Summary
The thrills of RTS stealth gaming come thanks to the popular subgenre’s effective fusion of real-time strategy and tactical depth withthe cautious, suspenseful style of stealth mechanics. In the process, a new and demanding style of gameplay has bubbled to the surface.
Instead of prioritizing strength in numbers or just outright brute force, RTS stealth games emphasize the importance of patience, cunning, and strategic planning to get ahead. To succeed, players must normally exploit their interactive environment and carefully manage their player characters and their respective abilities. The typically diverse selection of player characters and skills ensures there are plenty of potential paths to success, ensuring such games have ample replay value. With a bold sense of unpredictability at their core, the best RTS stealth games provide a thrilling cocktail of decision-making, suspense, and extensive strategy.
The 2020 sequel of the acclaimedDesperadosseries continued the trend of infusing RTS stealth with a Wild West flavor. Placing a heavy emphasis on strategic patience and precision, the game boasts considerable tactical depth.
As is so often the case with RTS games,each playable character here sports their own unique skillswhich, when tactically combined, can lead to remarkably sophisticated stealth missions. For players, the trial-and-error structure of much of the game’s action provides the chance to experiment with all manner of setups to complete objectives. On top of the impressive gameplay,Desperados 3is bolstered by impressively rendered environments and a compelling narrative.Between its intricate, strategic focusand its surprising level of thematic depth, this game has more than lived up to its predecessors.
4Robin Hood: The Legend Of Sherwood Is A Colorful, Medieval RTS Adventure
This 2002 release does a fine job of blending RTS stealth thrills with an intriguing narrativefocusing on the legendary English folklorehero. Like so many great stealth games,The Legend of Sherwoodshowcases an exciting blend of action and strategy to keep gamers on their toes.
To top it off, Robin Hood and his merry men make for a diverse set of playable characters. Each of them is equipped with their specific abilities, providing players with a versatile array of tactics to complete missions with. The game not only rewards combat but non-lethal options as well, ensuring that players have to think about more ethical, strategic choices along the way without having to worry about lesser accomplishments. The intricate, hand-drawn graphics lend greatly to the creation of animpressive medieval landscape. Between its memorable take on the legend of Robin Hood and its effective RTS mechanics, this game is a timeless, underrated gem.
3Shadow Tactics: Blades Of The Shogun Is A Thrilling Difficult RTS Game
Taking playersinto the Edo period of Japanese history,Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogunimpressively uses immersive environments to set up its emphasis on precarious stealth tactics. As is customary with RTS games, players here are provided with a selection of characters who provide different abilities to help get the job done.
Sporting a notable emphasis on creative exploration,Blades of the Shogungarnered praise for fostering a variety of strategies for action and cooperative gameplay. With an impressively adaptive AI, multi-level landscapes, and even the time of day impacting the gameplay, thisShadow Tacticsentry set itself apart as one of the most challenging RTS stealth games ever released. Emphasizing a need for tactical finesse, this 2016 release has proven to be an instant classic thanks to its commendable artistic design, strategic elements, and consistently engaging narrative.
This 2001 release did a commendable jobof blending a Wild West settingwith the RTS stealth style. The unique combination works like a charm, providing players with a challenging array of intricate-level designs.
Better still,Desperados: Wanted Dead Or Alivesports a colorful cast of memorable characters, all of whom provide the player with different special abilities. The selection of skills allows gamers to enjoy a litany of options when it comes to tackling missions, ranging from stealth all the way over to full-on, all-action confrontations. A neat enemy AI and a remarkably interactive environment by the standards of the time add further toDesperados' overall depth. The narrative does justice to its Western set-up, providing good fun for fans of the genre and providing some surprises along the way. Overall, between its slick stealth mechanics and entertaining take on the Old West,Desperadosis a classic of the RTS scene.
1Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines Is An Intense Piece Of WWII Gaming
Widely regarded as a pioneer in the RTS stealth subgenre,Behind Enemy Linesthrew playersinto an intense WWII settingwhere strategy is paramount. First released in 1998, the game boasted a unique gameplay style, calculated tactics, meticulous planning, and an emphasis on patience.
Gamers play as a team of six Allied Commandos, each of whom provides an important ability necessary for both effective teamwork and overall mission success. The game garnered acclaim for its challenging AI, complex level design, and richly detailed environments. Over 25 years later,Behind Enemy Linessports a timeless appeal thanks to its suspenseful, strategy-focused gameplay. Its influence on the RTS stealth scene can still be felt to this day. While critics at the time believed it wasn’t quite up to scratch with the original, time has shownthis entry in the seriesto be a game-changing example of tactical gaming.
