Stealth (computer games)

Unlike most action games , stealth games usually need to avoid being detected by the enemy. ^[1] The main gameplay elements of modern stealth games are different ways to avoid skirmishes with the enemy, creating maximum noiselessness, as well as the effect of surprise when attacking enemies from the shadows. ^{[2] The} usual thing in these games is to complete missions, unnoticed by the enemy, which some critics describe as "phantom." ^{[3] [4]} Although stealth may be the only way to win in individual games, ^[3] most games typically provide other ways and styles to achieve the goal. ^[1] Players can hide behind objects or hide in the shadows, ^{[1] [5]} and when meeting with the enemy they can either attack him or slip by. ^[5] If a player is discovered by an enemy, it is usually required to hide for a while until the enemies stop searching. ^[6] Thus, planning ^{[1] [5]} and trial and error become important. ^{[1] [7]} However, some stealth games emphasize hand-to-hand combat skill, which becomes useful if a character is detected by an enemy. ^[6] In some games, a player can choose between killing enemies or simply stunning them. ^{[1] [8]} If “phantom” is not necessary for passing, or is insufficiently implemented in the game, players can still try to avoid battles for moral reasons or to demonstrate their skills. ^[3]

Since the ability to hide in the shadows is an element of gameplay , ^{[1] [5]} competent work with light and shadow is a requirement for level design . ^[9] Typically, a player has the ability to turn off some light sources. ^[6] Sound control is also important for stealth games, so that the player can hear barely noticeable sounds that enemies can notice and take some retaliatory action. ^{[7] [10]} As a rule, in these games the noise produced by a player will differ depending on the surface on which he walks, for example, metal or wood. ^{[1] [11] The} player’s careless movements create more noise than they attract the attention of enemies. ^[7]

To include stealth elements in the gameplay, you need to limit the knowledge of artificial intelligence (AI) so that he does not know about certain parts of the game. ^[12] In stealth games, the AI ​​makes certain decisions regarding the actions of enemies in response to the results of the player’s actions, such as turning off the lighting, instead of directly reacting to the player’s actions. Enemies usually have a certain viewing angle, so the player, in order not to be noticed, can hide behind objects, hide in the shadows or move while the enemy is looking in the other direction. ^[10] As a rule, enemies can detect when a player touches them or is at a certain insignificant distance. ^[13] In general, what kind of player’s actions the AI ​​will respond to is different in different games, ^[6] and in more modern games you can find a wider range of enemy response actions. ^[1] Often the movements of AI-controlled enemies are stereotyped and predictable, which allows you to come up with a strategy to overcome them. ^[9] In stealth games, the player is usually limited in their ability to engage in direct battle with the enemy, since usually the character carries an ineffective weapon or non-lethal weapon , while the enemies are superior to the player both in armament and in quantity. Also, the character may have a limited number of health points, which makes any direct combat clashes extremely dangerous. Sometimes the stealth genre is mixed up with the survival in a nightmare genre, in which the player must hide and avoid encounters with supernatural or, rarely, ordinary earthly enemies, despite their attempts to track down the player. Amnesia: The Dark Descent , Outlast and Penumbra series of games are examples of such a mixture of Stealth / Horror genres.

The Early Period (1979-1997)

According to John Szczepaniak from the Retro Gamer magazine, the first game in the stealth genre was the Japanese game Manbiki Shounen ( Shoplifting Boy in translation from English - “shoplifter”). ^{[14] [15]} The game was released in November 1979 on a Commodore PET computer and was developed by Hiroshi Suzuki. ^[16] It tells about a boy who comes to the store and tries to steal the “$” symbols there, trying to remain unnoticed by the store owner. In the event of an attempted theft, the boy is taken by the police. Suzuki introduced his idea to the developers at Taito Corporation , which inspired them to create a similar Lupin III arcade game based on the eponymous manga and anime . This game was released in April 1980. Later, in November 1980, Suzuki developed the sequel to Manbiki Shounen - the game Manbiki Shoujo ( Shoplifting Girl in English - “shoplifting”) also for Commodore PET . ^{[17] [18]}

In 1981, Sega released the arcade game 005 , in which the player must deliver a briefcase with secret documents to a helicopter awaiting him, undetected by the light of enemy lanterns and using boxes to hide. ^{[19] [20]} This game was included in the Guinness Book of Records as the first game based on stealth. ^[21] Castle Wolfenstein , originally released on Apple II in 1981, also uses stealth as a key element of gameplay. And the player must, having made his way through the levels, steal secret documents and safely hide with them. The player can use the enemy uniform to disguise, while remaining undisclosed near the enemy watchmen. ^[22] In Beyond Castle Wolfenstein , released in 1984, ^{[23] a} number of changes were made, for example, the dagger used in close combat was added, as well as considerable attention was paid to camouflage using the enemy uniform. ^{[24] The} original technically more advanced Wolfenstein 3D game from id Software , released in 1992, was to follow the spirit of the gameplay of the original game, including elements of stealth, but this was abandoned to give speed and dynamism to the game. The irony is that Wolfenstein 3D paved the way for other new three-dimensional action games, in particular for first-person shooters . ^[25]

Mindscape's Infiltrator game, released in 1986, combines flight simulator and ground-based missions based on stealth. In these “ground missions,” the protagonist attempts to infiltrate enemy territory using fake identities as a cover, as well as sleeping gas to immobilize enemies. The purpose of these missions is to create snapshots of secret documents without raising alarm. ^[26] Game Saboteur! (1985) by Durell Software is another example of an early game in the genre. ^[27]

The Metal Gear game, authored by Hideo Kojima , released in 1987 on MSX2 ^[28] and in 1988 on NES , ^[29] contains elements of stealth games as part of a common action-adventure gameplay. This is the first well-known game in the genre, released on video game consoles . ^[22] Since the MSX2 was not sold in North America, this game was only available in the NES version there. ^[29] In Metal Gear, stealth was given more importance than in other games of that time. So, the main character, Solid Snake , at the beginning of the game has no weapons at all (because of which it is necessary to avoid skirmishes with the enemy before taking possession of the weapon), and the quantity of ammunition for each type of weapon is limited. Enemies can notice Snake at a distance (this uses the mechanics of the angle of view) and hear gunshots without a silencer. In various places on the levels, CCTV cameras are installed, in the event Snake is detected, an alarm is raised with their help, and all the enemies on the current screen begin to chase him. ^[24] Snake can also disguise himself with an enemy uniform, hide in cardboard boxes ^[30] and fight enemies in hand-to-hand combat. ^[31]

The sequel to the game, Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake , was released in 1990 on MSX2 computers. In it, the elements of stealth from the previous game underwent development, and for the first time most of the gameplay elements present in Metal Gear Solid are also found . Among them is a “three-dimensional” height factor, which allows you to crouch and crawl to various places to hide, for example, in ducts or under tables. The player can distract the attention of a watchman by knocking on different surfaces, and also use the radar to plan the next action. Enemies AI also underwent improvements, including a 45-degree angle of view, head turns to expand the field of view, the ability to hear various noises, the ability to move between different screens (previously, enemies could only move on the current screen), as well as an alarm system with three levels (for example, reinforcements are first called in to prosecute the offender, some time after losing sight of him, searches continue, and after some time they return to their usual duty station). Also in the game there is a complex storyline and improved graphics. ^{[30] [31] [32] [33]}

Creation of the genre (1998-2002)

Although elements of the gameplay of stealth games were found in some games during the 1980s and 1990s, the turning point for the genre is considered to be 1998, when three games were released at once: Metal Gear Solid , Tenchu: Stealth Assassins and Thief: The Dark Project . ^{[5] [34]} Tenchu , a ninja- themed game, was released months before Metal Gear Solid , making it the first three-dimensional stealth-based game. ^[22] The release of the long-awaited Metal Gear Solid turned the previously not-so-successful series of games into a large and popular franchise. The superiority of the Playstation in computing power over other consoles of that time allowed to achieve greater immersion of the player both in the plot and in the game world. ^[29] It is to this game that some critics attribute the popularization of the stealth genre. ^{[1] [35] The} game Thief: The Dark Project is also mentioned among the pioneers of the genre. ^{[2] [10] [34]} In this game, for the first time, a three-dimensional first-person view was used , which was characterized as “sneaking in the first person” ( English first-person sneaker ) ^[36] or “sneak past everyone” ( English sneak -em-up ). ^[37] In this game, it is also for the first time possible to use darkness and shadows to hide in them. Another important Thief innovation for the genre was the use of sounds as one of the most important game mechanics. To avoid detection, the player must take into account the noises that the character can make, for example, moving on surfaces made of different materials. In the same way, the player can hear the movements of the guard from afar, as well as the sounds to determine the type of material on which they move.

With the release of new games in the genre, a tendency toward rapprochement with traditional action games began to take shape, which manifested itself in the emergence of the possibility of a direct confrontation with opponents. ^[38] In the Hitman series , the first game of which was released in 2000, a similar style of play is allowed, ^[38] however, the game encourages the player to use secretive and thoughtful ways to eliminate antagonists. Also, Hitman: Codename 47 became the first three-dimensional game with the implementation of a disguise system, common for games of the genre. ^[22] The game No One Lives Forever , created as a parody on the theme of espionage, was released in the same 2000. It provides the player with a similar opportunity to choose between stealth and open violence, and also allows their combination. ^[22] In the 2000 Deus Ex role-playing game, the player can also choose the stealthy way to achieve the goal. ^[39] As a critic from the USA Today newspaper noted, “even at the lowest level of difficulty, a player will be dusted with attacks by both people and robotic terrorists from time to time until he learns to appreciate stealth.” ^[40]

The Metal Gear series, which received praise from critics, continued with the release of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty ( Playstation 2 , 2001), ^[41] in which the stealth gameplay was further developed. It presented a whole range of new features, including the ability to "jump over the fences and hang from them, open the cabinets to hide in them", as well as the ability to sneak up on enemies, "keeping them on the sight to get items and ammunition." ^[42] Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty was the most successful game in the genre, with sales of 7 million copies, followed by Metal Gear Solid with 6 million copies sold. ^{[43] [44]}

Further Development (2002— ...)

Due to the great success of Metal Gear Solid and, to some extent, Tenchu and Thief , the process of introducing elements of stealth games into a wide variety of computer games has begun. Action games , where stealth elements are used in a variety of ways, are most affected by this effect. ^[39] In 2002, the first game in the Splinter Cell series was released , licensed by Tom Clancy . It made an attempt to create a more realistic game in the spirit of Metal Gear .. ^[22] As in Metal Gear , ^[24] if the player gives himself out in Splinter Cell , the watchmen will raise a general alarm. This will be followed by a sharp increase in the complexity of the game, ^[22] or an automatic failure of the task. ^[7] Splinter Cell can also be noted for the high quality of computer graphics, the use of dynamic lighting and shadows. ^[24] Thanks to these features, the game atmosphere is more felt, and there is a constant change in the conditions of places where the player could hide. ^[7] In the sequel to Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow (2004), the stealth game genre has received the multiplayer mode . ^[24]

With the improvement and development of the ideas of the genre, stealth elements begin to penetrate into other genres. For example, the 2002 Sly Raccoon game was called the “stealth platformer” ( Eng. Stealth platformer ), ^[22] while in the 2003 Forbidden Siren game the stealth genre is mixed with the survival horror genre. ^{[5] The} Manhunt game, released in the same year, is based on the ideas of snuff video and allows the player to kill enemies with varying levels of cruelty depending on how long the player has chased the enemy. This game was the first in the genre in a high level of graphic cruelty. ^[45] In Konami's 2004 Metal Gear Acid, stealth gameplay is combined with elements of turn-based strategies and tactical role-playing games , in addition, the game has elements from its own series of card games based on Yu-Gi-Oh! . ^[46]

Released in Playstation 2 in 2004, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater ^[47] introduced camouflage into the genre. ^[22] The game takes place in the jungle, so the game focuses on living in a natural environment, in addition, an important aspect of the game is survival - the extraction of suitable food, self-medication, close combat. ^[32] The following year, an updated version of the game ( Subsistence ) was released, which included a new multiplayer online game mode for the genre. ^[48] Another notable 2004 game is The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay , based on a series of Riddick movies - her hero Riddick is trying to escape from prison. ^{[22] The} game mechanics of action games and stealth games in the game are discreetly combined, which allows the character to hide, pursue or advance with the battle (in most cases). ^{[49] [50]} The game won praise from critics, ^{[51] [52]} so in 2009 a sequel was released - the game The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena . ^[53]

Assassin's Creed , released in 2007, is based on the social dimension of stealth - the art of blending with the crowd. ^[54] Crysis , an open-world first-person shooter from Crytek released the same year, uses stealth elements in its gameplay. The same applies to the first-person multiplayer first-person shooter of the same year, Team Fortress 2, and to the next-year role-playing game with a first-person view of Fallout 3 . ^[39] Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots , released in 2008 on Playstation 3 , ^[55] added an element of arena battles, since stealth gameplay is implemented on the battlefield, where two armies fight, each of which can take root Solid Snake. ^[32] Assassin's Creed II , released in 2009, developed the ideas of stealth from the previous game in the series. Now the player can hide in any group of people, and not just in predefined ones. The player can distract the guard by throwing coins, or by hiring thieves or courtesans . In addition, the game has a notorious level in which the player is more visible to the guards until he pays the official or frustrates the search orientations . ^[56] Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and Batman: Arkham Asylum released the same year using elements of stealth in different game situations. The multi-player game modes Aliens versus Predator (2010) and Killzone 3 (2011) also have stealth elements. ^[39]

The 2012 Dishonored game originally planned to use the stealth elements featured in Thief , such as the importance of lighting and shadows. The developers later abandoned this idea - on the one hand, they considered the original Thief mechanics unrealistic when the hero could literally stand under the nose of a non-player character and remain invisible to him; and on the other hand, the lack of complete darkness allowed the player to show the detailed environment, which is one of the advantages of the game ^[57] Instead, stealth is based on the “occlusion effect” in the game, using cones of vision, obstacles and special skills that can be used to determine whether the character is visible. Forbes magazine named Dishonored one of the best stealth games of 2012, along with Hitman: Absolution and Mark of the Ninja . ^[58] Mark of the Ninja is atypical of the genre, as it is a two-dimensional side scroller . ^[59] Thanks to this, unique features appeared, including the lack of corners behind which the character could hide, and the visibility characteristic of the side-scroller. ^[60] The developers took these features into account by adding a “fog” that hides from the player what the character cannot see, by visualizing enemy “lines of sight” and even visualizing the noise made by the character and the distance at which they are heard. ^[60] After completing the game, an advanced mode called New Game Plus becomes available. In it, visibility is additionally limited by adding “fog” behind the player’s back, turning off “lines of sight” of enemies and noises.