While many games throw players into combat scenarios where they have to take down their opponent in intense action sequences or turn-based battles, some decide to put a special emphasis on stealth. This encourages patience and hiding from enemies to gain an advantage over them.
A lot of modern-day stealth classics are usually presented in 3D, meaning players can move around and use skills that take advantage of a 3D space. But there are also plenty of 2D stealth games that have great mechanics despite the seemingly limited nature of being stuck in one less dimension.
7 Serial Cleaner
Most of the time, players will be taking on the role of the person that is fighting other people. However, Serial Cleaner turns that on its head and has players in the shoes of a cleaner tasked with cleaning up the mess left behind by other criminals.
A top-down 2D stealth action game, players must run into a scene and clean up as much evidence as they can. That includes getting rid of blood stains and hiding bodies. The goal is to make sure that the cleaner is not caught nor do the cops find any of the evidence that was originally lying around.
6 Deadbolt
Being as stealthy as possible may not always be completely necessary in stealth games as there may be some risks that the player can take. However, there are games like Deadbolt that make it nearly impossible to play fast and loose. That's because the key to this game is that players will die in one hit.
The game features over 25 missions where players take on the role of a reaper looking to combat the rise of the undead. There is a large arsenal for the reaper to carry on them, from simple melee weapons to extreme explosives. There are also plenty of additional objectives for each mission, including taking down additional targets.
5 Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine
Stealth games typically are played in single-player since it is hard enough to get one person to focus on staying quiet and achieving their goal quietly. However, Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine is a delightful co-op game that is all about working together to pull off heists.
Up to four players can work together to set up and execute the perfect crime. The key to the game is that there are a variety of different classes that can be chosen when jumping into a mission. This includes being a Pickpocket to a Hacker, with plenty of roles that will determine how a unit will take on a heist.
4 Gunpoint
Having full control of the surrounding area and understanding everything that is happening is key to being successfully stealthy. Gunpoint moves away from the action element of many stealth games to give players control over everything that happens on a level.
A 2D puzzler, players will be presented with a variety of different rooms and all the wiring that makes the various objects in the room function. The goal is to rewire each level to have it work perfectly in the favor of the main character, a spy who is hired to steal data from these facilities.
3 Planet Of Lana
Sometimes, stealth is a character's only option. Take Lana in Planet of Lana, who is a child looking to find her sister after she had been kidnapped along with other humans by mysterious robots that seemingly came from nowhere. The game centers around Lana navigating scenarios where robots could catch her walking around.
Lana isn't alone in her journey as she is joined by Mui, a cat-like creature who has powers that can help Lana overcome obstacles. However, this creature must also be protected at all costs, leading to scenarios where players will need to use both characters while also looking to prevent either from being caught.
2 Inside
Widely considered one of the best 2D puzzle platformers ever made, Inside is known for its excellent level design and eerie aesthetic. However, it is also a game that leans heavily into stealth mechanics, with the main character looking to avoid being caught by authority.
As a young boy, players must navigate a world where any false move will get them caught. During the journey, the boy will stumble into a facility that is being guarded by both humans and machines. There are numerous puzzles throughout Inside that involve avoiding being caught.
1 Mark Of The Ninja
The ultimate 2D stealth game is none other than Mark of the Ninja, a game that was initially released on Xbox Live Arcade and Windows before being brought to many other platforms years later when it was remastered. Developed by Klei Entertainment, the game focuses on a ninja who is confronted with a fate of falling into madness.
The central gameplay of the game focuses on the ninja going on missions to get revenge on a private military company known as the Hessian. Players can take on many approaches to each mission they go on, including being able to take on optional challenges to earn more rewards.