There are a lot of video games out there and in this era of mobile and home-based gaming, the choices have never been greater. So how do you cut through the noise and find the “Best of” for any chosen topic?
Well, we’re here to help celebrate and shine a spotlight on some of the latest, greatest and unforgettable games through the years.
For our ongoing series of articles depicting the best video games, our attention this time turns to games with an assassin theme. From the iconic Assassin’s Creed franchise to the obscure Aragami, there’s a great selection here to whet your appetite.
Of course, if we’ve missed any of your favorites, feel free to comment below and we’ll get them added on!
Assassin’s Creed (Franchise)
Like most long-running series, Assassin’s Creed ended up overstaying its welcome and gave fans lackluster experiences. Fortunately, Ubisoft’s managed to pick itself off the ground with Assassin’s Creed’s latest entries. Although it took them some time to do so, fans loved revisiting Assassin’s Creed’s world.
Assassin’s Creed has players control an assassin character from multiple historic time periods. Whether it was set in Italy or during the events of the American Revolution, fans couldn’t wait to seek their blades into evil-doers. Genuinely, Assassin’s Creed has players embark on various stealth-based missions.
Whether it’s tracking down enemies for intel or pickpocketing them for important items, Assassin’s Creed tried its best to make you feel like a shady and mysterious figure. The environments and towns boast wonderful structures and economies. You’re given the freedom to traverse its areas in many different manners too. Check out the Assassin’s Creed series if you’re interested.
Hitman (Series)
Hitman offers a unique spin on stealth-like gameplay. Instead of sneaking around foes to murder them, the game entices players to perform social-stealth-like actions to prevail over enemies. From wearing mysterious disguises to completing spy-oriented tasks, this game offers an assortment of ways to handle its missions.
This title follows a secret agent named Agent 47. 47 receives assassination missions from the International Agency. He must murder everyone that stands in their way. Expect to visit many semi-open areas filled with wandering NPCs and beautiful structures.
With your clever disguises and suppressed weapons, you’ll have all you need to get the job done. Acting as a mix between Assassin’s Creed and Splinter Cell, the Hitman series promises to immerse players with its mysterious atmosphere and fun gameplay.
Dishonored (Series)
Dishonored is a stealthy game series that’ll keep you over the edge. It boasts an invigorating plot and lively world. The game bestows players with enough freedom to tackle their protagonist’s tasks in multiple ways. The series follows bodyguard Corvo Attano who gets framed for a murder he didn’t commit.
Corvo travels down a horrid road with revenge awaiting him at the end of it. He’ll receive assistance from a resistant group and powerful magic granting being called the Outsider to achieve his goal. This game features countless self-contained areas seeping into missions. Dishonored has a hub area where you’ll attend mission briefings, meet allies, and receive upgrades and new items.
Dishonored’s difficulty affects the way characters perceive you. The higher the game’s difficulty, the more challenging your adventure will be. Exploring the game’s levels can net you new paths and other means of solving tasks. Dishonored’s storyline can shift but it depends on your actions. While it might be an older work, Dishonored is a stellar game series to play if you enjoy stealth-like titles.
No More Heroes (Series)
No More Heroes is a hilariously raunchy action-adventure game developed by Grasshopper Manufacture. This game follows the life of a gaming and anime-loving assassin named Travis Touchdown. When Travis isn’t enjoying himself with his hobbies, he spends time murdering other higher-ranked assassins for the United Assassins Association, otherwise, they’ll assassinate him.
Each game boasts an incredible line-up of challengers for Travis to defeat. They all have distinct personalities but share the same goal of wanting to be at the top. The banter Travis has with them is a sight to behold and will leave you giggling at your screens. The gameplay evolves gradually over the course of the series.
You’ll find yourself performing exhilarating attacks with your beam katana as Travis prattles on about random topics. This game is a wild roller coaster of excitement that would be foolish to pass up on. Although its visuals aren’t as extraordinary as triple AAA action-adventure games, No More Heroes offers enough entertaining characteristics to keep you invested.
Aragami
Aragami is another game where stealth is key to overcoming its harsh trials. It follows a shadow spirit named Aragami summoned by a girl named Yamiko. Yamiko’s been captured by the evil Kaiho army which specializes in light. It’s up to you to guide Aragami through 13 chapters, using the assassin’s shadow powers to avoid or kill the Kaiho in your path.
The plot’s simplistic and doesn’t offer anything unique for the genre. The gameplay boasts some interesting mechanics though. You’ll start the game with the ability to transform into a shadow who can teleport to any other shaded area. Your powers will increase over time and give you new ways of traversing maps like a secretive person.
The game offers you options on how you want to tackle its gameplay. You could attempt to guide Aragami to the endgame without harming anyone or you can happily pick your enemies off one by one with Aragami’s skills. Unfortunately, this game requires players to operate in the shadows. The Kaiho have weaponry capable of wiping you out with a single strike.
If you’re the type of person who doesn’t like to rush into scenarios gun-blazing then you’ll adore what Aragami promises.
Thief: The Dark Project
The Tenchu and Thief series is known for laying the groundwork for future stealth-based action games. Considering Thief as a standard first-person perspective title would be doing it a disservice. With its incredible protagonist, well-structured narrative, and emphasis on strategy and stealth, you’re in for a stylish and unique treat with Thief: The Dark Project.
This game has players traversing a medieval fantasy metropolis called the City. In it, you assume the role of Garrett, a master thief whose been trained by a secret society to carry out numerous robberies. Little does Garrett know that his thief-like background will get him wrapped up in a complex plot where he must prevent a great power from unleashing destruction over the world.
Like other games on this list, remaining in the shadows is the number one priority. Enemies can detect Garrett if he draws his weapon or makes noise via his movements. The game allows you to gauge your noise levels by listening to yourself and how visible you are through the game’s color-coding element.
This game will make you appreciate the darkness and the level of polish given to its various structures and locales. The game’s soundtrack and voice acting are phenomenal and will help you stay awake. Master Garrett’s bow is pivotal to your success in Thief. If you’re looking for an obscure and fun title that makes you feel like an assassin, check out Thief: The Dark Project.
Tenchu: Stealth Assassins
Tenchu: Stealth Assassins is a game that fully encapsulates the assassin theme. This game felt right at home with other games on the PlayStation. In this game, players control a ninja who completes tasks from the shadows without being noticed. This game encourages player experimentation as it doesn’t offer a road map of what you need to accomplish its levels.
While this may upset specific gamers, it helps immerse players into the role. This game offers thought-provoking puzzles and has a wonderful set of campaigns for players to complete. You receive many tools on your mission from a grappling hook to swords. You’ll use these items to lay waste to enemies and reach areas that’d be too challenging to get to without them.
Tenchu’s one of those titles that’s hard to put down. Players will find themselves absorbed in its puzzles. If you’re not a fan of stealth, chances are, you’ll find Tenchu to be a frustrating experience. However, if you’re a gamer who loves the idea of ninjas, assassins, and shady operations, you’ll find yourself at home with Tenchu: Stealth Assassins.
Sniper Elite 4
Shooting games give players the satisfaction of wielding a mighty firearm. Many titles in this genre help players understand the terrors of war and the hardships many gunmen face on the daily basis. Sniper Elite 4 puts you in the mind of a Sniper user and grants you enough horrid sights to make you think twice about joining any military brigade.
Sniper Elite 4 takes place in 1943 and follows the immediate aftermath of Sniper Elite III’s events. After the Royal Navy receives word about a new Nazi weapon, they send a freighter deemed, the Orchidea, to San Celini island to gather intel. The story itself has some fun action sequences and moments to keep you on your toes. Sniper Elite 4 aimed to give players more open environments to traverse.
These areas have multiple open-ended objectives for players to tackle. You’re given the freedom to tackle these tasks in any manner or order you deem fit. These areas are overloaded with enemies ready to be vanquished by your excellent gun-slinging skills. From the return of its trademark X-ray kills to its emphasis on experimentation, fans should give this third-person tactical shooter a chance.
Mark of the Ninja
Stealth is a technique that rears its head into many titles. It can take place in an action RPG like Pokemon Legends Arceus or serve as the crux of gameplay like in the Splinter Cell series. Whichever way you put it, the idea of sneaking and waiting for the right chance to strike is a notion that may never cease existing in games.
This is one of those titles that may instill guilt in you. For example, whenever you lay waste to an enemy in Mark of the Ninja, the camera zooms in, darkens the background, and highlights your course of action toward that person. It’s a horrid and brutal sight that will give you a taste of what it feels like to assassinate someone.
On the other hand, the game offers some fun platforming elements. Players will adore traversing the game’s environments with the ninja’s excellent acrobatic skills and grappling hook. The visuals give off a Saturday morning cartoon vibe and can be astonishing to look at for long periods. You can also perform actions that can instill fear in enemies surrounding your victim. If you’re looking for a game that emphasizes gameplay over story, then Mark of the Ninja might be the title for you.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
Metal Gear Solid is a beloved franchise spanning multiple well-acclaimed titles. Unfortunately, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain was the final project worked on by series creator, Hideo Kojima. This was due to a fallout he had with the game’s publisher Konami. Regardless, it was a cherished send-off that many enjoyed for its graphics, themes, and player freedom.
This entry takes place in 1984 and follows the mercenary leader Punished “Venom” Snake as he heads into Afghanistan and the Angola-Zaire border to enact revenge upon the ones who vanquishes his forces and almost killed him during the climax of Ground Zeroes. The game’s opener is horridly brutal but sets the tone for the game well. The game itself feels like it has evolved since the first MGS title.
Players no longer have to spend hours listening to codec calls between portraits. Instead, you’re greeted with a radio call that’s seamlessly integrated into the gameplay. This is a huge step up from past games and makes this world feel refreshing and modernized. The game’s not entirely serious and realistic, though. Fans can expect to hear and witness strange occurrences in The Phantom Pain.
It’s these subtle moments that will remind players that they’re playing a Metal Gear Solid game directed by Kojima. This game gives players more options to tackle missions, unlike previous games. You can choose to tackle situations with the series’s trademark stealth mechanics, head-on, or through a combination of both techniques. While the game has its faults, it serves as a wonderful send-off to the series and its creator.
So, there we have it, our pick for the best assassin-themed video games through the years about life!
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!