#1. METAL GEAR SOLID 5: THE PHANTOM PAIN
Metal Gear Solid 5 has a lot of issues. Its narrative is a frustrating experience for fans of the series. Its second half is an unfinished mess that recycles older missions. Its final story revelations and twists are controversial. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. But purely as a stealth game, Metal Gear Solid 5 is a blissful experience. It is one of the best examples of emergent gameplay we’ve seen to date. The way it encourages players to use the tools at their disposal to creatively come up with solutions to problems never gets old, even after hundreds of hours of gameplay, and the game’s excellent AI makes sure that every stealth encounter is a thrilling one. Metal Gear Solid 5 may not be a very good Metal Gear game- but it is easily the best stealth game ever made.
