The History of the Stealth Game: From Metal Gear to Splinter Cell and Everything in Between

by Kirk McKeand

For many, video games are like magic. They hide in the dark and then appear from nowhere, fully formed. Based on over a dozen firsthand interviews that cover genre-defining games and the titles that inspired them — Metal Gear Solid, Thief, Deus Ex, Dishonored, Assassin’s Creed, Hitman, Splinter Cell, Prey, The Last of Us Part II, and more — this book shines a flashlight into the shadowy corners of game development history, uncovering the untold stories behind these formative titles.

These insider interviews cover development struggles, internal conflicts, changes in direction, and insight into the reasoning and challenges behind specific mechanics and development decisions.

There’s the story of how Thief was developed, in part, by an indie band. It covers Metal Gear Solid’s localisation issues and the Americanisation of Hideo Kojima’s seminal stealth series, along with a page from the original Metal Gear Solid design document. Elsewhere, one of IO Interactive’s founders explains why Hitman’s Agent 47 is inspired by Coca-Cola, the creator of Assassin’s Creed tells us his vision for the future of the series, and there are plenty of surprises besides. Rather than looking back at the genre as a whole, it traces a line through and connects the dots via personal stories and anecdotes from the people who were there.

Foreword written by Arkane’s Harvey Smith.

Genres: Video Games

158 pages, Hardcover

Published October 31, 2022

Reviews

[Sofia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really takes us in a very special journey into some video game gems, I already knew Metal gear series and I did enjoy Tenchu for ps1, and I was also introduced to some games that now I want to find and try them out.

If you want to travel through story and get to know better what was intended of this game genre, what was made, when, for what reason, what worked, what didn’t! Well this book is also for you, believe me, you’ll like it like I did!

I really had fun reading this book, and I think the language that the author used made it more friendlike, it was like having a chat with a friend about a common interest, also did enjoy when the author gave some personal details like his boys only playing one kind of games, and so on. I highly recommend this book to all fans of video games, and believe me, even if you don’t specially care only for stealth games, it will make your day.

Thank you NetGalley and Pen & Sword for the free ARC and this is my honest opinion.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of an oral history than a comprehensive survey, this short but well-informed book is built around interesting new anecdotes and design insights from the developers of a handful of influential, long-running stealth game series. Closing chapters on the outsized influence of a trifecta of 1990s games and possible directions for the future draw it all together nicely. It’s written in a conversational “British games mag” style that works well with the lengthy interview quotes, although I suspect non-game-playing readers will get a bit lost with the terminology used.

Essential reading for fans of the genre, and a good introduction for players who don’t understand the appeal or wider influence of these games.

[Ryan Epps · Rating 5 out of 5]

The History of the Stealth Game shines a light on the shadows and parts the chatty groups that hide those unsuspecting characters with clever, brilliant detail. Even for the uninitiated, someone like me who typically isn’t all too fond of the stealth genre, the elaborations and prose invoke an all-encompassing detail on the makings and basis behind some of the most celebrated experiences ever made in the space. I found myself enthralled, learning many varied new things, such as the underlying stealth mechanics baked into Pac-Man, to the ways in which Hideo Kojimo utilized legos to map out Metal Gear Solid (a mental picture of which will now never escape me). The book is also steeped in expert opinions gifted to the author from some of gaming’s most talented minds, including Ubisoft’s Julian Gerighty, Naughty Dog’s Anthony Newman, IO Interactive’s Janis Flosser, Arkane’s Dana Nightingale, and plenty more. The History of the Stealth Game isn’t just about the gameplay or the games themselves. As always, even in his editorial prose, Kirk does well to harken specifically on the development that underpin these varied titles, highlighting the feats each creator have endured to make such games possible and magical in their own right. These include concepts like how parallel sonic volumes were used to aid the realism in objects’ auditory feedback, or how allowing the players the ability to go prone adds a level of immense complication to the AI ecosystem. And through it all, McKeand keeps his always-witty quips at the ready, splashing readers with a much needed laugh wherever necessary. You may not like stealth games or even games in general, but you’ll soon realize it’s unstated prowess within the industry. I can certainly attest to my newfound fondness for the genre thanks to Kirk’s new book - and for that, I’ll now be playing the Dishonored series for the next several hours…

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're a fan of video games and, in particular, the stealth genre, then this is the book for you. Covering twelve of the most influential and genre defining titles, Kirk McKeand expertly provides the perfect platform for those involved in those games to tell their story. You may be familiar with some of the bigger names attached to these games, but here you will find out about the people directly involved with the creation of these games have progressed the stealth game genre into the art form it is today. Featuring games such as Metal Gear Solid, Tenchu, Thief, Splinter Cell and more, this is a brilliant exploration of a genre that has spent too long in the shadows.