Games with obligatory stealth sections that are not core stealth games

Exactly what the title says.

Suggestions will gladly be taken into consideration. Not including hardcore stealth games (Metal Gear Solid, Dishonored, Assassin's Creed, etc) or games that utilize stealth as a core mechanic (Deus Ex, Sly Cooper, Beyond Good & Evil, etc) or as an optional core strategy (modern Tomb Raider games, Wolfenstein: The New Order, etc). Also see TVtropes lists here, here, and here, with examples selectively taken.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Evoland 2
Evoland 2
Section that's a parody of Metal Gear Solid
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky
Life is Strange
Life is Strange
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
Indigo Prophecy
Indigo Prophecy
Hotline Miami
Hotline Miami
Final Fantasy XV
Final Fantasy XV
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Far Cry 3
Far Cry 3
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
Star Fox Adventures
Star Fox Adventures
Metroid: Zero Mission
Metroid: Zero Mission
Hulk
Hulk
Metroid Dread
Metroid Dread
Overlord II
Overlord II
Marvel's Spider-Man
Marvel's Spider-Man
Secret Agent Barbie
Secret Agent Barbie
Song of the Deep
Song of the Deep
Freedom Wars
Freedom Wars
Dreamfall: The Longest Journey
Dreamfall: The Longest Journey
Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers
Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers
Gravity Rush
Gravity Rush
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix
Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix
Far Cry 4
Far Cry 4
SteamWorld Dig 2
SteamWorld Dig 2
A Hat in Time
A Hat in Time
Ratchet & Clank
Ratchet & Clank
Sonic Heroes
Sonic Heroes
Dungeon Keeper 2
Dungeon Keeper 2
Tales of Phantasia
Tales of Phantasia
Tales of the Abyss
Tales of the Abyss
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings
Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings
Chrono Trigger
Chrono Trigger
Valkyria Chronicles
Valkyria Chronicles
Golden Sun
Golden Sun
Lunar Knights
Lunar Knights
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
Kingdom Hearts coded
Kingdom Hearts coded
Lost Odyssey
Lost Odyssey
Dubloon
RuneScape
RuneScape
Terranigma
Terranigma
BoxxyQuest: The Gathering Storm
BoxxyQuest: The Gathering Storm
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II - Rogue Leader
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II - Rogue Leader
Vietcong
Vietcong
Golf Story
Golf Story
Tony Hawk's Underground
Tony Hawk's Underground
Fatal Frame III: The Tormented
Fatal Frame III: The Tormented
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water
Resident Evil 6
Resident Evil 6
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation
Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation
Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest
Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest
Grand Theft Auto V
Grand Theft Auto V
Online has stealth missions that will fail you if you get spotted
Saints Row IV
Saints Row IV
True Crime: Streets of LA
True Crime: Streets of LA
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
Gato Roboto
Gato Roboto
Jak II
Jak II
Chrono Cross
Chrono Cross
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Deadly Premonition
Deadly Premonition
Pikmin 3
Pikmin 3
Death Stranding
Death Stranding
Yakuza 0
Yakuza 0
Yume Nikki: Dream Diary
Yume Nikki: Dream Diary
Night in the Woods
Night in the Woods
The Binding of Isaac: Repentance
The Binding of Isaac: Repentance
Shadow of Rome
Shadow of Rome
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
Outer Wilds
Outer Wilds
Both the base game and the DLC
Star Wars: DroidWorks
Star Wars: DroidWorks
James Bond 007: Nightfire
James Bond 007: Nightfire
The Saboteur
The Saboteur
Elite: Dangerous
Elite: Dangerous
Daemon X Machina
Daemon X Machina
Iconoclasts
Iconoclasts
Aliens: Colonial Marines
Aliens: Colonial Marines
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Rayman Legends
Rayman Legends
Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling
Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling
Return to Castle Wolfenstein
Return to Castle Wolfenstein

50 Comments


1 year ago

Fantastic list, thank you! I was wondering for a long time since when stealth sections started becoming a standard ingredient for all sorts of games and this is a great resource for tracking the evolution of this trend. I never realized that almost every Zelda game has one of these. The Minish Cap also has a brief stealth segment in Hyrule Castle.

1 year ago

Added Minish Cap, thanks!
I'm curious to see if Fire Emblem Path Of Radiance would count. It's only for one mission and isn't at all required, but trying to do the stealth route does give you a big bonus

1 year ago

Considering it's only for one mission, I'll allow it. Thanks for the suggestion!

1 year ago

Gravity Rush 2 (and it’s the worst thing about it imo)

1 year ago

path of radiance was already here :) Mega Man Battle Network 4 has a scenario with stealth

1 year ago

Added both Gravity Rush 2 and Mega Man Battle Network 4!

1 year ago

the sheer abundance of zelda games that fall under this is actually insane holy shit

1 year ago

Hmm, Oblivion I feel falls under "optional core strategy". I mean, you can sneak at anytime, sneaking is skill you level up, two major factions in the game are focused on stealth, you can pickpocket anyone in the game, etc. I mean, there are quests that permanently fail if you get caught, but I kind of feel that's fine when doing the quests designed around stealth, and it at least (if I remember right) never locks you out of the main ending from failing a stealth section.
Just noticed New Vegas too and I feel it's kind of the same situation, only I guess there aren't any stealth focused factions.

1 year ago

Binary Domain follows up its tutorial immediately with a swimming stealth segment, swimming and stealth are far from core mechanics and I don't like it.

1 year ago

which San Andreas mission are you thinking about here?

1 year ago

I originally compiled the list from my own knowledge + friends as well as selectively from some TVTropes lists like this and San Andreas was part of the latter. Looking this up, I think Home Invasion appears to be the "obligatory stealth" part, as making too much noise inside the house will alert the home owner and cause a mission failure, but feel free to correct me if you don't think this is obligatory or if you think the game wouldn't fall under the listed conditions.

1 year ago

nope absolutely right, home invasion cannot be finished without stealth, in fact there's also another mission in SA that has obligatory stealth which is "madd dogg's rhymes", not all of it is stealth but the first few objectives are obligatory to be used with stealth or else you'll fail

1 year ago

Good to know, thanks for confirming!
dirge of cerberus
just remembered nmh2 as well, mb for the double post

1 year ago

Added both, thanks Josh

1 year ago

Magic Knight Rayearth (Sega Saturn)

1 year ago

Bright Memory Infinite
and also Assault Spy
All three Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds World Championship games (2009-10-11) have a mandated stealth section
Astral Chain

1 year ago

WHY ARE THERE SO MANY FIRE EMBLEM GAMES

1 year ago

Added all of the latest suggestions, thanks everyone.

1 year ago

Eastward also has one

1 year ago

Shadow Hearts Covenant has a funny stealth section and it's an RPG.

1 year ago

not feeling this max payne pick at all, sure the normal way is to do it by stealth but you can still do it normally, you can get some of the enemies at the door and kill them taking their guns and wiping out the entire level all without stealth and the game wont fail you for it, not like san andreas where you have to or else you'll fail

1 year ago

Fair point, I'll leave it off for now.

1 year ago

Yakuza 4 has one

11 months ago

Sports Story has one

9 months ago

Omg did anyone say the Family Guy game on PS2? FUCK the Brian stealth section 😵‍💫


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