Summary

• Dark fantasy worlds offer a majestic and atmospheric backdrop for fans of stealth games seeking immersive experiences.
• Shadwen's innovative time mechanic and level design make it a standout indie stealth title, despite some criticisms of its length.
• Gloomwood's throwback to classic stealth sims and focus on dread and horror make it a must-play for fans of the genre.

While sleuthing about up to the eyeballs with high-tech spy gadgets and a silenced pistol has its own thrill, sometimes it's good to get back to basics when it comes to stealth. Partly for this reason, dark fantasy worlds and those who crave shadowy hiding spaces are practically made for one another, and while there's an entire industry of game studios dedicated to sword and sorcery action, the stealth genre has cut its own slice from the darkly magical genre.

Not only are medieval-adjacent worlds spiced with magic more atmospheric and occasionally majestic to prowl than a government office complex or warehouse, but they also stoke the imagination and open up otherworldly possibilities that can reinvigorate the sneaking experience. While dark fantasy open-world games like The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim or Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines might provide options to fill a rogue or thief archetype, they can't compare to a game built from the ground up wholly dedicated to delivering pure stealth.

5 Shadwen

The Story Of A Compassionate Killer With Time On Her Side

• Platform(s): PC
• Released: 2016-05-17
• Developer: Frozenbyte
• Genre: Stealth, Adventure

Shadwen is an indie stealth game about an assassin on her way to kill the king. On her way, she encounters a helpless young girl, Lily. Shadwen must protect her both from the empathy-deficient thugs of the world and the child's innocence, as performing wetwork in front of Lily will change her perception of Shadwen and the course of the story. Shadwen may not have all the high-tech tools to help her overcome the odds. However, she does have a grappling hook (arguably the best stealth gadget) and the honed instincts and agility of an assassin.

Taking cues from another time-bending game, Superhot, in Shadwen, time moves when the player moves. This addresses the common issue of quicksaving and quickloading by allowing players to pause, rewind, and take their time to plan and execute, whether lethally or non-lethally, through the grimdark landscape. For an indie title, Shadwen pulls off some impressive feats with its level designs and its innovative approach to tackling savescumming (by seamlessly integrating it into the gameplay). However, some players have criticized it for its short length and escort-based mission gameplay.

4 Gloomwood

An Atmospheric Throwback To Classic Stealth Sims

• Platform(s): PC
• Released: 2022-09-06
• Developer: New Blood
• Genre: Stealth, Survival Horror

Stealth games are already an endangered genre, but the first-person stealth sim, a la Thief, is perhaps rarer still. Gloomwood stands out by drawing inspiration from classic stealth titles, incorporating low-res graphics and old-school stealth mechanics, such as light and noise detection. In Gloomwood, players assume the role of an unnamed doctor who finds themselves trapped in a grim and foreboding steampunk city. This Victorian-esque setting is rife with danger, populated by sinister streets, ruthless killers, and Lovecraftian abominations.

Gloomwood leans more into the "dark" side of dark fantasy, embracing an atmosphere of dread and tones of horror that make every combat encounter a potential nightmare. Players are armed with pistols, a sword cane, and other tools, but ammunition and resources are scarce, making embracing stealth a necessity. Gloomwood is a great alternative for those who have heard great things about classic stealth games like Thief but need the modern facelift to enjoy the experience.

3 St: Shards Of Darkness

A Hidden Gem Of Pure Stealth With An Unlikely Protagonist

• Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
• Released: 2017-03-14
• Developer: Cyanide Studio
• Genre: Stealth, Action Adventure

Even the highest-profile stealth games of the last decade or so have bent to the whims of the general gaming market, making sneaking more of a suggestion or an option playstyle. However, this is not the case for St: Shards of Darkness, which, like its underappreciated predecessor, Master of Shadows, brings back a forgotten pillar of stealth by insisting that the player adopt a "ghosting" approach to infiltration. Master of Shadows turns the usual "heroic slayer of night creatures" on its head by making its protagonist a goblin. Players are required to use their wits, perception of the environment, and memory to keep track of enemy patrols.

Although St is short in stature, his small frame allows him to slip into places that humans can't. St is crass and impish but defenseless out in the open (although he can upgrade his abilities via a skill tree and craft genuinely useful items to aid him on his quests), making him a love/hate personality for whom direct confrontations with sentries will not usually go well. For players who can accept these caveats, Shards of Darkness (and Master of Shadows) excels in offering challenging stealth sections, memorable and out-there lore, and rich worldbuilding.

2 Dishonored

The Exquisite Supernatural Steampunk Revenge Romp

• Platform(s): PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360
• Released: 2012-10-09
• Developer: Arkane Studios
• Genre: Action Adventure, Stealth

Although the Victorian, steampunk, magic-infused setting is hardly new to the stealth scene, Dishonored paints its vision of the city with an undeniable panache and style and with such detail that makes every nook and cranny of Dunwall feel authentically lived-in. As Corvo, the former royal bodyguard framed for the empress' murder, players must set out across the city to punish those who betrayed him, and between dealing with the true culprits responsible for the empress' demise, find rescue her daughter and restore the lineage of the throne.

Corvo is granted access to powerful arcane abilities from a supernatural entity sympathetic to his aims, including teleportation, possession, time manipulation, and force push powers, which turn Corvo into a master spellcasting assassin by the end of the game. Both stealth and combat are viable in each mission, which works both an advantage and a drawback, as it forces stealth-focused players to forgo some extremely fun combat gameplay completely but also makes it so that they never have to truly master the shadowy arts (in favor of steamrolling each patrol) if they don't want to.

1 Thief 2: The Metal Age

An Ingenius Relic Of A Forgotten Era

• Platform(s): PC
• Released: 2000-03-21
• Developer: Looking Glass Studios
• Genre: Action Adventure, Stealth

There is a reason that Thief 2 is often touted as one of the genre's greatest works. For the uninitiated, the Thief series takes place in a dark world infused with unworldly magic and steampunk elements (hence, The "Metal" Age). After trimming down the fat and jagged edges of the original and laying down some masterful level design, Looking Glass Studios delivered a refined first-person stealth simulation with sublime sound design and atmosphere. Although scraps of the enchanted and arcane exist in Thief 2's world, Garret, the titular thief, only has his skills, tools, and sensitivity to light and sound to rely on.

Thief 2 demonstrates a level of restraint that has been lost in modern stealth games. Fighting back against the guards with a sword is practically useless, making going unseen the only viable approach. Players have to use their wits, senses, and patience to complete each job with their hide intact, but the challenges thrown at the player are always fair, and there is plenty of room for experimentation and exploration, thanks to each level's multiple routes and Garret's equipment.