Stealth Games Are Getting Old
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- čas přidán 15. 06. 2024
- Stealth games as a genre used to be one of the most popular types of video game to be released. And more recently that genre seems to be at an all time low. So what happened? Are stealth games getting old?
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🎬 CHAPTERS 🎬
0:00 What Happened to Stealth Games?
1:59 Where It All Started
4:30 Expanding Your Options
7:59 Hitting The Mainstream
10:52 Blurring The Line
13:00 What Makes a Good Stealth Game?
19:54 The Problem With Modern Stealth
23:08 Thanks For Watching
📌 TAGS 📌
#StealthGames
#MetalGearSolid
#StealthGaming - Hry
I am a big sucker for immersive sim stealth games like the Thief series and Dishonoured. Sadly those games are quite few and far between as they are unprofitable. It is somewhat of a niche market and the nonlinearity and deep lore makes developing it harder. But still in my heart I thank all the previous games and pray for more of them.
Immersive Sim is my favorite genre. I hope more devs can continue to make them, because when they're done well, nothing can beat them in terms of fun and replayability.
While I would love it if I could say I was sure you people were aware of Weird West, I can't, because it wasn't exactly Elden Ring. In fact, it was an immersive sim with the gall to release in the same yearly quarter as Elden Ring!
I can't comment on its quality, as while I own it, I have yet to play it. But it's an immersive sim with an interesting setting with minds behind the likes of Dishonored involved in its creation.
@@Lextorias hey if you dont mind me asking blacklist also gave you a lot of options so l dont think its a bad stealth game
@@amcname8789 tysm for the recommendation, I'll check it out now
You should try Styx master of shadows feels like third person dishonerd
I remember watching that clip of Sam Fisher referencing Solid Snake on YT, the way he says, "it's only me" I find genuinely haunting, and sad.
Because I was a young man who just left school when MGS1 and splinter cell released a few years apart from each other...
and now that's all over, that era/genre is over :/
I played MGS1 in high school. I was sick and binged it over the course of a week. Probably one of my fondest gaming experiences. I've never fully played a Splinter Cell game and yet that Sam clip still gets me whenever I watch it. It's like I can hear the devs themselves saying it. The end of an era, and it just went out with a whimper.
"That genre is over" dude, there are plenty of indie stealth games, hell your a metal gear solid fan so here's one for you: covert critter.
What game is that clip even from? The used the wrong voice actor in Blacklist, and that clip doesn't look old enough to be from any of the other games.
@@ThisJustIn1516 from a mission in ghost recon
@@mr_indie_fan They probably mean the era of AAA stealth games. Absolutely nothing wrong with indies, but some people don’t jive with them.
I've never played Splinter Cell nor Metal Gear, but that video of the guy saying "So, it's only me" hits me each time.
You never played Metal Gear? It is a shame.
You never played splinter cell? Such a shame
@Nimbereth kept ya waiting huh ?
A recommendation for a future video: the decline of HORROR GAMES. They're suffering the same problem as stealth games -- titles are now oversaturated with as many gameplay mechanics as possible that genres are blurring together, like you said, and a lot of niche games genres (like stealth and horror) are losing their identity. I haven't played a good horror game in a while so maybe I'm behind on the times but that was my first thought when you started this video. For example, Dead Space 2 is arguably one of the best horror games of all time and Dead Space 3 was just another un-scary action game trying to be everything to everyone.
And that's one of the main problems with games now...it's either 1.) everyone is trying to go the live service route and convince you that cosmetic upgrades and slight gameplay variations with each repetitive event is both innovative and interesting, or 2.) AAA game releases are now trying to encompass as many elements from as many genres as possible that at times games seem unfinished, unpolished, or outright broken (I love Elden Ring too, but it falls in this category).
Again, love your stuff and your humor. Thanks man!
Horror games is a good idea for a video. I think I'd want to take some different angle though. I had a bunch of ideas to talk about different genres, but the problem is very similar for most of them, being the one I describe at the end of this video. So with videos on other genres/games I'd want to do something different than just talking about them blending together like I did here.
The live-service and shady monetization is a good angle, possibly for series like Fallout as well as Dead Space 3. I'll definitely be writing that down. And a video on games like Cyberpunk and the rush to include so many things that it leaves the game unfinished is another good idea I got from your comment. I think for horror games I'd need to brainstorm something unique about them to talk about. Thanks for the suggestion!
Yeah. The best horror game I have played in five years is Omori. I really haven't been interested in horror for a while, largely due to most new "horror" games abandoning their roots.
There is hope dead space remake looks promising, Callisto protocol looks good and System Shock 1 remake is on the way.
Says a lot that the big names in the horror industry (Capcom and Konami) are remaking old titles
So glad I found your channel, you’re criminally underrated!!
Thank you!
Agree, third banger in a row now
Stealth channel
@@Lextorias What are your thoughts on the stealth mechanics of all 4 Batman Arkham Games?
@@etabiansosin they're pretty intentionally minimal, but effective. probably one of the clearest examples of the puzzle element of stealth
I'm amazed that you didn't mention the Batman Arkham games, especially Arkham Asylum where the relative small levels, enemy placements and tools at your disposal can give you a ton of creative options for stealth. I'm aware that AA is not strictly a stealth game, but the stealth is so engaging that you WANT to remain undetected.
but he did mention Asylum as a game with plenty of stealth elements
It makes sense for Batman to be sneaky in the predator sections too as all of the enemies have guns, he only ever fights directly if he's certain he can take them all on
@@Garland846 when I played batman punched everyone he possibly could no matter the odds.
@@wesleywyndam-pryce5305except for predator sections because he dies in a few shots
Not to mention, the stealth-parts in the Arkham games have a TON of depth. The enemies become increasingly-erratic, they adapt to your tactics, new elements are introduced that negate your X-ray vision or remove your vantage-points.
You nailed it by describing stealth games as a type of puzzle game. I didn't pick up on it myself until the recent Hitman trilogy. Sure, it has crouching and a detection meter, but that alone is rarely enough to succeed. And like puzzle games, a stealth game oftentimes has a brute force solution, but it isn't as satisfying, or it outright punishes you for not finding a solution. Games with "stealth mechanics" usually miss that and the worst that happens is you get forced into an action sequence that was just one of the other game mechanics.
Splinter Cell and MGS are far less puzzle games than Hitman. Hitman annoyed me because I tried to play it like a stealth game and you just can't. Key example for me is in MGS and SC you can turn all the hud elements off and still get through. Hitman has random enemies that spot you in whatever disguise you're currently wearing. I kept getting to a point of "Okay, how do the devs want me to do this, because I can't do it how I want." Or whatever challenges there were, where you had to learn their full routes and timing triggers to push someone onto someone else or something.
Hitman also frankly has pretty piss-poor combat because they don't want you doing that. Splinter Cell did that too for some of the earlier games and it sucked.
@@JZStudiosonline Part of why I love Thief 2 so much is because it has kind of a sandbox approach that allows you to handle problems in ways the devs may never even have thought of
@@JZStudiosonline I prefer to think of stealth games as a form of problem solving than puzzle games because you have more than 1 way of solving a problem, while puzzle games only have one answer to a problem.
@@iswitchedsidesforthiscat That's not inherently true, I just played a puzzle game and had some different solutions than what was shown in guides. But for later puzzles I think it only had 1 option and you had to figure out which of the 16 starting options was the correct one.
I'm still going to say Hitman is a puzzle game. You have to do events in a pre-defined order. They give some options that don't really matter, but tie progression to challenges that require brute force methods, and the AI walk in loops to facilitate the linear puzzle aspect. For example, in one mission you have to know the enemy AI pathing and timing to push one character on top of another character to kill both. Didn't like Hitman much.
Every game is essentially a puzzle game. And people tend to watch videos about how to beat a levels, so it comes off as easy.
My advice when playing games avoid watching other people play for as long as possible.
That way you sneak around not knowing which is the surest way to not get caugh.
Alien Isolation is the most intense stealth game I've played for sure,easily my favourite too.
If I wasn’t a scared little baby I would love that game so much more
@@Lextorias isnt that the point haha
@@Pixelblut Well yeah, but some people would rather not bother
You have to try it Alien Isolation in VR. One of the best VR experiences I've had
@@Skrenja but only if your cool with having a heart attack tho
So glad you mentioned StealthGamerBR. Soon as this video started I was thinking about them. They’re the reason I started playing the Hitman games
You're on your way from being a youtube boy to becoming a big youtube MAN.
Glad to have been here from the start.
A big problem I have with the evolution of the stealth genre is that it started out that you were the weak guy who needed to sneak around because you couldn't fight anyone directly. But as it evolved, now you're the super killer, and the reason why you do stealth is to murder as many people as you can without anyone noticing you're there.
Outlast vs. Far Cry
I know the Tenchu series was probably a little bit too far before your time but it is the best example of a good stealth game in my opinion. I tend to stay away from stealth games that have guns just because they usually end up just being a sniper simulation for me. Everything you said about Ghost of Tsushima, Tenchu pioneered.
Man the videos you make are just so good in quality to be honest.
Kudos to the dedication!
Thank you! I appreciate it
As someone who grew up playing Stealth games as their favorite genre of game (Hitman Blood Money, Splinter Cell Chaos Theory and MGS 3 being some of my favorite games of all time), I appreciate the effort you put into this video
Oh God. Chaos Theory is one of my favorite games of all time.
Splinter Cell never got as in depth mechanically as Hitman or MGS, but Chaos Theory has stuck with me for so long. The dynamic lighting and noise systems is the combo I've needed and missed for so long in the genre.
All these other mechanics are nice, but those are the 2 that really make me feel immersed when I'm trying to be a ninja
I felt the same way whenever I try the "stealth" route in modern games but couldn't really describe why I found them so unsatisfying...this was a very useful video.
Well constructed, well paced and interesting content. Good video
Thanks!
This actually really inspired me. What if a new passionately dedicated stealth game comes out in the future? I'd be so happy
As long as people enjoy video games there’s going to be passionate devs making good ones. Someone who loves stealth could make something amazing with our current tech. I just hope they get the support and resources they need to make it, like Kojima got with MGS1.
This channel is going to blow up. Great presentation. Great scripting. Intelligent commentary... good job brotha... can't wait to take this ride with u.
First 2 Minutes were really captivating, very unique, nice.
Thanks! I put a lot of work in, so I’m glad you liked it :)
Green screen video essays are the superior format! Actually getting to see a youtubers personality through their mannerisms and body language makes the video watching experience much more personal! Keep the format!
Thank you! I like the format a lot, and I'm glad its enjoyable to watch.
Yeah I didn't realize how much potential it had until I saw NakeyJakeys videos, but now I think everybody should do it if they want to. It just makes the video grab your attention more like you're giving a ted talk or something lol.
He was my main inspiration lol
Bro the jump in quality is immaculate. Keep up the good work man!
Tenchu and Shinobido on PS2 had a lot of the satisfying stealth kills, including that wall and door kills.
i've been binging your videos and holy shit you're script writing is amazing, it's been awhile since i've genuinely been so captivated by video game related video essays. please continue keeping up the amazing work
This was an awesome analysis. Thanks for taking the time to make this. Loved it! Looking forward to your future videos.
My issues is that they are more immersion breaking than most other genres: Like you become invisible in a shadow everyone should be able to see. Guards are basically blind and hearing disabled and have a memory of 30 seconds. But I can see though walls.
Suspension of disbelief. COD also has you be a one-man army and regenerate from a million bullets. Where are your complaints about that?
Yo, your vocal presentation is amazing. I’ve done theatre and your pronunciation is great.
Also, Splinter Cell Blacklist was actually a good game, man… I remember hating Conviction because it was more action focused while Blacklist went back to giving you gadgets and tools to be stealthy. It allowed action, like Dishonored, but had many tools for stealth gameplay, again, like Dishonored.
You should definitely check it out if it goes on sale. It was a gem that was overlooked because the one before it sucked.
This was a really good video man, very well paced, edited and you articulated your points really well.
10:29 : that metaphor was so nice, felt like poetry, your writing is really good in these videos
What a great video. Finally some true love for the stealth genre. You have earned a sub. I look forward to watching the rest of your videos and your upcoming ones as well.
Your videos are absolutely incredible man i really enjoyed this
Dude it’s like way early in the morning I’ve been up all night and your video just started auto playing and man I cannot believe how little likes you have gotten for such a well put together and edited video this was keep it up man you have got yourself a new subscriber
Bruh you present your vids like you’re spitting straight fire 🔥 keep it up 🤙
Really glad I found your videos and channel you're most definitely underrated and I'm sure you'll blow up looking forward to your next videos!
Hey! You're doing great! Keep it up dude.
great video! keep up the good work!
Well written and performed. Glad I subbed
Binge-watching all your videos right now.
Love the humor!
I just found your channel and I'm glad this video is the one that popped up! I really love stealth games so thank you for showing the decline in stealth games because maybe it will inspire some dev to make a good one!
I'm so glad to find this channel
Wow great production and great voice this channel has potential
Great video! The message for the industry is really one I wish they‘d take to heart.
(Side note: I think you understated Thiefs influence though, when mentioning only metal gear solid as the main influence of splinter cell‘s, and Deus Ex‘s stealth, and putting it in the same category, influence and depth wise, with the original metal gears and castle wolfenstein, when at least in my opinion it fits not just chronologically, but also in the previous categories more into the group with Tenchu, and Metal Gear Solid…)
Thief set the standard for stealth games .
MGS is frequently mentioned as a stealth game, but its really just as hybrid as anything else on his list.
Recently tried out Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes just to dabble in Stealth games for a bit and god damn, the atmosphere, graphics and overall immersiveness were insane. Like, contextual stuff guards are talking about, different finishers when hiding and just overall feel. Really cool!
Found your channel from the open world video in my recommended. Subscribed. Rung the bells. Watching all your videos. Keep up the great work.
Bro your punchlines got me in stitches haha. On top of that I'm also gaining knowledge on gaming history. All in all great formula!
Solid piece of analytics. Well presented. Thank you.
Bro you deserve so many more views, just gained a new sub!
Very underrated video and channel btw. I feel like you're going to blow sometime next year, keep grindin.
Loved your open world video, and this one is no different. Keep it up, man. You got a good thing going.
That means a lot. Thank you!
Could have earlier games too, but when you mentioned Siren as adding stealth to horror, my brain went to Clock Tower for the Snes/Super Famicom.
The interactivity was very point n' click puzzle game, but the premise and main mechanic was a tiny yet invincible man with giant scissors chasing you around and popping up out of nowhere to get you, forcing you to hide, run away, and find ways to all around not die.
I understand that you cannot talk about every single stealth game, but one of the bigger franchises that keeps the genre alive to me is the "Sniper Elite" series. To me they stand shoulder to shoulder with the new Hitman Trilogy
Just subbed yesterday, and loving all the videos!!
Great video! Really well done.
great vid keep the good work up!
Glad i subscribed, love stealth games
The algorithm just recommended this video to me and I loved it! You're writing, pacing, delivery, and editing are very cohesive and mesh together really well. You definitely deserve more subs.
I feel like the merging of stealth and action in big games is partly due to both's ties to combat as a central mechanic. In metro exodus for example, I like roleplaying by going the sneaky routes, but it's not as engaging as other titles such as the old school metal gear solids.
One "stealth" game I do love though that has no combat is The Marvelous Miss Take. It's a small, top down, heist game from a few years ago where you sneak around and steal some art. Simple as that. It's got engaging mechanics and no gruffy edgy male protag haha.
I definitely hope that one day, we get a game for the stealth genre that does what Disco Elysium did for the RPG scene.
Hey great video! Nice voice and i really liked the format with you in the screen!!
I found your open world game video assay. Your scripts are so well constructed. You know these games so in depth (those that you know at least) and yet you look like you have a life!
I’m glad I look presentable, because I indeed have no life whatsoever.
@@Lextorias you sacrificed your life to games now I do the same in the form of lextorias marathons
Great video and channel. I'm sure you gonna get to 100k real soon.
1:06 Like you said, I don't think it was an option. When I check the game card on consoles it labels stealth games like: MGSV: TPP, SC: Blacklist as "Action & Adventure"(Unlike PC stores like steam). Some of those games bought in the action and adventure genres may have been stealth titles.
I'm unsure if this study was done on consoles only, pc only, or combined and I know stealth is less popular today but, c'mon.
i agree i miss the old true stealth games. lol great video man # subed keep it up bro
Great video bro!
Not a bad video found it posted in discord, first time seeing the channel. So glad you at least mentioned Thief: the dark project! Would've liked for you to cover a bit more with it, mainly just how important sound is to the stealth genre as a whole! Thief's whole design is based around this. Think I'll give the Hitman series a look thanks to this video. Might as well give that open world video a look too. Thank you for the video. 🤝
Love the video and your channel man
Really solid and thought-out video! For all that the stealth genre has done for gaming, it's an absolute shame to see it in its current state; especially now that the tech exists to really do it justice.
While it falls outside the scope of what you wanted to focus on, one of the best stealth games I've played in a long time was Mark of the Ninja from a few years back. It manages to bring much of the depth of a proper stealth game (managing noise levels, light level, enemy line of sight/cone of sight, learning patrols and hiding bodies) into a 2D side-scroller way better than I expected, and really makes you feel like a badass for pulling off clean no kill/no alert runs of levels. While most big studios seem content with lower-hanging fruit these days, there are definitely still some small ones looking to keep stealth alive.
I second MotN
damn these videos are so good, CZcams waited too long to put you in my recommendations lol
Just found this channel after watching your video on horror. Think I'm gonna binge these videos and sub.
Also SC Chaos Theory is at least the best stealth game I've ever played and I can't recommend it enough.
Good quality videos! Surprised you don't have 500k Subs already!
Only thing I would prefer for the future is another background for the last part. Couldn't really look at the screen with that background.
That was such a great intro im in for the full video after that 😂
how don't you have a million subs? ur channel is criminally underrated
I realized the whole line between action and stealth games blurring while playing the splinter cell series. In the original Splinter Cell as well as Splinter Cell Chaos theory you can control your exact movement speed and how much noise your making. They also tell you how hidden you are in the shadows. Then with Splinter Cell Blacklist it’s just crouch to be sneaky and parkour. Yes it still felt like a stealth game but the precision of the original is gone.
Hey Man that moved me. Seeing people as young as you, missing the stealth-genre that much is somewhat heartwarming. You also put a lot of research into this. But you should defenitely try out the Splinter Cell Franchise. My recommendation: Chaos Theory. You will enjoy it, trust me! And yes, Sly Racoon over Crash BC
It's a day when Lextorias uploads
This comment made my day
Great video! You should check out Styx. Highly underrated stealth game where you play as a goblin infiltrating a castle. Game is pure stealth and nothing else!
I’ve played a bit of Styx. I didn’t fall in love with the game, but I also respect the hell out of it for the pure stealth aspects.
Styx looks interesting, thanks for bringing it to my attention!
As with every genre, when the triple a industry moves on to the next toy to play with, indie games pick up the slack.
I recommend covert critter to metal gear solid fans, its one of many awesome indie stealth games out there. (Specifically made for mgs fans)
Yeah you're gonna blow up soon, glad I'm here early
" when that came out, I was 1."
Oh dang, I feel old. That does make me realize something I took for granted though. Growing up alongside the medium of video games has given me much more knowledge and understanding of it than I realized. Makes me wonder what kind of experience my son will have with games.
The intro is just 👌 so little effort, yet amazing.
Spot on explanation.
Gamers got casual and dont wanna think and play smart anymore, that's why new stealth sections are lazy as devs adopt to more casual approach.
I miss old games and MGS will still remain my fav stealth and game franshize ever.
Great video.
You mentioned you haven't had much exposure to the Splinter Cell series -- I recommend you give Splinter Cell Chaos Theory a shot, as it's held by fans as one of the best in the series (biased opinion, as it's my favorite in the series, and one of my favorite games ever).
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin is one of my favorite stealth games. It's buggy as all shit, but the satisfaction you get from beating a level on Silent Assassin, after carefully placing your saves (if you're playing on expert, the best difficulty), learning the ins-and outs of the level, getting used to the mechanics and learning the criteria for SA to finally, at the end, execute your plan and get the fuck outta dodge is unparalleled. Stealth is such an underrated genre of games.
I would agree with this but on CONTRACTS and BLOOD MONEY.
@@morkgin2459 Blood money is the most replayable (barring Hitman 3 with all previous maps included) and Contracts has the best rating system for Silent Assassin
@@kalinka3133 contracts improved the "crouch" and "disguise system
@@kalinka3133 Well Silent Assassin is also replayable but it is showing it's age.
Nice analysis. I wanna replay the 3 first Splinter Cell now.
I just came across your channel and watched two vids. Half your content seems to revolve around anime (which I passionately hate), but if the rest is presented in such a great way, what am I supposed to do? Not subscribe?
So of course I did. Great research, great scripts, good structure, funny without being cringy, and you seem to be an all around cool guy. Good job, man!
oh boy you’re gonna hate my next video then
Best stealth games ive played in recent years has been hunting games. Getting close to an animal, undetected, and landing the perfect double lung or heart shot is quite satisfying.
Like?
Hunt: call of the wild or way of the hunter
It's only a matter of time the Algorithm notices your stuff
Your essays hit a nice sweet spot of not too long, not too short
I loved your take on Elden Ring
Thank you so much!
@@Lextorias Thank yourself for your effort :)
I like those games. Good video very complete informations.
ughh i wished i found u later when u have more videos, ive binged thru all ur gaming ones ;(
Started watching for the metal gear praise, finished watching for the unsatiated stealth hunger
Hitman games are dominating now, also MGSV is the best Stealth game in terms of gameplay, I wish more games take inspiration from it
I have been playing hitman 3 constantly
Who are you, where did you come from, and why do I love your content so much?!
I'm glad Shadow Tactics got mentioned at least :D I love stealth as well and this is one of my favourite games of all time. Even tho I have every achievement and basically know every guards position and route in every level, I regularly replay the game. It's such a shame that the development studio who made it, Mimimi Studio, had to close down
keep it up!!
Looking forward to this one
Oooh that cyberpunk at the end. It’s the game that finally got me approaching combat with guns ablazing like the chrome stuffed maniac they wanted me to be.
Ey yo just found your videos. You're great, also you suit a headband.
Damn, i was personally attacked at 9:09 lol
Great video! One of the other series that came to mind while watching is the Sniper Elite games. While I would agree that they have action/adventure elements, I think that the strategy required for one man taking on the sheer number of nazis per level creates a need for stealth and really thinking through each encounter. It has been a bummer in recent years to crave real stealth action while having to deal with half baked mechanics, and I appreciate no you articulating this. Fingers crossed that the Splinter Cell remake goes back to roots. With modern graphics and lighting I can see it being pretty awesome, if only Ubisoft ignores every instinct they’ve developed in the interim.
The fact that u mentioned Tenchu made me soo happie
There was a popular game Project IGI it is making a comeback, should try that. It was so popular in Asia.
10/10 most compelling subscription pitch
im at 2:20 and i can see even before finishing this video, that you are indeed an MGS fan whih gives you a big ol S+ in my book!