Highlights
- Ubisoft may benefit from announcing a Splinter Cell prequel, following the trend of prequels in summer game presentations.
- Some stealth franchises, like Sniper Elite and Batman , have successful prequels that enhance their storylines and gameplay.
- Games like Deus Ex and Metal Gear Solid have successfully used prequels to explore character origins and add new gameplay mechanics.
At the Ubisoft event, fans were crossing their fingers for a Splinter Cell game, but it did not happen. At this point, it may be better for Ubisoft to announce a prequel to the beloved stealth franchise that is Splinter Cell, as there were many prequels announced during the Summer Game Fest lineup of online presentations. Dynasty Warriors Origins and Gears of War: E-Day are two examples.
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Those aren’t stealth games though, and while there has never been a Splinter Cell prequel, these other stealth franchises have had them. Some of them are even from Ubisoft. With that in mind, we'll take a look at these stealth game prequels that have help flesh out their respective franchises.
5 Sniper Elite 3
Taking Down Nazis In Style
Sniper Elite 3
- Developer(s)
- Rebellion Developments
- Publisher(s)
- Rebellion Developments
- Genre(s)
- Stealth , Third-Person Shooter
- Metacritic Score: 71
Sniper Elite 3 takes place three years before Sniper Elite V2, and it still stars expert sniper Karl Fairburne. This time he is fighting the Nazis in Africa, which is rare to see in a World War 2 game or other media, besides some homages in the Indiana Jones series. Expect to traverse a lot of desert terrain to line up the perfect shot.
This game won’t reveal much new about Fairburne's character, but the change of venue was nice for a prequel. As is the case for most Sniper Elite games, players have the choice of going in loud or taking enemies down from afar. It’s always satisfying to see a bullet explode through a zoomed-in shot of someone’s skull or stomach, similar to the thrill players can get from an X-Ray ability in a Mortal Kombat game. Players can also stealthily go up close and personal for some silenced kills.
4 Batman: Arkham Origins
It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Bat-mas
Batman: Arkham Origins
- Platform(s)
- PS3 , Xbox 360 , PC , Nintendo Wii U
- Released
- October 25, 2013
- Developer(s)
- WB Games Montreal
- Publisher(s)
- Warner Bros. Interactive
- Metacritic Score: 76
Batman: Arkham Origins is technically not part of the Arkham series, as it wasn’t made by Rocksteady and is rarely acknowledged in collections. It’s unfair, because WB Games Montreal did a good job of establishing a younger Batman working toward the peak of his crime-fighting career, and he does make mistakes as a result. The game takes place on Christmas Eve, a rare example of a game being set around Christmas.
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Black Mask hires a bunch of assassins to kill Batman, including Firefly, Bane, and Deadshot, which all leads to some great boss battles. Like the main Arkham games, Batman doesn't stand a chance against heavy artillery or large enemy numbers. That’s why stealth is his best friend. From descending from the rafters to jumping out of the shadows, Batman uses his surroundings to beat the odds time and time again.
3 Tenchu 2: Birth Of The Stealth Assassins
Two Ninjas For Twice The Fun
Tenchu 2: Birth of the Stealth Assassins
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 2
- Released
- August 8, 2000
- Developer(s)
- Acquire
- Publisher(s)
- Acquire
- Metacritic Score: 77
Tenchu 2: Birth of the Stealth Assassins was the first follow-up game in the series after Tenchu: Stealth Assassins. It was odd, then, for the developers to go directly into a prequel instead of a true sequel, especially since it only takes place four years before the original’s setting. There are reasons though, as the ending sort of put a cap on Rikimaru and Ayame, and it was almost necessary to create either a prequel or a new set of characters to follow in a direct sequel.
Story spoilers aside, the ninja gameplay was more refined in this prequel. Both ninjas could be equipped with various ninja tools to help with their assassination attempts, from smoke bombs to grappling hooks. It is a bit clunky by today’s standards as a PS1 game, but it is still a solid entry in the stealth genre. Maybe one day it can be revisited in a remake or remaster.
2 Deus Ex: Human Revolution
The Future Is Painted In Gold And Black
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
- Platform(s)
- PS3 , Xbox 360 , Nintendo Wii U , PC
- Released
- August 23, 2011
- Developer(s)
- Eidos Montreal
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
- Metacritic Score: 90
Deus Ex: Human Revolution was both a reboot and a prequel, as it had been some time since the last game came out. The hero was still Adam Jensen, but this game took place 27 years before the original Deus Ex, in the year 2052. It had the Star Wars prequel effect, in that everything was shiny and new despite it taking place in the past.
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Players could equip Jensen with all kinds of cybernetics to create different playstyles and open up new paths in the game. He could have blades in his arms or increased strength to take enemies head-on. Players could also go the stealth route by unlocking hacking skills, cloaking, and lockpicking. It’s great when stealth games allow for multiple approach routes, as it helps cater to many types of players.
1 Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Big Boss’ Harrowing Origins
- Metacritic Score: 94
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater was the first game in the series to dial back the clock to focus on Big Boss. The game was so successful that three more major titles would be released starring Big Boss including Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, and Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, along with a prequel title to that game in Ground Zeroes. Hideo Kojima and his team wanted to show how such a celebrated war hero could become a jaded villain by the start of the original Metal Gear. Most fans would probably argue that they were successful in their storytelling, as wacky as it got at times.
Prequel story aside, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater stands out as a great stealth game because of its experimental gameplay. Big Boss, or Naked Snake at this time, did not have shadows to hide in. Instead, players could equip various camouflage paints and costumes to blend in with trees, grass, mud, and so on. It will be interesting to see if the remake, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, expands upon any of these ideas.
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