When it comes to stealth games on the PS2, you probably think of two franchises. First the metal gear series has been associated with PlayStation for most of its life past the NES days. The second game was a huge hit in the early days of its life cycle, but Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is considered the best entry on the platform, let alone in the entire series.
The other standout series is Splinter Cell, which started out as an Xbox exclusive series. Between these two franchises, PS2 fans had plenty of AAA stealth games to choose from. But what about the lesser-known underrated stealth games out there?
8/8 24: The game
24: The game was better than it had a right to be. There were a ton of licensed games on PS2 at this point The Sopranos until Alias. Among the many, 24’s adjustment was one of the best.
It kept the show’s dual-screen format, which helped create tension in certain situations. It won’t win awards for the best hidden gem on the PS2, but it will make for an afternoon of shooting, especially for fans of the show who missed it the first time.
7/8 James Bond 007: All or Nothing
James Bond 007: All or Nothing is the best movie in this series starring Pierce Brosnan except Golden Eye. That movie and game provided high marks for the series. Most games that came after that failed to hold onto the N64 classic.
Movie-based video games were typically developed quickly, making Golden Eye an outlier. That’s why Everything or nothing was special because it was a new 007 adventure, but without an accompanying movie. This was a smart move by EA, but to this day most only remember Golden Eye.
6/8 manhunt
manhunt is one of Rockstar’s weirdest games. They had made a name for themselves with Grand Theft Auto 3 and continued to push their adult angles with their future games. manhunt might have been a bridge too far as it was like a snuff movie turned into a game.
It was hard to empathize with the main character or anyone else on screen. It was murder for the kill that may not have worked out well for even the most diehard Rockstar fans. But as chilling as it was, the stealth gameplay was admittedly solid.
5/8 Mister Mosquito
Mister Mosquito looks more like a game like Shadow of the Colossus then Metal Gear Solid. It’s a rather weird game where you play as a mosquito and have the task of sucking blood from a Japanese family while remaining stealthy.
If a family member is warned, a small battle ensues. It’s safe to say there’s no game as unique as this one, even when compared to Shadow of the Colossus raised. It’s not a traditional stealth game, but that’s why it deserves a spot on the list. It’s a shame the sequel never left Japan, as it was on PS2.
4/8 Red Ninja: End of Honor
Red Ninja: End of Honor is one of the worst rated PS2 games on Metacritic, sliding into the red zone. It’s easy to see why it wasn’t fun back then. The camera is the worst, making it difficult to get around. The controls weren’t perfect either, but they were serviceable given patience.
What stood out on the plus side was the art style and unique character design of the heroine, Kurenai, who sought revenge for her father’s death. It’s a cliché setup and other ninja games did what Red Ninja: End of Honor tried to do better, but it’s still worth checking out, especially with a boost through emulation.
3/8 spy fiction
spy fiction is one of Swery’s earliest games. Fans may recognize that name as he also directed Deadly hunchone of the most polarizing video games of the past decade. spy fiction doesn’t have quite as quirky a story as some of Swery’s other games, which may disappoint fans.
It plays the same way as Metal Gear Solid with traditional spy equipment, from invisibility cloaks to muted pistols. This one also suffers from a poor camera and controls that could have been refined. Still, Swery fans may find something intriguing about a spy game like this.
2/8 Siphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow
Siphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow was originally a PSP game in 2007 before getting a PS2 port in 2010. To put that period in perspective, that’s four years after the PS3 launched and games were still coming to the PS2. It’s one of the better swan songs on console.
Siphon filter was a great trilogy of games for the PS1 that didn’t quite fit on the new system. This is the last game in the series and it’s not a bad one to get out and about. It was rated fairly well, but the issue was noticed because it was a case of too little too late for most PlayStation fans.
1/8 Tenchu: Fatal Shadows
Tenchu: Fatal Shadows is the second PS2 entry in the series after wrath of heaven. That game is considered a classic, while Fatal Shadows was considered too much of the same. This was the fourth main game in the series and not much had changed since the PS2 days.
The gameplay, story, visuals and camera all felt like a step back for the series. It’s certainly not a bad game and the reviews at the time may have been too negative. There are better entries to watch in the series before it, but Fatal Shadows is better than first impressions.
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