15 Best Stealth Missions in Video Games, Ranked

When it comes to memorable levels in video games, there’s no denying that the stealth genre provides some of the industry’s most remarkable and special experiences.

The power fantasy of being a one-man army is one of those hard-to-beat tropes, making you feel both strong and smart in the context of overcoming adversity.

Sneak past dozens of guards to steal a valuable treasure, assassinate an aristocrat in the middle of a fancy party, escape from the enemy’s outpost to rescue a comrade…

The possibilities are endless, as you can confirm with our list of the 15 best stealth missions in video games.

15 Aragami

Military District

Aragami is a Spanish indie gem that feels like a gift to stealth fans. It doesn’t mix genres, and it doesn’t go beyond what it can achieve, thus offering simple but pristine gameplay.

Therefore, when you get to the Military District mission, you understand how well the game understands stealth basics. Lots of NPC patterns to remember, lots of entertaining ways to traverse the area, and lots of collectibles are enough to make it a great level.

As said, Aragami doesn’t go to places where it can’t do a good job, so it has a low roof. However, missions like Military District are the main reason why it’s considered one of the most recommendable stealth games of the last decade.

14 Death Stranding

Ruined Factory

Systems

Franchise

Death Stranding

Platform(s)

PS4 , PS5 , PC

Released

November 8, 2019

Engine

Decima

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Strong Language

How Long To Beat

40 Hours

Release

2022-03-30 (PC)

X|S Optimized

no

Metascore

85

PS Plus Availability

Extra & Premium

Steam Deck Compatibility

yes

Cross Save

yes

Cross-Platform Play

Yes! Players will share the same server as Steam and Epic users

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Hideo Kojima’s masterpiece Death Stranding is far from a stealth game, but the Director’s Cut version of the title added the mission Ruined Factory, a touching ode to Metal Gear Solid.

For a moment, Sam Bridges becomes Solid Snake in a context that feels like anything but Death Stranding. With narrow hallways, crowded rooms full of objects, and artificial verticality, it’s a warm love letter to Kojima’s past works.

You even use the legendary tactic of the cardboard box to hide from enemies. If that’s not the absolute peak of stealth gaming, then nothing in this life can be.

13 Metro: Last Light

Separation

Although Metro: Last Light is mostly an action game, the second journey of Artyom has very capable stealth mechanics, making it one of the most enjoyable ways to traverse the metro.

In particular, the sixth chapter of the title, Separation, has the protagonist sneaking through a Nazi outpost to rescue Pavel (his companion up to that point), filling the player’s senses with intense machinery sounds, enemy conversations, and the constant feel of high stakes at play.

It’s a short objective. However, like the rest of the game, the immersion is immaculate, and tension is felt at the surface through its naturally sensitive gameplay and superb use of enemy placement and lighting.

12 Deathloop

Ending it

When you think of Arkane Studios, you think of great level design, more gameplay options than you can imagine, and indescribable satisfaction thanks to its fluent mechanics. And that’s just describing Deathloop.

Specifically, the last mission: Ending It. The finale of Colt Vahn’s voyage has the perfect measures of planning, execution, and stealth, all while being a masterclass in everything mentioned in the first paragraph.

The game has a natural attraction to straightforward action, leaning less toward stealth than other projects by the team, but when it does things right… Mamma Mia!

11 Assassin’s Creed

Fortress Infiltration

When Assassin’s Creed focused primarily on classic stealth, it had several great missions, as evidenced by the first game’s Fortress Infiltration.

Altaïr, with the task of assassinating William of Montferrat, infiltrates a heavily guarded fort, emphasizing his extraordinary parkour abilities and tactical takedowns of enemy guards, while simultaneously showcasing many of Acre’s incredible visuals.

It’s a complete level that excels in everything the title is known for, and it also reminds us why the first Assassin’s Creed is part of the games worth playing just for its importance to the genre.

10 Hitman

Sapienza

IO Interactive has nurtured the Hitman franchise wonderfully since they picked it up in 2016, coincidentally when they created one of the best levels in the entire genre: Sapienza.

The fictional coastal town in Italy is a beautifully crafted setting, hosting multiple missions throughout Agent 47’s most recent works and enhancing the core mechanics of the series.

Whether using disguises, exploiting the terrain, eavesdropping on conversations, or finding alternative routes to accomplish objectives, everything Hitman does feels better at Sapienza, where we can see the most fluent and elegant use of its great gameplay.

9 Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory

Panamanian Bank

Even though Splinter Cell has been in the shadows for many years, it has many incredible moments, like Chaos Theory’s Panamanian Bank mission.

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Sam Fisher infiltrates a bank to unravel a guerrilla’s operation with the arms industry, steals $50,000,000 in French Governmental Bearer Bonds to make it look like a simple theft, and gets out like nothing happened. All in a day’s work for a super-sleuth like Sam Fisher.

We only have to look at the Panamanian Bank when people think of why Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory is one of the best stealth games ever. Entering through windows, stealing door codes, sneaking into vents, hiding in the dark.

It has all the staples of a stealth mission, all implemented incredibly well, making this an iconic mission for all gamers who stick to the shadows.

8 Dishonored 2

A Crack in the Slab

With a time-traveling mechanic, A Crack in the Slab from Dishonored 2 offers two juxtaposed levels that are the two sides of a coin.

On one side, a laboriously guarded mansion filled with luxury forces you to sneak and be cautious; on the other, a forgotten building plagued by beasts and anomalies allows you to abandon stealth.

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The constant shift between realms and gameplay approaches (a technical feat in itself) makes this level incredible and bordering on fantastical.

In any case, what happens at Stilton Manor is undeniably unforgettable. You may even need some tips and tricks for beginners, as getting through it isn’t easy, though it’s definitely a divine experience.

Tanker Incident

Fortunately, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty is now revered for what it is: a masterpiece. However, when it originally came out, it was strongly criticized, mainly because Raiden was the protagonist.

Yet, those who hate the game and those who love it can agree with one thing: the Tanker Incident is simply magnificent.

The return of fan favorites like Solid Snake and Revolver Ocelot, the appearance of a new Metal Gear, vastly improved mechanics and cinematics to top-notch standards, and the overall infiltration sequence were marvelous.

Sons of Liberty is not only one of the best political games ever created but also one of the most revolutionary developments in the genre. The Tanker Incident is just the tip of the iceberg.

Life of the Party

Systems

Released

March 21, 2000

Developer

Looking Glass Studios

Publisher(s)

Eidos Interactive

Engine

Dark Engine

ESRB

t

How Long To Beat

20 Hours

Metascore

87

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Often forgotten, the Thief series is a bastion of the stealth genre, and Thief 2: The Metal Age introduced Life of a Party to remind people why it was the king of the era.

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The sheer amount of verticality, secrets, and length of the mission were nothing short of extraordinary. It executed a great concept, added depth to Thief’s universe, and became the type of reference developers would look at when thinking about how to create an excellent level.

As of today, Thief 2’s direct and spiritual successors have probably surpassed it, but what Life of a Party did to an entire generation of stealth fans is hard to fathom.

5 Prey

An Office With A View

The first contact with Arkane Studios’ Prey is one of those things in the gaming industry that makes you feel butterflies in your stomach, with the Talos I being a godlike environment for every kind of gameplay you can think of.

However, the introductory mission, An Office with a View, is suited for stealth because of something omnipresent during the entire campaign: fear of the unknown.

You take careful steps, peeking around every corner, trying to have an idea of what adversity looks like. After all, you have a few tools to deal with enemies, but you have even less information to do so.

In terms of reality, it’s a short trip to your office. In terms of sensations, it’s a demanding confrontation of outsider beings that may or may not even be there. Hiding not from things, but from feelings and ideas, is classic Arkane excellence.

4 Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

All Ghillied Up

Call of Duty was good until Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, when its name rose to a new level by bringing a multidimensional FPS experience to the table through experiences like All Ghillied Up.

With just a pair of snipers and ghillie suits, Lt. John Price and Captain MacMillan changed the pace of everything we knew so far about Call of Duty, being the first stealth-centric mission of the series.

Patience instead of adrenaline, crawling instead of running, thinking instead of shooting: All Ghillied Up was the antithesis of Call of Duty, and the gray Pripyat was the perfect setting for a task that demanded coolness and temper in exchange for an iconic memory.

3 Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus

Underground Train Station

You’re probably asking yourself why Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus, regarded as one of the best FPS games of the last couple of years, is doing on a stealth-focused list. The answer is the Underground Train Station.

You see, we expect a Wolfenstein game to be primarily about straight-up, head-on action, with tons of heavy weapons and an unholy amount of bullets to deal with hordes of enemies. But The New Colossus occasionally thinks otherwise.

Having the juggernaut B.J. Blazkowicz go through a full level of crouching around, using pistols with silencers, and overall avoiding direct contact is a subversion of expectations so well executed that it’s impossible not to be blown away.

Of course, in the end, you have your typical and massive shootouts with numerous Nazis, and robots, and Nazi robots, but before that, you have a memorable stealth sequence that fits perfectly right.

2 Dishonored

Lady Boyle’s Last Party

Dishonored masterfully took the baton of Thief thanks to its unbelievable level design, worldbuilding, and gameplay. However, Lady Boyle’s Last Party was there to seal the deal.

An immersive sim, a stealth game, and a puzzler all at once. Discovering the identity of your target involves having fun with the number of options you have at your disposal to execute it.

Who is the objective? How can you make it look like an accident? Where is the best exit to escape? What does this ambiance tell me about the decadence of society and the problems of inequity? Numerous questions, numerous answers.

The mission feels outstanding from the moment you see the duality of Boyle’s wealth and the weepers’ suburbs, reminding you how Dunwall fell apart as it did, or when everybody, including you, is using a mask to hide their true intentions. It’s a mechanical and narrative masterpiece.

1 Dishonored 2

The Clockwork Mansion

The Clockwork Mansion from Dishonored 2 was an obvious number one, and if you thought otherwise, well, quite simply, you’re wrong.

Many years have passed, and no single attempt has come close to achieving this kind of greatness. Kirin Jindosh’s house is packed with corridors, hatches, secrets, traps, entrances, exits, doors, guards, floors, levers, and mechanisms that… It’s impossible to comprehend.

So, becoming part of the mansion is the magic behind its proposal. Mastering its challenges is the final boss of stealth levels, and dominating it enough to remember every nook and cranny is the best stealth experience ever crafted.

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