In most computer games, a task is set for you, which is proposed to be completed by any available methods. Almost always, you can safely walk around locations or levels, destroying opponents on your way, without worrying about anything except a strip of health and the amount of ammunition. But there is a genre of games called "stealth" - it is fundamentally different from the rest, since the gameplay in it is built completely differently. First of all, it is worth noting that you will have to forget forever what a battle is face to face. After all, stealth is a genre that suggests that you will sneak up on the enemy unnoticed, and eliminate it silently. This greatly complicates the game, forcing you to look for non-standard ways out of the situation, but at the same time makes such projects unique and exciting. Moreover, it is worth paying attention to the fact that many computer games, although not related to the stealth genre, still include the corresponding mode. That is, you are given a choice - whether you want to fight the enemy head-on, or if you want to quietly eliminate all enemies more. Stealth mode is a very nice and useful addition to any computer game.
More about stealth
Many gamers who have not encountered this mode or with games of a similar genre may not quite understand what the essence of this phenomenon is. Therefore, it is worthwhile to describe in more detail what stealth is, how to use it and what it gives. Stealth mode - this is the state of the game character, when he can move silently and just as quietly eliminate opponents. Most often, the character at the moment of activation of this mode slows down the step, bends down and does everything so that it cannot be noticed. Murders in this mode are also committed in such a way that no one sees this. In most cases, you are also given the opportunity to hide the body of a defeated opponent so that no one will detect or raise an alarm. Almost always in games of the stealth genre, as well as in stealth missions of games of a different genre, the raised alarm means at least the loss of game points, but the more common option is that you fail the task completely if you or traces of your actions, that is, not hidden corpses, the enemy discovered. As you can see, the stealth mode is a very exciting journey into the unusual world. And it differs significantly from those offered to you in other genres.
Stealth mode out of computer games
It should be noted right away that this concept applies not only to computer games. There is, for example, a stealth mode in VK, the most popular Russian-language social network. What is he like? In a normal situation, you go to the site under your name, and right then any of your friends will see that you are now online. But there are situations when you don’t want your presence to be noticed - then the Vkontakte stealth mode will come in handy for you. If you go to the site using it, no one will notice that you did it - it will be indicated to all your friends and other interested users that you are offline, although you are actually viewing the site. This is not the only case of using this mode outside of computer games. For example, there is also a stealth mode in Chrome and other Internet browsers. Here, the principle of operation is slightly different, but the essence remains virtually the same. If you go to various sites, then this is done through your IP address, the visit is recorded in the history, that is, you leave your mark on this site. There is nothing to worry about, because the maximum inconvenience that this can bring to you is thematic banners. But if you still do not want to leave traces, then you can act in stealth mode - no one will know that you were on this site. However, its functionality is likely to be limited. It is unfortunate that you cannot use the stealth mode in real life, as this would solve a lot of problems. Therefore, let us return to the topic of computer games, since it is there that it is used most often.
Stealth Mode in Skyrim
One of the most popular role-playing games of today - Skyrim - also has this mode. This is expressed in the ability of the character to quietly sneak past the enemy or sneak up on him from the back to inflict a fatal blow with the proper skill level. This mode can be very useful if you want to get into some locality, but do not want to get involved in a conflict - this can be caused by the lack of healing potions, insufficient level, weak weapons, and much more.
What annoys fans of this masterpiece the most? This is the AI level of stealth AI. Let's say you want to get past a dangerous monster that you don’t want to fight, and two more AI characters travel with you. In a standard situation, they rush at the enemy as soon as he gets into their field of vision. Unfortunately, when you switch to stealth mode, they do not follow you. And your attempts to sneak past end in complete failure. The developers, however, did not leave the problem unattended and created a patch called "Stealth mode for partners" v3.4 (Better stealth AI for followers in English). This patch corrects this annoying misunderstanding and improves the decision-making process of your companions when you switch to stealth mode.
One more example
The stealth mode of Skyrim is a pretty decent example (of course, with the exception of shortcomings with artificial intelligence) of stealth in computer games that are not related to the stealth genre. There are quite a few such projects where the stealth mode is skillfully interwoven to increase the versatility of the game. One of the latest masterpieces - "GTA-5" - also added a stealth mode, which was previously absent in all games of the series. And only here you can act secretly in certain missions, which will be facilitated by such devices as, for example, a silencer. Naturally, the entire gameplay of this project is built on completely different gameplay, so you should not expect an abundance of stealth from such a game. Stealth mode GTA-5 is, rather, a cherry on the cake of this masterpiece, and not one of the key components of the entire gameplay. So now is the time to go on to consider those projects that can be fully attributed to the stealth genre. And who, of course, received huge publicity and recognition in the world of computer games.
Splinter cell
One of the first games that come to mind when it comes to the stealth genre is Splinter Cell. This third-person shooter is an example of a game with stealth mode, stretching for the whole time. You act as a special agent who performs various tasks. In most popular games, this means that you are given a huge amount of weapons, incredible ammunition, health that can withstand dozens of direct hits, and you also need to shoot dozens, if not hundreds of enemies. But in Splinter Cell, everything is different. Your best friend is a pistol with a silencer, as well as a night vision device with which you can get an advantage over your opponents. The incredible success of the first game started the wheel, today several parts have already been released, each of which turned out to be even better than its predecessors. And this means that games in stealth mode have their own audience and are in great demand.
Hitman
Another acclaimed game series is Hitman. She presents a mysterious story about a bald killer with number 47 on the back of her head. He receives tasks and unquestioningly carries them out, simultaneously trying to understand who he is, where he came from and what his true purpose is. A dark business suit, a bald skull and a guitar string - these symbols of the Forty-Seventh became cult, so if you have not played any of the parts of this masterpiece series, then you should definitely correct it urgently. This game is especially good for switching from standard shooters to stealth, because there is enough open fire and silent killings. Hitman can not be called a full-fledged stealth, this game, rather, is a symbiosis of stealth and action, with a magnificent symbiosis.
Assassin's creed
Do not forget about another masterpiece series of stealth games, which won the hearts of millions of gamers around the world. The action in Assassin's Creed takes place not in the modern world, but in the Middle Ages, and you act as a killer, but not the one armed with a silenced pistol. You have stilettos and incredible dexterity - this is what you will need to use in order to fulfill the tasks assigned to you. The series will lead you through the Middle Ages, make you a pirate and even abandon it during the American Civil War. And all this time you will act as a silent killer, and if it seems to you that this is not the most exciting process, but it would be much better to act openly, then you definitely did not play Assassin's Creed. Here you will immediately understand that a stealth game can be much more exciting and exciting than a standard action or shooter.
Metal Gear - a classic of the genre
If we talk about how this genre was born, then first of all it is worth paying attention to a series of Metal Gear games. Here the action does not occur in the present tense, but not in the past. You are in the future and act as a special agent who also performs certain tasks, which puts his bosses in front of him. In doing so, he must act as discreetly as possible. The alarm raised here does not lead to the failure of the mission, but you will have to quite a long time not to catch the eye of the opponents so that they forget you. But all this time they will not just look around, but will purposefully look for you, so you have to try. As in other games of the stealth genre, there is a very twisted plot, which even shockes many, but in any case it will amaze everyone. In a sense, this is a distinctive feature of stealth games - they compensate for the lack of action, loved by many gamers, incredible stories and plot twists.
Stand-alone news - Dishonored
But all the games that were discussed earlier belong to certain series, that is, they develop the success of projects created many years ago. This is a very convenient way, because you do not have to constantly reinvent the wheel - you just need to modify the old one. However, unfortunately, what is convenient for the developer is not always pleasant for the gamer. Of course, the new games of the world famous series are pleasing, they make you sit for hours at the monitor, but still lovers of the genre would like something fresh, unusual. For a long time, they did not receive this until two successful daredevils appeared, the first of which was Dishonored. Here your spouse is killed, and you are substituted so that all suspicions fall on you. And you will have to defend your name and avenge the death of your wife, but you must act secretly. Even supernatural abilities will help you with this - for example, you can teleport directly to the enemy behind your back in order to eliminate it silently. Naturally, there were other attempts to revive the stealth genre, but all of them were not very remarkable. But the game Dishonored was able to what others could not - without big names to gain worldwide recognition and success.
Mark of the ninja
Another project that has become truly outstanding among others is Mark of the Ninja. It can not be compared neither with those games that occur in our time, nor with projects that offer a reference to the past, nor even with those that cast a character into the future. Here we are talking about the ninja clan, whose chosen representative is your character. You have to save your clan from destruction and avenge the scolded honor, but in the course of developments some details will open that will dramatically change your attitude to what is happening. However, not all of this is important here - more importantly, the game is implemented in the form of a platformer, that is, there is no exciting or realistic three-dimensional graphics, super-special effects. The project is gaining fame for its gameplay, immersion in the ninja world, the abilities of your character. Gradually, you will discover new and new methods of silent killing, you can scare enemies with the bodies of their comrades-in-arms, feed the corpses of opponents to bugs so that there are no traces left - in general, you are given a huge space for action from which you can hardly tear yourself away.
Conclusion
As a result, we have the following: stealth mode is such an addition that today is not very widely used in the gaming industry. Most successful projects relate to several well-known series, there are only a couple of games that independently receive recognition. As for the stealth mode, it is present in so many games only as a small aspect of the gameplay, and not as a component determining it. One thing is for sure - the stealth genre has its fans and continues to attract gamers both as a continuation of the good old games, and new exciting projects.