Many fantastic games were released during the PS3 era of gaming, from blockbusters like Grand Theft Auto V to critically acclaimed titles such as The Last Of Us and Portal 2. Plenty of popular game series today were envisioned or rose to prominence in that time, so it stands to reason that a fair share of excellent stealth games came out on the platform.
Whether players are sniping enemies from afar or getting up close and personal, sneaking through the foliage or hanging from the rafters, blending in with their surroundings or using magic to their advantage, there is no shortage of rewarding and exciting stealth mechanics to get stuck in with. Here are the best stealth games on PS3, ranked.
8 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
Despite not typically being thought of as a stealth game, Skyrim provides plenty of different builds to experiment with, and becoming a light-footed thief or a shadowy assassin are just a few of the many options players have available to them.
Players can level up their sneak skill, use archery to slow down time and surgically take out their enemies, or benefit from doing increased damage to opponents by backstabbing them or striking while they sleep. There are even dedicated questlines associated with becoming a stealthy character, like the Dark Brotherhood and Thieves Guild, and unique enchanted gear which is some of the best in the game. Overall, there is lots of fun to be had playing stealthily in Skyrim.
7 Hitman: Absolution
While not known as the best entry in the series, Hitman: Absolution is nonetheless a great stealth game. It lets players eliminate their targets in unique and sometimes hilarious ways, with multiple approaches to every obstacle.
Players could equip a disguise to bypass security and enter restricted areas, or distract nearby guards to either sneak past unnoticed or take them down and hide their bodies. If all goes wrong, players can always resort to 47’s trusty silverballer to finish the job in a ruthless, and messy, fashion. With lots of variety and replayability, Hitman: Absolution remains a fun and rewarding venture into the shoes of a professional assassin.
6 Sniper Elite V2
For those seeking a brutally satisfying sniper game, Sniper Elite V2 is an ideal choice. Dropped behind enemy lines and in the middle of a warzone, players must use stealth to find a beneficial vantage point, line up their shot, and eliminate their target with perfect execution.
Being heard or spotted will inevitably send a whole platoon of hostiles the player’s way, so taking out enemies silently or using ambient sounds to mask gunshots is essential to the player’s success. Each time a shot finds its mark, the player will be rewarded with a visceral kill cam showing exactly what bones were broken and what organs were punctured. As sniper games go, it doesn’t get more satisfying than that.
5 Batman: Arkham City
Following on from its critically acclaimed predecessor, Arkham City brings the best of Arkham Asylum’s stealth mechanics to an open world. With certain thugs brandishing deadly assault rifles, and a bunch of different ways to take down these troublesome enemies, players can strike from the shadows and feel like a true dark knight.
Sneaking through vents, swinging between vantage points, and deploying smoke pellets all help to mask the caped crusader’s movement, allowing players to dispatch their opponents one by one and inspire fear in those who remain. With a nice mix of stealth and combat, Arkham City switches up the pace and even requires players to deploy their stealth abilities during certain boss battles.
4 The Last Of Us
In a post-apocalyptic America, nowhere is safe, and both the infected and humans will pose dangerous challenges to Joel and Ellie. Enemies include Runners, more conventional zombie types, and Clickers, who are even more deadly and can kill the player in one hit. Humans are smart, armed, and will react to the player, who themselves have a limited amount of ammo to deal with threats.
All of this creates an environment where stealth is paramount, with one small mistake making all the difference between survival and horrible death. This tense atmosphere and dilapidated landscape makes The Last Of Us one of the most engaging stealth games out there, which is only elevated by the phenomenal story and characters.
3 Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
A pioneer of the genre, the Metal Gear series has developed over a dozen stealth titles alone. One of the most recent and highly acclaimed entries is Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. With reactive enemies and complex environmental opportunities, it is easy to see why.
Weather and climate conditions such as rain or sandstorms will help cover the sound of the player’s footsteps, whereas the dark will reduce visibility in a way that daytime doesn’t. Guards will change shifts, and objects like trucks can present useful distraction opportunities. There are endless weapons and gadgets players can utilize, and with such a highly dynamic and in-depth stealth system, players will not be disappointed by the options available to them.
2 Assassin's Creed 2
A significant expansion to the original, Assassin's Creed II serves as the base for the series that continues today. Free running across the rooftops of Italy gives players the height advantage, and enables them to pounce on unsuspecting enemies, or make a quick getaway from a dangerous fight.
Ezio can also interact with the environment, bribing prostitutes to distract guards, blending into the crowd, or pulling a sentry into a haystack to hide his body. Let’s not forget the iconic hidden blades that allow players to seamlessly eliminate targets while remaining undetected. It all adds up to make a smooth and cinematic stealth experience.
1 Dishonored
Dishonored elevates the possibilities of stealth to a whole new level. Not only are there multiple different pathways to bypass every obstacle and accomplish every objective, but the magical abilities players get a hold of can result in tons of unique movement and action combos.
Players might slow time to fire 10 different crossbow bolts and watch as they hit their marks all at the same time, or they may teleport across a roof and drop assassinate a troublesome guard, or they could possess a rat and sneak past security completely unnoticed. The possibilities are endless - there is even an option to complete the entire game without killing a single soul. Dishonored is therefore the ultimate game for seasoned stealth players.
