This crime simulator is smaller in scope and encourages you to focus on one specific criminal skill to achieve absolute mastery.
As hard as it may be to guess, in Thief Simulator you’ll try yourself in the role of a professional thief who doesn’t just break into the first house he comes across and grab everything that’s lying around, but takes orders to “remove” specific items.
This means you must first carefully review the details of the order, conduct reconnaissance, thoroughly examine the area, develop a break-in plan that takes into account the daily routine and the home’s security systems, and then carry it out perfectly—without evidence, witnesses, or casualties.
Thief Simulator Thief Simulator 2
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell is an iconic series of stealth action games from Ubisoft that competed with Hitman for many years.
In the franchise’s games, the protagonist’s goal is often to prevent villains from obtaining super-powerful weapons with which they could unleash a monstrous war.
While international diplomacy suffers one setback after another, superspy Sam Fisher goes about his business, saving the planet from the threat of World War III and visiting various corners of the globe, from Peru to North Korea, along the way. He operates as discreetly as possible, trying not to attract attention.
MGSV: The Phantom Pain
Nine years after the events of Ground Zeroes, Big Boss (aka Venom Snake) awakens from the coma he fell into after the destruction of MSF. Having founded a new organization, Diamond Dogs, he travels to Afghanistan, hoping to find those responsible for his past defeat. Along the way, he discovers that a new Metal Gear protocol is in development , which will undoubtedly spell disaster for the entire world.
In the new installment of the franchise, the developers took a different approach to the proven formula, turning the game into a sandbox. While exploring the game world, Snake can even control a variety of vehicles, from horses to robots .
Sniper: Ghost Warrior Contracts
Sniper: Ghost Warrior offers a setting close to our reality with a touch of futurism.
Although Ghost Warrior Contracts is the fifth game in the series, it is considered by many to be the best, and it fits the theme of our selection better than others, as it offers a more concentrated stealth experience than the other games.
Instead of one large, open location, players now complete missions on multiple maps around the world, not to mention additional and permanent contracts. As in Hitman, your primary objective will be to eliminate certain individuals with dubious reputations, and the methods for achieving your goals are endless: from a well-aimed shot from hundreds of meters away and the use of clever gadgets to the ability to clear an entire base.
Sniper Elite Series
Karl Fairburne is as much a staple of the Sniper Elite series as Agent 47 is of Hitman. A sniper who fights fascists, he prefers to operate stealthily and leave no trace, eliminating targets from a distance and quickly retreating before his enemies can even figure out what’s going on.
The Sniper Elite games transport players to World War II , where they must complete missions to eliminate various targets to bring about an Allied victory. The gameplay isn’t as polished as Hitman, but it still allows you to feel like a silent avenger, raining death upon your enemies.
Velvet Assassin
The third-person stealth action game Velvet Assassin is based on the true story of British spy Violette Chabot, who carried out dangerous missions in occupied France during World War II .
In this game, you’ll operate deep behind enemy lines, silently assassinating enemies, and, in critical moments, using the heroine’s unique ability to dispatch dozens of enemy soldiers in a flash. Despite its dated graphics , Velvet Assassin plays quite well and is sure to entertain gamers eager for stealth challenges.
The Saboteur
The Saboteur is an open-world action game set in Nazi-occupied Paris during World War II. You play as Devlin, an Irish immigrant with a troubled past who decides to atone for his sins by joining the French resistance.
While The Saboteur will remind most players of GTA and other action sandboxes, thanks to the ability to move around a large city, arrange shootouts on level ground, and steal cars, there is plenty in store for those who prefer stealth and more thoughtful play.
Game mechanics allow you to try out different combinations of open-world features, protagonist skills, and NPC interactions, including parkour , stealth, and camouflage.
Death to spies
“Death to Spies” could almost be considered a Hitman spin-off set in World War II, so similar are the games. However, the locations are not particularly large, and the methods for eliminating targets are not particularly varied. Furthermore, all missions fail immediately if your disguise is revealed. This can be frustrating at times, but such difficulties shouldn’t deter die-hard Hitman fans.
As a Soviet counterintelligence agent for the SMERSH organization, you must single-handedly infiltrate the enemy headquarters with the goal of sabotaging the plans of the German troops from within, and at the same time escape alive and undetected.
Alekhine’s Gun
Despite its name, Alekhine’s Gun is a sequel to Death to Spies, only in a more modern setting.
In this gritty Cold War spy thriller, you play the role of Russian agent Alekhine, collaborating with the CIA to prevent a nuclear holocaust. You must, at any cost, ease the growing tensions between the two countries, using camouflage, a variety of weapons, and stealth techniques to complete your missions.
The story takes the hero across several locations, including Russia , the United States, and even Cuba. Gameplay-wise, the game is very similar to Hitman, but differs in setting, plot, and a few features.
Alpha Protocol
Alpha Protocol is a unique spy RPG from Obsidian that stands apart from typical shooters and stealth action games by giving players the ability to influence the game’s events through dialogue and character development.
However, Alpha Protocol shares with Hitman the idea of choosing your own approach to completing missions, allowing you to complete levels as a silent assassin, an elusive saboteur, a convinced pacifist, or a serial killer.
Payday 2
In this sequel to the popular game Payday: The Heist, you’ll once again take control of a bank robber trying to make a little extra cash. You’ll have a variety of contracts at your disposal, from heists to smuggling. You can go it alone or team up with two players online, which we highly recommend, as the robber will have to contend with cops, SWAT teams , and other law enforcement officers.
The gameplay has undergone significant improvements since the first game, with customization and contract options added, significantly increasing The Heist’s replayability . Completing contracts increases reputation and wealth, which can be used to purchase new weapons and masks.
Watch Dogs
When carrying out missions, 47 tries to remain under the radar whenever possible, avoiding exposure and carrying out his duties cleanly and without leaving a trace. The same can be said for the heroes of the Watch Dogs series , who prefer to stay away from their targets altogether and solve problems using hacking techniques. To do this, they use computer hacking, controlled drones , and other gadgets.
There are three games available in the Watch Dogs series, each with a different theme. The first is a dark story of revenge for the death of loved ones. The second is a lighthearted action thriller about anarchy. Finally, the third installment in the series is an adventure set in a dystopian world without a clear protagonist.
Watch DogsWatch Dogs 2Watch Dogs: Legion
Grand Theft Auto V
While the Grand Theft Auto series has become beloved for its sandbox criminal action format where you can cause utter chaos, the fifth installment occasionally allows players to take a different approach.
GTA V’s heist and assassination missions reflect Hitman’s fundamental philosophy: meticulous planning and choosing between meticulous execution and high-profile distractions. There’s even a whole chain of side missions from Lester, where you need to eliminate a target with a sniper rifle and escape undetected.
Like Hitman, improvisation is key, as if a plan fails you have to adapt to the changing situation on the fly, and instead of Agent 47 changing outfits, the game features the ability to switch between three characters with different strengths.
Manhunt
This is a much lesser-known Rockstar project, which is, however, much closer to Hitman in spirit.
Somewhere in a dark, twisted world of violence and betrayal, there existed a death row inmate named James Earl Cash . He received his injection, but it turned out to be only a tranquilizer. Offering freedom in exchange, a certain “Director” forced Cash to kill gangsters , but he was tricked, and now James is hunting the manipulator himself.
Manhunt has drawn criticism for its incredible brutality. Despite its age and correspondingly outdated graphics, the game remains one of the most notorious in the gaming industry. Fans of Manhunt appreciate its authenticity, dark atmosphere, and complex plot.
NIRO
Despite its recent release, NIRO can be considered an old-fashioned stealth shooter that offers nothing new, but long-time Hitman fans who remember the first installments of the series will certainly appreciate this old-school approach.
This is a story-driven action film about a sniper who finds himself alone in the middle of an impenetrable jungle in enemy territory and is now forced to survive using his professional skills.
Cloak & Dagger: Shadow Operations
Cloak & Dagger: Shadow Operations is another modern project with retro aesthetics, which is clearly inspired by the Splinter Cell series , but takes us back to the stealth action games of the late 90s and early 00s.
The game takes place in 1993, where a breakaway UN faction has allocated resources to create a new special reconnaissance and sabotage task force. As the best operative, you are tasked with uncovering the secrets of powerful forces plotting to take over the world, but you must act alone, as the enemy is backed by a private army of elite, trained fighters.
Children of the Sun
Children of the Sun, however, offers a completely new take on the classic sniper game concept.
The game ingeniously combines elements of a tactical shooter , stealth, and puzzle game within an original story about a girl who has set out to exterminate a satanic cult. The problem is, she only has one shot at it. But the good news is, she has the incredible ability to alter the trajectory of a bullet. This means you need to plan everything so that a single shot is enough to take out all the cultists.
SpyParty
SpyParty also offers the one-shot concept, but adds even more interesting components, including social deduction mechanics and a competitive element.
It’s a bit like Hitman 2’s Ghost Mode, but with one player being a hitman and the other being a secret agent who must carry out a series of hidden objectives at a crowded gala while under the gun of a sniper rifle, all without being revealed.
Teardown
While Teardown doesn’t share much in common with Hitman in terms of gameplay, it offers such an inventive criminal sandbox format that it’s sure to appeal to fans of the genre.
This is a unique voxel-based heist simulator with a focus on physics , where you don’t have to worry about noise or stealth. The levels are completely empty, and you can destroy everything if you want.
The main objective is to break through walls and any obstacles to the loot using a set of destructive tools, avoiding the alarm if possible, but even this can be ignored if done quickly.
Gunpoint
Gunpoint is a great alternative for Hitman fans who want to take a different approach to stealth.
This is a clever puzzle game in which you play as a dexterous hacker-for-hire. Naturally, his signature skill isn’t hand-to-hand combat, shooting, or stealth. The protagonist is, so to speak, an IT specialist, so he can hack and reprogram security and power systems in buildings to unlock some doors, trap enemies behind others, turn off the lights, and operate elevators.
As in Hitman, success depends on planning: you study the map, the location of security cameras , motion sensors, and security patrol routes, and then determine the ideal sequence of actions to complete the level while avoiding detection and direct confrontation.
Intravenous
For retro gaming fans looking for a more old-school experience, we have another interesting offering in the form of Intravenous. Although released in 2021, this game is replete with the spirit of the 80s.
Intravenous is best described as a Hotline Miami-style Splinter Cell, with you silently infiltrating various secure facilities before setting up a deafening firefight, all in a top-down stealth shooter format with the ability to crawl through ventilation shafts and hide enemy bodies.
The Chameleon (2021)
The Chameleon is a short but intense indie game set in the early 3D style, set in the 70s.
You wake up in a secret facility to an evacuation signal, with no memory of how you got there or why you’re wearing a red Hawaiian shirt. To get to the bottom of what’s happening, you need to sneak past menacing security robots—thankfully, you’re not exactly an ordinary person.
The main gameplay feature of The Chameleon is that you’ll use various superpowers to stealthily navigate levels, such as transforming into enemies, teleporting, slowing down time , and so on.
Chameleon (2005)
Funnily enough, there’s another decent stealth game named after a lizard that blends into its surroundings, or rather, it was.
The project has had a rather curious history. Despite its photographic resemblance to the Hitman series , Chameleon received positive reviews from critics and players alike. However, few outside the Czech Republic had heard of the game, as its limited releases elsewhere were rare. However, it was playable in Russia, even with an official Russian localization, so we simply had to mention Chameleon as one of the most successful Hitman clones of its time that domestic gamers had the chance to play.
The game is not available in official digital stores .
Past and Fantasy
Dishonored
This is the story of Corvo Attano, the Empress’s bodyguard, wrongly accused of her murder. When Corvo meets with the Empress to report on his diplomatic mission, she falls prey to a group of assassins led by a man named Daud. Corvo is subsequently arrested and sentenced to execution, but is freed by certain Loyalists, who allow him to join their ranks and attempt to uncover the mystery of the Empress’s death.
The game takes place in the fictional Dunwall, an industrial city reminiscent of late nineteenth-century London , ravaged by a deadly plague. Dishonored blends elements of our real world with the supernatural, setting it apart from other first-person action games .
Thief
Thief is a classic series that instilled a love of stealth in the shadows in a generation of gamers, and while a 2014 reboot failed, the original trilogy can still rightfully be considered the benchmark for stealth games, shaping the modern look of the genre, as seen in titles like Dishonored.
Players take on the role of Garrett, a skilled thief prowling the streets of a gloomy, gothic, steampunk city in search of profit. However, instead of hitting the jackpot, the protagonist finds himself embroiled in a war between three rival factions, each of which is in need of his services but is also willing to take Garrett’s life to prevent him from working for their rivals.
Sure, you’ll be doing more stealing than killing, but if you always tried to complete missions as cleanly as possible in Hitman, you’ll love Thief.
Aragami
A girl named Yamiko, held captive by the Kaiho clan, who also imprisoned the Empress, has managed to summon Aragami, a dark spirit. Now his task is to find six talismans that unlock the prison, but this must be done before dawn, which will disembody Aragami.
The search for the talismans is hampered by guards capable of killing the hero with light. The player can decide whether to sneak around unnoticed or kill every enemy they encounter. The main thing is to make it before sunrise. Thanks to its unique setting, story, and gameplay, the game has received high praise from critics and gamers alike.
Styx
In the Styx series of games, the eponymous goblin is simply trying to uncover the secret of his origin by infiltrating the Holy of Holies while humans and elves sort things out, but in reality, things take a much more serious turn.
As in IO Interactive’s Hitman trilogy, you’ll have vast, multi-story levels teeming with enemies, hidden passages, and interactive objects. Styx’s gameplay is best described as a blend of stealth and action, with spatial puzzle-solving and a touch of magic . Goblin can not only knock out enemies but also slip past them by creating clones of himself, becoming momentarily invisible, or setting deadly traps.
Lucius
The height of skill in Hitman missions is arranging accidents: if you make it look like your victim dies accidentally, the game will award the silent assassin a top rating.
Lucius, a game about Lucifer’s son who brutally attacks the inhabitants of a small town, offers something similar. The series spans three installments, each more ambitious and inventive than the previous ones.
Future and Science Fiction
Deus Ex
Drawing inspiration from various science fiction works, the Deus Ex games take players to a dystopian yet realistic future where technology and biology fuse and society is rife with political tensions.
For example, in the latest installments, you play Adam Jensen, the head of security at Sarif Corporation, who is nearly killed after an attack. To save Jensen’s life, most of his body is replaced with augmentations. His mission now becomes to find his attackers, during which he learns much about the consequences of “technological enhancements” to humans.
This immersive action game features extensive stealth capabilities, highlighted by excellent level design, weapon customization , and a dialogue system that gives players the power to decide the fate of the protagonist and other characters. Pleasingly, the game clearly conveys the consequences of even the most minor choices.
Batman: Arkham
The Arkham series gives you the chance to step into the shoes of the Dark Knight himself, battle your favorite Gotham villains, soar above skyscrapers, and even get behind the wheel of the Batmobile. From the very beginning, the franchise has been built around the complex relationship between Batman and the Joker. The games’ stories take players through various stages of Bruce Wayne’s alter ego’s career, from his beginnings in Arkham Origins to the final chapter in Arkham Knight.
Gotham is literally saturated with crime and corruption, and only you can bring down the powerful villains trying to control the city for their own selfish purposes. The series’ gameplay is top-notch, thanks to the combat system , missions, collectibles, and comic book references . Even if Batman isn’t your favorite superhero , these engaging games are definitely worth your attention.
Republic
Did you enjoy the cyberpunk aesthetic of Deus Ex , but are looking for something more methodical and with a greater emphasis on stealth? Republique can provide just that experience, and it’s free, too, with some very unique character control mechanics.
You play as Hope, a girl who escapes from a high-security government facility. Or rather, you help her escape by accessing the security systems, and now you must work together to obtain information that will help overthrow the totalitarian government in a dystopian future with total surveillance, in the best traditions of dystopian classics like Orwell’s “1984.”
In anticipation
007 First Light
Of course, we couldn’t ignore the long-awaited release of the new game from the creators of Hitman, which is scheduled for March 27, 2026.
With years of success in the stealth action genre, IO Interactive has earned the honor of bringing the most famous secret agent back to gaming screens .
007 First Light will give players a unique opportunity to experience a young and inexperienced James Bond as he takes his first steps into the dangerous and treacherous world of international espionage. Players will experience IO Interactive’s signature non-linear levels, which utilize a wide array of gadgets, items found along the way, and social disguise, as well as entirely new elements like mind-blowing action, breathtaking chases, and cinematic storytelling on par with Hollywood blockbusters.
Sniper at Work
As the name suggests, this project aims to expand on the sniper element found in some Hitman contracts, casting players as a professional assassin specializing in remote target assassination.
However, this isn’t just a mindless shooting range where you need to be accurate. Before each mission, you can scout the crime scene , either in person or using a drone, choose the best vantage point, and then calculate the ideal time and place for the fatal shot. But keep in mind that even such careful preparation can’t 100% protect you from potential risks and unforeseen situations that can ruin even the most perfect plan.