Stealth Games With The Best Melee Combat

Fighting from the shadows is the stealth genre’s bread and butter. If players are spotted in broad daylight, well—they done goofed. In some games, that’s an instant game over. In others, you can settle the issue with some good old-fashioned fisticuffs.

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There’s something exhilarating about roughing up nosy enemies who manage to spot the player and then hightailing it away, leaving an impressive trail of incapacitated bodies behind. Unfortunately, some stealth games shy away from this scenario so hard that they turn combat into a tedious chore. But there are some exceptions to this, with certain stealth games allowing players to participate in some truly great melee combat scenarios whenever stealth doesn’t seem to be doing the trick.

7

Manhunt

A Frightening Stealth Title That Incorporates PS2-Era GTA Fighting Mechanics

Systems

Released

November 18, 2003

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language

Ah, Manhunt. This game is relic from the edgy early 2000s that continues to bask in its infamy. This notorious title has developed a cult following since its 2003 release, often finding itself synonymous with video game controversy. Still, there’s a dark and twisted satisfaction to playing a murderous death row inmate with a deranged Brian Cox speaking in players’ ears.

The combat itself isn’t anything to write home to one’s prison sweetheart about, borrowing heavily from Rockstar’s GTA PS2-era mechanics, but that doesn’t stop it from being stupidly violent and, more importantly, stupidly fun.

6

Assassin’s Creed Mirage

Features Back-To-Basics Melee Combat That Fans Of The Series Know And Love

Systems

Released

October 12, 2023

ESRB

m

Assassin’s Creed is undoubtedly the most successful franchise in the stealth game genre, so it’s no surprise that it would earn a spot among stealth games that feature great melee combat. After a stint in the action RPG space, Ubisoft decided to reel it back in with Assassin’s Creed Mirage, a love letter to the series’ stealth-heavy origins.

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The game delivers more parkour, more bales of hay, and less open-world busy work. While this pleased some players, the combat didn’t fully return to the classic formula. Instead, it drew inspiration from the Soulsborne series, leaning into quick Sekiro-esque reaction times and colorful visual cues signaling an impending bonk. The result of this is a divisive love-it-or-hate-it combat experience that keeps players on their toes.

5

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist

Aggressive Stealth That Is Both Crunchy And Fluid

Released

August 20, 2013

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Strong Language

The last Splinter Cell game might not reach the heights of Chaos Theory, but it was a solid entry nonetheless for starved fans of the series. Building on the previous installment, Ubisoft Toronto stuck to the “aggressive stealth” approach while throwing old-school fans a bone with more traditional sneaking options.

Players once again step into the boots of Sam Fisher, the godfather of stealth. Levels, objectives, and blissfully unaware enemies can be approached however players see fit—whether that means running and gunning or hiding and biding. The fluid, crunchy melee combat was a highlight, and much of that can be credited to Kevin Secours, the game’s combat consultant and main stuntman.

4

Dishonored

Surprisingly Satisfying Swordplay For A First-Person Series

Systems

Released

October 9, 2012

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language

The Dishonored games reward players for staying unseen and avoiding conflict altogether, but there’s nothing stopping them from sprinting knife-first at an unsuspecting enemy. While pistols and crossbows are a tempting go-to during chaotic moments, the real satisfaction lies in the game’s dynamic swordplay.

Surprisingly intricate for a first-person game, the melee system incorporates slides, slashes, stabs, blocks, and parries. Mastering timed sword blocks creates combat advantages by leaving enemies off-balance, allowing players to finish them off or (in Dishonored 2) punch them senseless in order to use them as a human shield or choke them unconscious.

3

Hitman 3

Offers Brilliantly Brutal Punches, Takedowns, And Executions

Released

January 20, 2021

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Strong Language

Hitman 3 easily claims the title of the most brutal stealth game with great melee combat. Anyone who lands in the crosshairs of Agent 47 is irredeemably screwed. While the gunplay itself is perfectly executed, going to town on an unsuspecting opponent with an axe is enough to make even seasoned players wince. The melee combat is downright ruthless — from bone-crunching body shots to blunt-force knockouts.

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The third installment in the World of Assassination trilogy unapologetically puts the “hit” in Hitman. Beyond being one of the best stealth games of all time, it’s undeniable that the combat goes harder than anyone expected.

2

Batman: Arkham Knight

Allows Players To Take On Mobs Of Enemies With Glorious Free-Flowing Combat

Systems

Released

June 23, 2015

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence

The Batman: Arkham games revolutionized superhero gaming. They’re the reason reviewers love to use “It’s a game that makes you feel like [INSERT SUPERHERO HERE].” What often goes overlooked is that these games are, at their core, stealth-driven. Batman is, after all, a master of fighting from the shadows.

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However, there are times when players are thrown into chaotic scenarios with a swarm of enemies eager to pummel a man dressed as a bat. To address this, Rocksteady Studios introduced the groundbreaking “Freeflow Combat” system. Whereas before, groups of enemies would politely wait their turn, they would now charge in all at once. This innovation allows Batman to ping from enemy to enemy like an enraged pinball with fists, making for a truly amusing combat approach.

Implements Complex Fighting Mechanics That Deserve Their Own Game

9/10

Metal Gear Solid 5 The Phantom Pain

Stealth

Action-Adventure

Shooter

Adventure

Systems

Released

September 1, 2015

ESRB

m

Kojima really outdid himself with Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. He somehow made it more convoluted and goofier, which is precisely why it stands as one of the best PS4 games. But what truly elevates it is the return of the series’ incredibly cool and in-world titled CQC (Close Quarters Combat). This melee system is so intricate and satisfying that it could’ve been its own game. Snake can perform combos, throw enemies to the ground, chain attacks for multiple targets, and expertly disarm opponents in what feels like milliseconds.

Behind the scenes, these advanced combat techniques were designed by the legendary military specialist Motosada Mori. Not only is he a member of the International Close Combat Instructors Association, but he was also the actual bodyguard of the Dalai Lama. Who wouldn’t want a game designed by that guy?

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