The Best Games That Blend Stealth And Combat

Key Takeaways

• Combining stealth and action genres in games ensures diverse player experiences without compromising enjoyment.
• Titles like Ghost of Tsushima and Dishonored emphasize player choice between stealth and direct combat strategies.
• Immersive games like The Last of Us Part 2 blend refined stealth and action elements to engage players effectively.

Most AAA games try their hardest to appeal to the broadest gaming demographic possible, and this is done by combining tried-and-tested genres that are the highest-selling ones. This is why many games combine stealth and action to ensure that players have a great time making progress and taking out enemies in whatever manner they see fit.

While the abundance of stealth-action games can make it harder to choose a game for players to sink their teeth into, it helps that some games do a great job of combining both genres to ensure that players have a great time no matter how they choose to approach a combat encounter.

8 Ghost Of Tsushima

Stealth Is Dishonorable But Safer Than Direct Combat

One of the prettiest open-world games of all time, the beautiful visuals of Ghost of Tsushima help it stand out as one of the best video games they can get their hands on. Players control Jin Sakai as they try to repel a Mongol invasion by any means necessary.

Honor is a huge part of this game, with players being encouraged to take on enemies without being too sneaky with them. However, there’s no denying that stealth can whittle down the enemy numbers to make them more manageable in the event that Jin is spotted.

7 Dishonored

An Excellent Immersive Sim Where Players Can Manage Their Chaos Based On Their Actions In Each Level

Dishonored is one of the most popular immersive sims of all time, propelling Arkane’s reputation to new heights as players explored a unique world with amazing level design and a fun narrative to boot. Players were encouraged to sneak around and take out enemies without causing any permanent harm.

However, as long as players didn’t mind a worse ending, they could take on enemies in direct combat and use certain powers to creatively kill enemies. Direct combat can be a pain if too many enemies gang up on the player, which is why it’s important to take out foes silently as much as possible without letting Corvo be detected.

6 Persona 5 Royal

Sneaking Around In Palaces And Getting The Jump On Enemies Is Satisfying Every Time

The overarching theme in most of the Mind Palaces in Persona 5 is that the Phantom Thieves are breaking in to steal one’s treasure and make them confess their crimes. This is why it’s important to sneak around in these dungeons and surprise enemies to prevent alarm levels from reaching greater heights.

Players should make the most of the game’s simple and snappy stealth mechanics to hide around corners and get the jump on enemies. Securing an advantage in combat ensures that one can easily smash enemies to a pulp in a single turn after exploiting their weaknesses.

5 Deus Ex

Direct Combat Requires Decent Stats If Players Don’t Want To Be Obliterated In A Flash

Deus Ex is one of the greatest video games ever made, with its perfect execution of what an action RPG is all about helping it stand out as a must-play immersive sim. Stealth and direct combat are both viable courses of action to take but keep in mind that the latter requires more investment in combat skills.

As JC invests more experience in his skills, he can either hack everything and turn combat robots against their allies or use a wealth of powerful weaponry to take out enemies in a manner that isn’t subtle in the slightest. This freedom players are afforded when pursuing a playstyle makes it clear why Deus Ex was so revolutionary at the time of its release.

4 The Last Of Us Part 2

A Fine Mix Of Stealth And Action That’s More Refined Than Ever

One of the most polished and engaging video games ever made, The Last of Us Part 2 was a major improvement over its predecessor from a gameplay standpoint. The narrative may have split fans down the middle, but there’s no denying that both stealth and combat are amazing to engage with in this title.

Players will have a great time sneaking around and taking out either zombies or humans until they’re spotted. When enemies are alerted, whipping out high-damage weapons and staying mobile is important for players to survive each encounter.

3 Prey

One Of The Greatest Immersive Sims By Arkane With A Polished Take On Their Gameplay Systems

Prey is one of the most underrated video games players can get their hands on. Morgan Yu’s isolated adventure aboard the Talos I space station is as immersive as they come, letting players slowly acquire powers and weapons that let them take on tougher enemies in the game.

From sneaking around and avoiding the Nightmare to using Yu’s extensive weaponry to take out the game’s strongest enemy, fans will quickly realize that both stealth and action are viable in this polished title that is easily one of Arkane’s best titles.

There’s A Reason Why The Stealth Archer Build Is So Popular

There’s no denying that Skyrim‘s gameplay can be rather simplistic at times, but the amazing exploration and beautiful open world help players overlook this issue. Direct combat is a simple way to play the game and stealth is more reliable than previous games in the series.

Sneaking from the shadows and using bow attacks to enjoy a Sneak Attack multiplier with each hit ensures that players will be dropping enemies like flies in no time. It helps that Skyrim‘s simple leveling system ensures that players can slowly become better at merging with the shadows as they continue to rely on this gameplay mechanic.

1 Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag

One Of The Best Assassin’s Creed Games Ever Made

A decent chunk of the Assassin’s Creed games boasts impressive gameplay loops, with Black Flag being a fan-favorite for its focus on piracy and a sense of adventure. Players will love exploring the Caribbean and uncovering the many secrets they can spot in the distance.

Direct combat is satisfying to execute, and stealth is as satisfying as one would expect from an Assassin’s Creed game. Black Flag has aged beautifully and helps players fall in love with Edward Kenway’s adventures in no time.