including RPG, action, and stealth, into one cohesive whole, the “Deus Ex” series is both brilliant and inventive. One of the main draws to this series is its freedom of choice. Players have the ability to combat an objective basically any way they see fit, whether it's walking in the front door guns a blazin’, stealthily making your way in through a convenient vent, hacking a computer for access, or via a whole host of other possibilities. These games are a sandbox of creative choices, and by letting us loose in its playground, “Deus Ex” rewards intelligence and creativity, just like a good stealth series should.

Playing as Agent 47, a cloned assassin for hire, players must take advantage of a wide variety of options in order to fulfill their given contract killing. These games are well-known for the imaginative ways in which to dispatch targets, allowing the player to kill their contract however they see fit and forcing them to improvise should things turn south. There are countless ways of killing a given target, whether it's forceful, sneaky, by making it look like an accident, secretly poisoning them...well, you get the idea. Due to the choices presented to the player, these games provide hours upon hours of replayability, each playthrough more outrageous and innovative than the last.

The video game series that even your grandfather will have heard of, the “Splinter Cell” games are cornerstones of the stealth genre and have sold over 30 million copies, indicating their extreme popularity, even with casual players. Playing as Sam Fisher of the Third Echelon, players must act like a real secret agent and take out enemies without being detected, forcing them to stick to the shadows and take the less-obvious route. Sure, you can use your guns, but that's no fun, is it? Remaining popular for well over a decade, this series is hugely influential, both in terms of the stealth genre and for video games as a whole. It's simply impossible to discuss stealth and not bring up Mr. Fisher.
Before we sneak our way to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
“Syphon Filter” (1999-2007)
“Manhunt” (2003-07)
“Tenchu” (1998-2009)

Was there ever any doubt? The granddaddy of the stealth genre, and some of the greatest video games of all time – Snake’s influence has certainly been pretty…solid. These games are often considered masterpieces, ranging from the rich characterizations to the deep, rewarding gameplay to the wide-reaching (and somewhat controversial) storyline, not to mention the interesting fourth-wall breaking scenarios. These games helped popularize the stealth genre, turning it mainstream and perfecting the recipe along the way. Stealth games, including the those mentioned on this list, would arguably not be where they are today without the help of “Metal Gear.”
Do you agree with our list? What do you think are the greatest stealth franchises? For more sneaky top tens published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.