3. Thief: Deadly Shadows

If this game seems familiar, it may be because the same team behind Invisible Wars also worked on this third entry to the legendary series. Sharing the same engine, Deadly Shadows inherits much of the same jank as Invisible Wars, including smaller areas to explore and technical issues thanks to the game also being developed for Xbox. Worst of all, the iconic “rope arrow” is nowhere to be seen despite being an all-time fan favorite among Garret’s tool belt. Beyond these issues lies a beautiful immersive sim worthy of being in the same franchise. 

Compared to its predecessors, the map and areas may seem smaller, but much of the game itself takes place in a single city that the player may explore at any point. Players will visit a few unique locations throughout, but the main hub world will be where most of the action happens. Certain actions like murder, pickpocketing, and knocking out civilians will cause locals to keep an eye out for players. This particular entry also adds a faction system, which keeps track of the player’s relationship with certain fan favorite factions, such as the Hammerites and Pagans. Doing favors and missions will positively affect relationships, while stealing and violence will obviously negatively impact them. Such factions typically stick to certain parts of the map, so the player’s relationship with a given faction can affect their experience when visiting said area. This creates a uniquely dynamic experience that is constantly changing depending on player actions, making this a truly remarkable immersive sim even in comparison to its “older brothers.”

2. Hitman: Absolution

Hitman: Absolution stands out from all of the entries in the franchise before it and since. The Hitman series is a unique stealth game that allows players to control an assassin. Using various methods such as explosives, distractions, and even disguises, no playthrough will ever be identical. The franchise is known for its sandbox nature, which was perfected in fan favorite Hitman: Blood Money. Absolution is the sequel that directly followed, so expectations were always going to be unfair. Some of the changes made, however, felt like fundamental alterations to the franchise’s DNA. Some of the odd changes included a linear story so cheesy it was off-putting and gameplay that felt too casual and generic. In other words, it felt like it was trying too hard to attract a casual audience. Looking back, however, it deserved more credit than it received.

The modern Hitman franchise, World of Assasination, is still thriving due the direction it’s taken in recent years. A return to its sandbox roots and the incorporation of elusive targets and new rewards for each elusive target assassinated keep fans in a never-ending cycle of dopamine. Not to mention the games allowing players to customize their entire experience, from difficulty to the UI and HUD. Ironically, some of the many features in these new Hitman games were introduced in one way or another in Absolution. This entry introduced things like KOs, so players could knock out certain enemies instead of killing them, which would impact the final score. Certain items could also be thrown, allowing for even more unique ways of killing targets. The contracts mode, which allowed players to create missions that forced other players to follow their every move, also felt like a precursor to elusive targets.

1. Devil May Cry 4

Devils never cry, but fans certainly did when this sequel to Devil May Cry 3 came out. Not since Devil May Cry 2 had fans been so outraged at the series. This entry introduced a new character by the name of Nero who played wildly different from everyone’s favorite demon hunter, Dante. Fans went from playing the charismatic humanized version of Michaelangelo from TMNT to a cocky twink that takes himself too seriously. Add in a weak and half-baked story that felt like it was pulling in different directions with forgettable characters, and it’s easy to understand the hate.  The gameplay, however, genuinely makes up for all of these initial issues.

In order to fully understand the importance of Devil May Cry 3. That particular entry, aside from giving Dante justice after his character assassination in Devil May Cry 2, also introduced fighting styles. Each style differed by allowing players to focus on different elements of Dante’s fighting abilities. Swordmaster and gunslinger were offensive-based and incorporated unique move sets involving weapons of each style. Then there is trickster and royal guard, which allow for more evasive and parry-based combat. Each style allowed for wildly different playthroughs. Devil May Cry 4 takes this a step further by allowing players to change these styles mid game. While this might sound insignificant, this essentially raised the skill ceiling. Players could create and transition into crazy combos by switching styles mid fight. Fighting as Nero was also surprisingly deep and complex, which allowed players to engage in a completely unique way compared to Dante. That point is what makes it easier to accept the second half of the game, which is basically just a repeat of the first half but with players playing as Dante. That means the same bosses but in reverse. Oddly enough, this decision does an even better job of highlighting the complexities of each character’s playstyle.