In the shadows

Non-stealth games with stealth sections

The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time

Here you’re tasked with sneaking past guards in the castle courtyard. It’s not the first time the series has included stealth: A Link To The Past also featured a stealth section, but the game’s 2D nature meant it was easier to tell if you where in an enemies line of sight than it is in Ocarina.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

The game forces you into stealth in the early Istanbul level. It’s a bit frustrating, but as least the game does feature bespoke stealth mechanics like the ability to go into cover and take out guards, unlike Ocarina Of Time. The fourth game in the series further leaned into stealth, allowing you to ‘tag’ enemies while you’re hidden.

Far Cry 3

Far Cry 3 is a great example of how stealth should and shouldn’t be incorporated into an action game. For the most part, it’s an optional tool in your skillset that dovetails nicely with the game’s other systems. However, there’s also a forced insta-fail stealth section that’s rightly derided, even by fans of the game.

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare

Proof that forced stealth in an action game doesn’t have to be bad can be found in Modern Warfare’s All Ghillied Up mission. The flashback to Captain Price’s attempt to assassinate arms dealer Imran Zakhaev in an abandoned Pripyat is a high point of the game and arguably its most iconic mission.

Shenmue

The intolerable section where you have to sneak past warehouse guards at the docks in Shenmue is one of the worst stealth sections ever implemented into a videogame. If you get spotted, you’re forced back home, where Ryo falls asleep, and then you’re placed back in the docks to try once again on the next day.