007: First Light – 10 Great Stealth & Action Games You Need to Play Before the New James Bond Title

The James Bond franchise on the big screen is still figuring out its next move post-Daniel Craig. Still, developer IO Interactive has all the makings of a triple-A blockbuster in gaming with 007: First Light. The studio is taking an exciting approach to the character by taking the “origin story” route with a young and up-and-coming James Bond. Handling the James Bond IP looks to be an excellent move considering IO’s prowess with the stealth-action Hitman: World of Assassination trilogy.

The game is poised for a 2026 release for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and even the Nintendo Switch 2, but there are plenty of stealthy and action-packed titles worth playing in the meantime. 007: First Light looks like a solid combination of the theatricality of the character and the covert elements IO is familiar with, making games like the studio’s own Hitman titles and recent hits like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle candidates for a similar experience.

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10 Hitman: World of Assassination Is Some of IO’s Best Work

World of Assassination Packs All of the Developer’s Hitman Revival

It’s not an outright reboot, but the Hitman: World of Assassination series remains an excellent jumping-on point for new fans of the classic stealth-action franchise. It’s an even better way to start now that the World of Assassination is a convenient package containing the entire trilogy in a large, seamless experience. The first entry has players see how the frighteningly efficient Agent 47 rose within the ICA’s ranks and work alongside senior official Diana on some of the most dangerous covert missions.

The Hitman: World of Assassination trilogy is a natural series to play in the lead-up to 007: First Light to get an early feel for IO Interactive’s knack for open-ended gameplay and stealth action mechanics. The trilogy has been consistently praised for its “sandbox” approach to level design and story progression. Players are given a myriad of tools to interact with the world and see how it reacts to them, coming up with various (and sometimes morbidly funny) ways to execute contracts.

Hitman World of Assassination

Systems

Released

January 20, 2023

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Use Of Drugs And Alcohol, Blood, Strong Language, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Drug Reference

Developer(s)

IO Interactive

Publisher(s)

IO Interactive

Engine

Glacier engine

Prequel(s)

Hitman 2, Hitman (2016)

9 Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End Is a Masterclass In Set Pieces

Naughty Dog’s Uncharted Series Shows Nathan Drake’s Prowess as an Action Hero

Though Naughty Dog’s Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End isn’t primarily known for espionage or stealth, it certainly has the action-packed flair worthy of a blockbuster franchise like James Bond. The fourth mainline entry in the terrific Uncharted series closes out Nathan Drake’s epic journey as a treasure hunter. But it’s not before he’s compelled out of retirement by his brother, embarking on a mission to uncover the pirate Henry Avery’s fabled treasure.

Where Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End lacks in James Bond’s spy-thriller trappings, it compensates with the cinematic qualities 007: First Light is already showing off. Nate is one of PlayStation’s modern icons and also serves as a great focal point for such a character-driven story. Plus, the locales are stunning, the action set pieces are mechanically exciting, and there’s a dash of stealth combat to get Nate out of trickier altercations.

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

Systems

Released

May 10, 2016

ESRB

T for Teen: Blood, Language, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence

Developer(s)

Naughty Dog

Publisher(s)

Sony

Engine

Naughty Dog Engine 2.0

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer

Franchise

Uncharted

8 Goldeneye 007 Remains a Worthy, Nostalgic Throwback

The N64 Classic Gave Gaming a Standout 007 Title & First-Person Shooter

There are plenty of modern stealth and action games capable of satisfying the craving for something thrilling before 007: First Light. But as far as James Bond specifically is concerned, it’s impossible to ignore the impact of GoldenEye 007. The game adapts the story of the Pierce Brosnan-led GoldenEye, with the agent racing to stop a lethal satellite weapon from being used by an MI6 agent gone rogue.

GoldenEye 007 is one of the most critically acclaimed games of its time on the Nintendo 64. It remains one of the most iconic James Bond games to date and a highly influential title in the first-person shooter genre at large. Gaming technology has unquestionably evolved well past GoldenEye‘s milestones. Even so, it still offers an incredibly nostalgic and vintage James Bond experience with its globetrotting story, fun gunplay mechanics, co-op, and even stealth elements to keep within the spy-thriller spirit.

GoldenEye 007

Released

August 25, 1997

ESRB

T for Teen: Animated Blood, Animated Violence

Developer(s)

Rare

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Engine

EngineX

Multiplayer

Local Multiplayer

Franchise

James Bond

James Bond must track down agent-turned-terrorist Alec Trevelyan to stop the launch of a powerful satellite. Play the game that set the stage for the First-person shooter genre on the console.

7 Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory Is Part of Another Stealth-Action Staple

Chaos Theory Is One of the Most Critically Acclaimed Splinter Cell Games

Sam Fisher is another elite covert agent who made waves in gaming’s stealth-action genre in Ubisoft’s Splinter Cell series. The Tom Clancy character held his own as a worthy stealth game protagonist alongside the likes of Solid Snake from Metal Gear Solid. That makes the character’s exploits in one of the most acclaimed outings, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, just as thrilling for players biding their time until 007: First Light.

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While it certainly takes a grittier tone than what 007: First Light appears to be, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory delivers on the power fantasy of playing as a masterful special agent, taking out enemies before they ever knew he was there. The game’s grounded feel complements the tension of the story’s international conflict. It’s a great way to make the stakes of Chaos Theory‘s missions feel more real, and they’re bolstered by the different tactical advantages players can make for themselves. There’s no single right way to pick off Fisher’s enemies, and the intelligent AI makes victory that much more satisfying.

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory

Systems

Released

March 28, 2005

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Strong Language, Violence

Developer(s)

Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft Annecy

Publisher(s)

Ubisoft

Engine

Unreal Engine 2

Multiplayer

Local Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer

Franchise

Splinter Cell

You are Sam Fisher, the NSA’s most elite black-ops agent. To achieve your mission you will kill from close range, attack with your combat knife, shoot with the prototype Land Warrior rifle, and use radical suppression techniques such as the inverted neck break. Also take on cooperative multiplayer infiltration missions, where teamwork is the ultimate weapon.As the enemy evolves, so must you.

6 Goldeneye 007: Reloaded Gives Bond Fans a Polished Remake

Reloaded Presents Goldeneye With a Daniel Craig 007 Spin

Rekindling the spark in a remake that made the original game so beloved is always a difficult task. That certainly applies to a game like GoldenEye 007, which is part of a genre that has advanced greatly in the years since. But the GoldenEye 007 remake is an admirable effort. Released originally for the Wii and later ported to PS3 and Xbox 360 with the Reloaded subtitle, this remake reimagines the original game using Daniel Craig’s iteration of James Bond.

The game, of course, loses the inherent novelty of its Nintendo 64 predecessor, given its timing, but GoldenEye 007: Reloaded updates the gunplay with tighter controls. Its weapon variety is similarly satisfying and lets players take advantage of more current shooter tropes, such as destructible environments and more robust multiplayer gameplay. Even though the game is, ironically, on the old side compared to today, GoldenEye 007: Reloaded is a good way to re-experience a classic through the lens of the latest live-action Bond.

5 Dishonored Has Among the Best Open-Ended Stealth Gameplay

Arkane’s Dishonored Allows Players to Flex Their Creativity

Released at the tail-end of the PS3 and Xbox 360 console generation, Arkane Studios’ Dishonored still impresses as a robust stealth-action game. The game takes place in an imaginative, fantasy world inspired by the industrial age called Dunwall. Players take on the role of Corvo, a bodyguard-turned-assassin who seeks bloody revenge against the conspirators who framed him for the Empress’ murder and took over the city.

There’s no question that Dishonored takes on a darker tone than something like the galavanting James Bond in 007: First Light. Regardless, any gaming and spy movie fan will find themselves engrossed in the game’s cathartic stealth combat. Players can get as covert and merciless as they like in Dishonored‘s gameplay loop, and its first-person POV is perfect for getting players deeply invested in stealth sequences. And even without an open-world format, Corvo’s otherworldly combat abilities, steampunk-inspired tools, and open-ended level designs encourage players to get creative (and stylish) with their visceral stealth takedowns.

Dishonored

Systems

Released

October 9, 2012

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language

Developer(s)

Arkane Studios

Publisher(s)

Bethesda

Engine

Unreal Engine 3

Franchise

Dishonored

With Dishonored’s flexible combat system, creatively eliminate your targets as you combine the supernatural abilities, weapons and unusual gadgets at your disposal. “Void Walker’s Arsenal” offers unique character bonuses, additional bone charm slots, and more that will aid you in pursuit of revenge. Enter the world of the Outsider in “Dunwall City Trials” where you will put your combat, stealth and mobility skills to the test. Finally, play as the legendary assassin Daud in “The Knife of Dunwall” and “The Brigmore Witches”.

4 James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing Offers a Change of Pace

Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond Returns for a 3rd-Person Adventure

Fans of Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond can enjoy his character’s role in James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing‘s original story. This game acts as a sequel to the Brosnan-led 007 movie Die Another Day, and it even features the actor in his final role as the MI6 agent. The story sees Bond forced to combat the use of nanotechnology in terrorist acts, with Willem Dafoe playing the main villain. James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing is a bold entry in the franchise’s video game catalog from narrative and mechanical perspectives.

The game features a star-studded cast (with the likes of Heidi Klum, John Cleese, Judi Dench, and more) to give James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing a theatrical feel, but it also opts for a third-person shooter perspective. It’s a change of pace from the first-person mechanics the original GoldenEye popularized. And though that isn’t necessarily groundbreaking even by 2004 standards, this perspective makes action setpieces exciting on their own merits and further supports the movie-like feel of the plot.

James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing

Released

February 17, 2004

ESRB

T For Teen Due To Suggestive Themes, Violence

Publisher(s)

EA

Engine

id tech 3

Multiplayer

Local Multiplayer

Franchise

James Bond

Think like Bond as never before, using espionage, tactical skills, and Q-Lab gadgets to analyze every situation. Act like Bond, using your stylish physical skills, clever disguises, and bold personality to once again save the world. With every Bond moment played out before you in an all-new, third-person cinematic perspective, this action-packed adventure could only come from the world of James Bond. What would Bond do? What will you do?

Developer

EA Redwood Shores, EA Canada, Griptonite Games

3 Splinter Cell: Blacklist Is the Series’ Most Recent Mainline Entry

Blacklist Has a More Fluid Mix of Stealth & Action Over Splinter Cell: Conviction

Ubisoft’s Splinter Cell franchise is finally set to get more time in the spotlight through a Netflix animated series and a remake of the first installment. The latter is particualrly a big deal, as it will mark the first mainline game since 2013’s solid Splinter Cell: Blacklist. It’s a return to action for Sam Fisher following 2010’s Conviction, tasking the agent with stopping the Engineers from forcing the U.S. to recall all overseas troops. Splinter Cell: Blacklist remains an engaging and accessible game for players wanting something more modern from the stealth-action series before 007: First Light releases next year.

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Players can expect a similarly well-equipped Fisher to control in a series of well-designed levels. The game arguably features a more tasteful balance of stealth and outright action-based combat than Conviction, with the returning mark-and-execute mechanic letting players quickly get the drop on multiple enemies in one maneuver. But even beyond that, Splinter Cell: Blacklist is a well-paced stealth-action game that lets players prioritize run-and-gun tactics, stealth, and unique gadgets as much as they want.

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist

Systems

Released

August 20, 2013

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Strong Language

Developer(s)

Ubisoft Toronto

Publisher(s)

Ubisoft

Engine

unreal engine 2 & 2.5

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer

Franchise

Splinter Cell

Konami & Hideo Kojima’s Last Main MGS Game Gives Snake a Stealthy Arsenal

Where James Bond is the face of spy thrillers in movies, Konami and game designer Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear Solid is one of the most important stealth-action franchises in gaming. This fifth mainline entry to the long-running series sees Punished “Venom” Snake join and help reinforce the Diamond Dogs mercenary group on an ambitious quest for vengeance and justice. Snake seeks to strike back against the seedy Cipher organization and thwart their efforts to weaponize a new Metal Gear model.

There’s no secret that game director Hideo Kojima has a penchant for the theatrical, even if the lore is even more winding and Phantom Pain‘s tone is more brooding. Metal Gear Solid: The Phantom Pain gives players an epic-length spy thriller, full of melodrama and some of the most engaging stealth-action mechanics in modern gaming. The controls are intuitive, and the game offers a massive and immersive open-world sandbox to navigate, bolstered by some of the most diverse sets of weapons and tools to tackle Phantom Pain‘s missions from various angles.

Metal Gear Solid 5 The Phantom Pain

Systems

Released

September 1, 2015

ESRB

m

Developer(s)

Konami, Kojima Productions

Publisher(s)

Konami

Engine

Fox Engine

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer

The METAL GEAR SOLID team continues to ambitiously explore mature themes such as the psychology of warfare and the atrocities that result from those who engage in its vicious cycle. One of the most anticipated games of the year with its open-world design, photorealistic visual fidelity ,and feature-rich game design, MGSV: The Phantom Pain will leave its mark as one of the hallmarks in the gaming industry for its cinematic storytelling, heavy themes, and immersive tactical gameplay.

1 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Is Another Great Movie Tie-In

Great Circle Tells the Best Indiana Jones Story Since Last Crusade

Players who are eager for more quality Hollywood tie-in games don’t need to look much farther than Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Released in late 2024 for Xbox and PC and early 2025 for PS5, MachineGames’ Indy adaptation captures the essence of the classic action-adventure movies and channels it into an immersive gameplay experience. The plot takes place between Raiders of the Lost Ark and Last Crusade, with Indy traveling the world while different factions attempt to exploit the power of the legendary “Great Circle” for their own means.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a triumph of a movie-to-game adaptation that treats its source material earnestly, giving players a riveting action-adventure game with the same swashbuckling atmosphere of the movies. On the gameplay front, it makes some excellent creative decisions in alternating between first- and third-person POVs without breaking immersion. Meanwhile, Great Circle tastefully balances exploration, puzzle solving, and combat sequences without bloating itself. The more grounded approach to the latter is quite appreciated, as action sequences are taken seriously and reward players for using stealth whenever they can.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Systems

Released

December 9, 2024

ESRB

T For Teen // Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Mild Language, Violence

Developer(s)

MachineGames

Publisher(s)

Bethesda