#3. METAL GEAR SOLID 2: SONS OF LIBERTY
Metal Gear Solid was the master of linear stealth design for a long, long time before it went open world for its final instalment, and in that era of linear games, every single one of its instalments was an unequivocal masterpiece. You could make a solid case for any one of its mainline entries for a place on this list- we’re going with MGS2. Coming at a time when the series had found the perfect balance between complexity and simplicity, Sons of Liberty was an absolutely sumblime experience that combined great level design with some of the best stealth mechanics we’ve seen in a game. Add to that its engrossing story and a string of excellent boss fights, and it’s hard not to be wowed by Metal Gear Solid 2’s brilliance even today.
