The stealth genre of gaming can challenge your patience, strategic thinking, and reflexes! It’s fun to go in with all guns blazing, but sometimes sticking to the shadows is just more rewarding.
Some of the best stealth games on PlayStation push the limits of what the genre can do. The software library on the PS5 isn’t the widest yet, but there are a handful of good options for stealth here.
Stealth games range from AAA cinematic stories to more intimate indie experiences. There is a lot of diversity in titles to test your sneaking skills here, and on that note, these are the best PS5 stealth games to try.
Vesper: Zero Light Edition
- Genre: Platformer, Puzzle, Adventure, Casual
- Developers: Cordens Interactive
- PlayStation Release Date: 2022
- Buy from: PlayStation
- Multiplayer: No
- Average Playtime (Main Story/Objectives): 4 hours
Vesper: Zero Light Edition is a stealth + platforming + puzzler game with a very interesting art direction.
The combination of these wildly varying gameplay elements into one single game comes off very nicely indeed in Vesper. You play the character Seven, an android that finds itself on a post-apocalyptic planet missing its original inhabitants.
As Seven tries to maneuver its way across the 2D landscape of the planet’s surface in the earlier stages of the game, you will have to use stealth to avoid enemies until you acquire weapons that you can use to fight them off instead.
The more you progress, the more your abilities get upgraded, allowing you to do some pretty cool stuff like possessing enemies and absorbing light from external sources.
The puzzles are great as well, and the soundtrack that accompanies the stunning aesthetics of the game all lend credence to its place as one of the best stealth games on PS5.
Serial Cleaners
- Genre: Action-adventure, Stealth
- Developers: Draw Distance
- PlayStation Release Date: September 22, 2022
- Buy from: PlayStation
- Multiplayer: No
- Average Playtime (Main Story/Objectives): 8 hours, 30 minutes
Apart from the fact that I really like the name of this game, it is actually pretty fun to play as well. The game was published by 505 Games, and it is a stealth-action title that can be played in multiple ways.
Serial Cleaners features a stylish, top-down 2D art direction, and you play as multiple characters whose jobs are to clean up crime scenes without getting caught. You’ll mostly be avoiding cops by staying out of their lines of sight (represented by cones of vision).
The four players (Bob, Psycho, Lati, and Vip3r) that you will control over the course of the game all work for a criminal organization that gets involved in several murder cases. They each have pretty interesting skills, quirks, and personalities, adding extra character to a game whose very plot is already full of it.
As you play, you get rewarded for successfully cleaning up these scenes and completing objectives tied to your mission. It does not matter if you’re precise or chaotic. However, the missions can get repetitive after a while and that is the biggest drawback of Serial Cleaners.
Yuoni
- Genre: Action-adventure
- Developers: Tricore Inc.
- PlayStation Release Date: 2021
- Buy from: PlayStation, Amazon
- Multiplayer: No
- Average Playtime (Main Story/Objectives): 4 hours
Yuoni is a dangerous game of hide and seek. This is a horror title where you need to stay out of sight. Here, it’s better to avoid your demons entirely rather than face them head-on. Horror titles are often good picks for stealth games but there are a few things that make Yuoni stand out. The setting is unique, with authentic Japanese environments to traverse.
You play as a Japanese grade-schooler. Players will have to rely on stealth to survive in this world. A lot of the gameplay is based around hide and seek. As a horror game though it’s a notch above standard playground games.
The selling points for Yuoni are the creative horror elements along with the stealth. There are some problems with the title. If you’re looking for a less-conventional horror game though, this is one of the best stealth games on PS5.
Deathloop
- Genre: First-person shooter
- Developers: Arkane Lyon
- PlayStation Release Date: September 14, 2021
- Buy from: PlayStation, Amazon
- Multiplayer: Online co-op
- Average Playtime (Main Story/Objectives): 16 hours, 30 minutes
Deathloop is an action game from Bethesda that surprised players with its openness. You can get through it like your Rambo, blasting everything in sight. Equally, you can take a stealth approach. In some areas, it’s the only way forward.
This title rewards players who are willing to work out the best approach. That means using stealth to your advantage. The player character, Colt, is on the squishier side. You’ll need to master sneaking around if you want to succeed.
When you combine these mechanics with the unique time loop, you get something special. It’s one of the best FPS titles on PS5 at the moment, too.
It isn’t just about shooting though. You’ve got to use all your wits to sneak around the island and try to find a way to escape.
Deathloop doesn’t have to be played stealthily the whole way through. It might be the more fun way to play though! Outside of the core gameplay, this game’s characters and the setting add a lot to the experience. Colt has infinite loops to try and take out all eight of his targets, but there’s a lot to discover along the way.
A Pretty Odd Bunny
- Genre: Platform, Adventure
- Developers: AJ Ordaz
- PlayStation Release Date: November 9, 2021
- Buy from: PlayStation
- Multiplayer: No
- Average Playtime (Main Story/Objectives): 1 hour
Platforming and stealth don’t often go hand in hand. It’s rare to picture a jumping rabbit when you think of the best stealth games on PS5. Pretty Odd Bunny might challenge that though.
You’re a rabbit with a taste for pigs. You’ve got to traverse each platforming challenge to reach the tasty snack at the end.
The only problem is your fellow bunnies. They don’t look too kindly on you rejecting carrots for pork. You’ve got to use stealth to evade your own kind and finally get that better snack. It’s a simple setup but it adds character and some flair to things.
Levels are creatively designed. The stealth mechanics are well-developed and gel well with platforming. Getting that pig at the end of each stage can be challenging, but finishing is an achievement.
This title has a cutesy aesthetic and a pretty diverse roster of levels. The combination of platforming and stealth goes a long way here. It takes what is a simple premise for a game and makes it a lot more compelling. This might not be what most picture when you think of the best stealth games on PS5, but it’s worth a shot.
Sniper Elite 5
- Genre: Tactical shooter, Stealth
- Developers: Rebellion Developments
- PlayStation Release Date: May 26, 2022
- Buy from: PlayStation, Amazon
- Multiplayer: Online co-op/multiplayer
- Average Playtime (Main Story/Objectives): 10 hours
The Sniper Elite series is a franchise that’s been running since 2005. It follows Karl Fairburne, a skilled sniper in the Second World War. If you’re looking for pure and simple stealth action in a shooter setting, then this is one of the best stealth games on PS5 for you.
Playing as a sniper, you must stay under the radar and take your shots without giving yourself away. You’re smuggled behind enemy lines and must stay undetected. That’s a challenge when you’re tasked with taking down submarines and high-ranking Nazis.
This is a stealth game that’s a lot better on the PS5, Textures and load times are improved in this version of the game. It also has great use of the DualSense in the PS5 gamepad.
It’s a feature that lends itself really well to sniper gameplay.
Making such good use of it makes this one of the top sniper games. Here the haptic feedback adds an extra layer of immersion to the action.
Aragami 2
- Genre: Platform, Fighting, Adventure
- Developers: Lince Works
- PlayStation Release Date: September 2021
- Buy from: PlayStation, Amazon
- Multiplayer: Online co-op
- Average Playtime (Main Story/Objectives): 16 hours, 30 minutes
Aragami 2 is a great stealth game with a unique art style and gameplay. You take on the role of a Ninja who possesses some extraordinary abilities. Aragami has control of the shadows themselves. You can teleport between them and draw power from staying hidden.
Aragami is set a long time after the original story. The Shadow Essence that gives Aragami their powers is being sapped by a curse. You’re revived for your ability to freely use Shadow Essence. You’ll go on a journey to defeat the invading Akatsuchi Empire and find a cure for your kind.
Gameplay is fast-paced while relying entirely on stealth. There’s a great system for progression to build your shadow powers as you progress. Visually, this is a PS5 stealth game that looks a bit different. It’s cel-shaded, a style that has never looked better than on the PS5.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
- Genre: Action-adventure
- Developers: FromSoftware
- PlayStation Release Date: March 22, 2019
- Buy from: PlayStation, Amazon
- Multiplayer: No
- Average Playtime (Main Story/Objectives): 30 hours
Sekiro lets you play in different ways but a heavy dose of subterfuge pays off. This title was one of the most well-received stealth titles in the last gen. The jump to next-gen has made a big improvement to the title too.
Sekiro runs at 60 FPS on this console. It’s a locked 60 FPS too, which makes the entire experience a bit smoother and more immersive. It’s the best time to re-experience this title.
If you missed it the first time around, then you’ve got one of the best stealth games on PS5 waiting for you here. With the increased performance this might be the definitive version of Sekiro.
A Plague’s Tale
- Genre: Action-adventure, Stealth
- Developers: Asobo Studio
- Release Date: May 14, 2019 (Innocence);
- Buy from: PlayStation, Amazon (Innocence); PlayStation, Amazon (Requiem)
- Multiplayer: No
- Average Playtime: 11 hours
A Plague’s Tale is a medieval game that has a heavy focus on stealth in its gameplay. You follow Amicia de Rune, a teenage French girl trying to survive and cure her sick younger brother, Hugo. The opening of the first game (Innocence) sees French inquisition troops murder their family. This starts your journey away from home.
That journey is plagued with difficulties in just surviving, let alone trying to find a cure for Hugo. Most enemies are going to kill teenagers pretty much outright. This means you’ll have to use your wits and stealth skills to get around them.
It isn’t all just sneaking, however. The game has some fun puzzles too. It also boosts the ability to render 5,000 rats on-screen at once. Rats per pixel aren’t most players’ main concern, but if it’s yours, A Plague’s Tale is perfect.
The sequel to the first game, A Plague’s Tale: Requiem follows a similar pattern and you can even enjoy it without playing the first game.
The story of A Plague’s Tale is one of the biggest factors going in its favor, so we won’t spoil any of it for you here. It’s worth saying though that the journey is a rewarding one.
There’s a PS5 version of the first game and it boasts some upgrades in performance and load times, but the sequel is built for the PS5 from scratch.
Within the Blade
- Genre: Action
- Developers: Ametist Studio
- PlayStation Release Date: July 16, 2021
- Buy from: PlayStation, Amazon
- Multiplayer: No
- Average Playtime (Main Story/Objectives): 3 hours
Within the Blade is a 2D title that blends up various genres for an engrossing experience. The title takes elements of platforming, RPGs, and a heavy dose of Stealth to tell its story.
You play as a Ninja in Within the Blade. You’re moving around 1560 AD Japan. Here the last Shogunate is losing power as a civil war rages. The Black Lotus Ninja Clan has to sabotage the invading warlords. It’s up to you to prevent Japan from falling into complete disrepair.
The game’s world gives a lot of opportunities for the title’s art to stand out. There’s plenty to like in gameplay here though. Playing as a ninja you can use stealth alongside various weapons to achieve your goals. There’s also a deep crafting system at work in the game with more than 200 recipes to work with.
Within the Blade stands out both for its stealth and gore. The game has dismemberment and the potential to get really quite violent. It’s a contrast with the well-drawn artsy world you’re inhabiting.
Hitman 3 (World of Assassination)
- Genre: Stealth, Action
- Developers: IO Interactive
- PlayStation Release Date: January 20, 2021
- Buy from: PlayStation, Amazon
- Multiplayer: No
- Average Playtime (Main Story/Objectives): 8 hours
Hitman is one of the biggest stealth franchises in gaming. The most recent installment is one of the best in the series. Hitman draws this trilogy to a conclusion. It’s building on everything the series has been up until now.
Hitman 3 has you completing missions as Agent 47. The game has an impressive number of environments. The sandbox areas where you run your missions are some of the best in the series.
This game has you embarking on varied and lively missions. In each, you have to find unique ways of sneaking around the locals. This is one of the most creative games in terms of the options you have to accomplish stealth goals. Even just within the disguises Hitman 3 takes it further than the series has ever gone before.
Hitman 3 has a PS5 upgrade which makes the title even better visually. It supports 4K, 60 FPS, and HDR. There’s an improvement in load times with the faster SSD as well. This is by far the best way to play the game with a lot more power behind it.
The game has an ongoing story with the rest of the series. However, if you haven’t played the past titles then the gameplay itself is still worth checking out. It’s one of the best stealth games on PS5 and a highlight of the platform’s catalog.
Metal Gear Solid Phantom Pain
- Genre: Action-adventure, Stealth
- Developers: Kojima Productions
- PlayStation Release Date: September 1, 2015
- Buy from: PlayStation, Amazon
- Multiplayer: Online co-op/multiplayer
- Average Playtime (Main Story/Objectives): 45 hours, 30 minutes
Probably the biggest name in stealth games is Metal Gear. These Kojima-directed games are iconic in gaming. While the franchise isn’t active at the moment, one of the best installments is available to play on PS5.
Metal Gear V: The Phantom Pain might be a few years old but it’s one of the best stealth games on PS5. This game has a more open design. It gives players a lot more options and control compared to normal stealth games. You can take different routes and use a variety of tactics playing Solid Snake.
The title moves the MGS gameplay into 1984 and the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. This “more opened-up” world is the background for incredibly rewarding stealth gameplay. There are more options for how to outplay your enemies than ever before.
This is a Metal Gear game, so there’s also a focus on the story with lengthy cut scenes.
The plot might not make the most sense if you’re not familiar with the franchise. Or even if you are, sometimes Metal Gear games can throw a few curveballs.
Phantom Pain is likely going to be the final Metal Gear that fans accept as authentic. Thankfully the title feels like the culmination in a lot of ways. The story might end up a bit inconclusive, but the gameplay definitely had some highs here.
If you’re feeling more adventurous after all the sneaking you’ll have to do in these games, switch things up with some open-world games that let you explore freely.
