The most recent entry in theCall of Dutyseries isBlack Ops Cold War, a direct sequel to 2010’sCall of Duty: Black Ops. As the name implies, the game is all about conspiracies, lies, and espionage.
Related:5 Ways Black Ops Cold War’s Single-Player Is Better Than Modern Warfare’s (And 5 Ways It’s Worse)
By the end of the game, the shocking revelations presented change every assumption people had about the story upon first starting it. However, it is far from the first game about espionage; plenty of other titles have dealt with similar subject matters. They do not all take place during the Cold War, but they involve either spies, stealth, or undercover assignments and blending in with the enemy.
10Cold Winter
Cold Winterstarts off with the main character having been captured and tortured in a Chinese prison. After his escape, he helps track down a device with the ability to detonate any nuclear bomb anywhere on the planet. The story and the reason for the device’s creation goes far beyond simple terrorism, which is a revelation better left for players to discover. Beyond the story,the shooting feels good for a PS2 gameand the extreme violence has players wincing as guns tear enemies apart limb from limb.
9Metal Gear Solid
TheMetal Gear Solidseries absolutely deserves a place in the list, given the phrase often coinciding with the title screen, “tactical espionage action”. Players do not don disguises and play double agent, instead using old fashion stealth techniques to sneak past the enemy.The game’s lore spans more than sixty years of world history, dealing with themes regarding war, nuclear weapons, and the importance of culture and passing it down to the next generation.
8The Operative: No One Lives Forever
As terribly scary a time the Cold War was for a lot of people, some stories take a more tongue in cheek approach to the conflict. Similar to aJames Bondfilm, only with a female protagonist,No One Lives Foreverstars Cate Archer as an agent tracking down the terrorist organization H.A.R.M., a group similar to S.P.E.C.T.R.E. from theJames Bondfranchise. Sadly, the game is infamously unavailable these days and rights issues have prevented a rerelease despite fan demand.
7Splinter Cell
First coming around in 2002,Splinter Cellis a pure stealth game. Sam Fisher has slowly become one of gaming’s most iconic protagonist, no doubt in part due to Michael Ironside’s voice performance.
Related:10 Best Stealth Games Of The Decade (According To Metacritic)
The game often draws comparisons toMetal Gear Solid, but the more grounded military thriller narrative and focus on pure stealth over action distinguishes it fromHideo Kojima’s series. Sam and his exploits have been absent since 2013, save for some cameos in other Ubisoft games, and fans are desperate for a return.
6XIII
This cel-shaded, first-person shooter is based off a Belgian comic book. Similar to theBorneseries, the main character washes up on a beach with no memory and no hints to go on other than a tattoo of the number 13. He quickly finds out a lot of people are trying to kill him. It ends on a cliffhanger which was never resolved due to a sequel never coming to fruition. Sadly,the recent remakeof the 2003 game was overwhelmingly panned by critics due to technical issues and changes to the art style.
5GoldenEye 007
It is impossible to talk about Espionage without bringing up aboutGoldenEye, one of the most celebrated and legendary first-person shooters of all time. In a time when PC gaming dominated the genre,Rare proved the N64 could make a unique FPS experience of its own.Along with the impressive single-player campaign covering the events of the movie, the multiplayer provided countless nights of fun and friendly competition in the late ’90s.
4Blood And Truth
The only VR game on the list,Blood and Truthis a mixture of a spy thriller and a crime drama, something appropriate for SIE London Studios, who previously made a name for themselves withThe Getawaytitles on the PS2. Not only isBlood and Truthon VR, but it is only available on the PlayStation VR. With the positive reception is has received, it makes PSVR worth owning just to experience this caper.
3Alpha Protocol
Obsidian Entertainment is renowned forFallout: New Vegasand the recently releasedOuter Worlds. Its 2010 RPGAlpha Protocolis heavily flawed, but some fans were able to look past the jank surrounding the gameplay to appreciate the idea of bringing Western RPG sensibilities to a modern day espionage thriller. True to the developer’s other games, player’s choices during cutscenes heavily impacts the plot and ending. Obsidian is now owned by Microsoft, andAlpha Protocolis still a Sega property, so a sequel seems highly unlikely.
2Rainbow Six
Whether one is talking about the multiplayer onlySiegeor one of the older games,Rainbow Sixrepresents a different era of military shooters beforeCall of Dutypopularized the use of massive set pieces and fast-paced action.
Related:10 Other Rainbow Six Games That Aren’t Siege
Players have to carefully plan each level, choosing their squad and the gear they bring into battle. The shooting is way heavier and the unforgiving gameplay punishes any careless mistake. As popular asSiegehas become over the years, some fans still want a dedicated single-player campaign.
1Hitman
Several levels inBlack Ops Cold Warhave the player either donning disguises and walking right alongside the enemy to complete a mission.Hitmanis all about blending in with the crowds by using disguises found throughout the level. UnlikeCall of Duty, each mission is an open-ended sandbox with nearly countless ways to dispatch of a target. If the player can think of a way to complete a mission, odds are the developers have accounted for it and made it possible.
