When players think of stealth, they often associate it with mission-based games that offer limited exploration opportunities. Nevertheless, in recent times, this misconception has been dispelled, as various open-world games have enthusiastically incorporated stealth gameplay.

Since that time, the collection of open-world stealth games has significantly grown, leaving gamers contemplating which one offers the supreme selection for those in search of a shadow-centric open-world adventure.

1. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands

In the game "Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands," players can immerse themselves in a captivating blend of intense gun battles and stealthy gameplay. By designing their personalized Ghost character, gamers have the freedom to adopt diverse playstyles, and a considerable number prefer a covert approach, tactically utilizing cover to take their targets by surprise. Bolivia's vast open world beckons, enticing players to explore its diverse landscapes on land, air, and water.

Ghost Recon Wildlands
Ghost Recon Wildlands

2. Watch Dogs 2

In Watch Dogs 2, players step into the shoes of Marcus in the vibrant city of San Francisco, where hacking skills take center stage. Unlike typical hackers who prefer to blend in with the crowd, Marcus uses his hacking prowess to inflict damage while remaining inconspicuous. Throughout the game, players are presented with numerous opportunities to put their hacking skills and advanced gadgets to the test, whether for main story missions or aiding the city's inhabitants.

3. Horizon: Forbidden West

Horizon: Forbidden West doesn't primarily fall under the stealth game category, but it grants players the freedom to adopt their preferred playstyle by offering diverse skill trees with various abilities to choose from.

Playing as the skilled hunter, Aloy, players can easily conceal themselves in tall grass to evade both human foes and mechanical adversaries. Striking from hidden vantage points and then retreating back into the foliage adds an exciting dimension to the gameplay. Navigating the vast and captivating world of the western horizon requires players to familiarize themselves with the surroundings to effectively employ stealth tactics.

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Forbidden West

4. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided may not boast the largest open-world in this list, but it compensates with an incredible cyberpunk city ripe for exploration, with players taking on the role of Adam Jensen, a Covert Operative. In a world where his kind is despised, Adam must navigate through challenges while unraveling the city's greatest mysteries.

The game offers various approaches to tackle situations, urging players to utilize stealth to gather information and take enemies by surprise in the dystopian setting of the year 2029.

5. Dishonored 2

Dishonored 2 allows players to venture into interconnected areas of the map, forming the city of Karnaca, even though it may not be a fully open-world experience like other titles. The game's gritty and gloomy ambiance complements the stealth gameplay, where players' choices can significantly impact their ending.

The diverse abilities that players can unlock for Corvo or Emily add depth to the gameplay, empowering them to become lethal assassins of the Shadows by skillfully utilizing the gifts bestowed upon them by the Outsider.

Game Informer Cover Dishonored
Dishonored 2

6. Alien Isolation

Alien isolation is visually very beautiful and detailed, it has an excellent atmosphere, and a fantastic sound design, intensifying the moments of dread and suspense. In the plot, you find yourself in the role of engineer Amanda Ripley, daughter of Ellen Ripley, the protagonist in the classic 1979 film “Alien”, missing since the incident of the Nostromo spaceship.

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Alien Isolation

The story starts out when Amanda seizes an opportunity that could result in important clues to discovering her mother's whereabouts. However, she instead finds herself trapped in the enormous space station Sevastopol, with a killer Alien roaming around the area. With survival as the main objective, You will have few resources at your disposal, relying on distraction, stealth, and strategy. And while you can find weapons that could help you deal with the enemies you may find, caution is advised, as combat noises will attract a much more dangerous foe, and your weapons will be useless against it.

7. Hitman 3

The Hitman trilogy is one of the best immersive sims you'll ever have the pleasure of playing. It puts players into the shoes of Agent 47 on a journey all over the globe, where you assassinate targets in ways you can't imagine. Hitman 3 contains both the maps of the first two games - it is fun, addictive, and has a huge replay value.

Hitman 3

The best part of Hitman 3 is the available ways that you can kill your targets. The disguise system is Hitman's bread and butter, its core gameplay mechanic. As agent 47 the perfect human, you can take on several disguises in all the levels to allow you to take out your targets in easier or more interesting ways.

8. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

In this vast open-world setting, players face the challenge of navigating across the map while skillfully avoiding enemies, adding an extra layer of complexity to the stealth element of the game. You can approach missions in any way you want, either stealth or guns blazing, either call a helicopter for support or snipe from afar, either send your companion in or go in a vehicle or tank, anything is possible in terms of gameplay.

Well, even in this state, the game is a lot of fun to play, having probably THE BEST stealth open-world gameplay ever made.

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The Phantom Pain

>>> Read more: The Best Cyberpunk Games To Play In 2023