Summary
Developing flawlessAI in stealth gameshas long posed significant challenges, primarily centered around balance and technical intricacies. Achieving balance involves ensuring the AI’s difficulty; making it too sharp and responsive risks detracting from gameplay, while keeping it simplistic undermines the experience.Technical hurdlesfurther complicate matters. Game developers have striven for realistic artificial intelligence since the inception of video games, yet despite notable progress, achieving the ideal AI remains an elusive goal.
Below, we’ve curated a list of games renowned fortheir stealth mechanics,where developers have largely conquered AI challenges to deliver immersive gameplay. While some titles may not primarily focus on stealth, they have been selected based on their ability to allow players to complete missions stealthily.
By today’s standards,Sons of Libertywouldn’t make the cut forthe best stealth gameswith advanced AI. However, when it debuted, it was hailed as one of the most groundbreaking titles in terms of AI sophistication. The game achieved a level of realism in its enemies that set a new standard for the genre — subsequent games in theMetal Gear Solidseries merely tried to emulate its formula.
A noteworthy detail:Metal Gear Solid 2was among the first games to collaborate with military experts to determine how enemies should react to players. This attention to detail extended to small nuances, like the guards' non-verbal communication in cutscenes, which convincingly made the enemies look intelligent. ConsiderMGS2an honorable mention on the list, given its significant impact on the world of stealth games.
TheHitmanfranchise isn’t typically celebrated in gaming circles for its top-tier or intelligent AI. Quite the contrary, enemies inHitmangames often become the subject of online jokes and amusingly-illogical scenarios. However, from a technical perspective, particularly inHitman 3, the game showcases a remarkable achievement in artificial intelligence for video games.
Managing the diverse gameplay conditions that AI enemies and NPCs must navigate makes developing a game likeHitmanincredibly difficult. Providing players with complete freedom to progress through missions demands AI that is environmentally-aware, responds to dynamic player decisions, exhibits realistic behaviors, and maintains a level of predictability for player interaction. Few games manage to meet all these requirements as effectively as theHitmanseries, including its latest installment,Hitman 3, which is currently the premier example.
While technically not classified as a stealth game,The Last of Us Part 2earns its place on this list for two compelling reasons: First, stealth plays a significant role in its gameplay dynamics, and second, its groundbreaking artificial intelligence is too good to ignore.
Unlike typical video game enemies,human adversaries inThe Last of Us Part 2exhibit emotional and physical bondswith their allies. Killing one triggers heightened aggression from their comrades, who intensify efforts to track and retaliate against the player. Players can hear grieving friends mourning fallen comrades amid ongoing combat scenarios. Additionally, enemies with military expertise coordinate tactics such as trapping, surrendering, or efficiently detecting the player, enhancing realism in every encounter. Meanwhile, the Infected operate under a distinct logic, adding further complexity to the game’s AI dynamics.
The AI inThe Last of Us Part 2stands as a pinnacle of contemporary gaming intelligence. Were it not for its emphasis on third-person shooter elements, it would undoubtedly claim the top spot on this list.
4Middle-Earth: Shadow Of War
An AI With Memory
Shadow of War’sartificial intelligence transcends the boundaries of its genre, rivaling games across various genres thanks to its innovative Nemesis System. This system, an advanced enemy design framework, imbues NPCs with memory capabilities. They can recall the player’s actions and dialogues, incorporating them into future interactions. For example, an adversary who previously defeated the player might taunt them in subsequent encounters, referencing past failures, such as how they won the last fight.
TheNemesis System elevatesShadow of War’s campaignto an immersive level akin to online multiplayer experiences. It intensifies the drive for vengeance, transforming AI enemies into integral characters within the narrative rather than mere placeholders or background entities.
3Wildfire
Submissive AI That Creates Immersion
Wildfireis one ofthe most underrated indie stealth games. Initially, its enemies may appear as typical AI-controlled NPCs. However, as players progress through the campaign and unlock more abilities, they discover that these seemingly straightforward adversaries are remarkably adaptive in their intelligence.
Wildfire’s AI enemies exhibit a diverse range of responses to the player’s actions and inventory. They can be intimidated into fleeing, lured into traps, provoked into attacking, or coerced into retreating. This flexibility grants players complete autonomy in shaping how missions unfold, particularly through the strategic use of elemental superpowers.
For years,Metal Gear Solidhas reigned supreme in the realm of stealth games, with Kojima’s creations hailed as the epitome of “sneaky gameplay.” Among these,Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Painstands out by employing adaptive AI to its adversaries.
In this installment, enemy responses are dynamically adjusted based on the player’s actions. If players eliminate too many soldiers, nearby outposts bolster their defenses by deploying additional troops. Similarly, if players prefer long-range sniping tactics, foot soldiers adapt by equipping more protective gear. This adaptive behavior ensures that enemies react intelligently to the player’s chosen playstyle, making the combat more realistic — and fun.
Echodistinguishes itself with the most sophisticated AI in stealth games, not through intricate code, but by empowering players to shape the intelligence of their enemies. Developed by Ultra Ultra,Echouniquely mirrors the player’s actions. While the lights are on, AI adversaries observe and learn every move the player makes — from shooting firearms and unlocking doors to navigating obstacles. In the subsequent cycle, when the lights reset, respawned enemies employ these learned tactics against the player.
This innovative approach byEcho’s small development team revolutionizes AI in stealth gaming. The “copycat” AI mechanic compels players to view every gameplay element as pivotal, constantly weighing whether to utilize their abilities to achieve objectives or withhold them to prevent AI adaptation.
Echo deserves more attention, specifically among stealth game fandoms, as it’s by far one of the most interesting titles in the genre. While every other game is trying to solve the AI challenge by making the code more elaborate,Echosolves the problem with creativity, letting the player create their own nemesis through gameplay decisions.
