Stealth Boom Boom | A Stealth Video Games Podcast

Rockstar North was on a real high. They were coming off of the both the biggest game of 2001, Grand Theft Auto 3, AND the biggest game of 2002, Grand That Auto: Vice City. The series that saw you stealing cars and driving dangerously through pedestrian-filled streets had propelled them into video game superstardom. Then they decided to do something quite different. We're going back to 2003 to take a look at one of the most controversial video games of all time. We're talking about Manhunt.

On this episode of Stealth Boom Boom, we look at how DMA Design became the biggest developer in the world (while also swearing loads in interviews like absolute mad lads). We also discuss New Zealand's history with the game, as well as how Manhunt was briefly connected to a murder story.

In our review, you'll hear some chat on how the stealth is dependable to some and boring to others, James Earl Cash and his Splinter Cell love of shadows, battering walls with your fists to attract the attention of guards, the SOCOM PS2 headset, the comfort of the stealth loop, urban horror, the gruesome kill animations and their effect 20 years on, John Wick pencils, Red Dead Redemption 2 train tracks, swinging baseball bats like swords in Skyrim, a weightless protagonist, the power guns have when they're introduced, the bullet-fuelled carnage of the second half, David Fincher's bipigal Piggsy, an attempt at deconstructing violent video games, Brian Cox delivering dialogue with gusto, the shared GTA universe, Detroit, 00s edginess, The Warriors, John Carpenter, "hide you shit," and an ever-present beating heart.

After all that, the lads take you through what some of the critics were saying about the game around the time it came out, and then they give their final verdicts on whether Manhunt is a Pass, a Play, or an Espionage Explosion.

For those who would like to play along at home, we'll be discussing, reviewing and dissecting XIII on the next episode of Stealth Boom Boom.

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In 1999, Keiichiro Toyama and Team Silent created one of the most-celebrated horror video games of all time: Silent Hill. Almost every superlative you can think of was thrown at Harry Mason's jaunt around the foggy American town. A few years later, Toyama and others that worked on the Konami classic took their talents elsewhere and tried to do it all again. We're going back to 2003 to look at a PlayStation 2-exclusive horror game. We're talking about Forbidden Siren (or just Siren for some of you).

On this episode of Stealth Boom Boom, we look at how developer Project Siren was keen to work on a horror game with more of a Japanese flavour, citing the J-horror boom as reason enough to give it a go. We also discuss how one TV ad for the game had to be cancelled after seven (7!) complaints, as well as how they pushed that Forbidden Siren was much more hardcore than other games of this ilk.

In our review, you'll hear some chat on how Sightjacking is a very cool idea (and also how two of us think it doesn't work, and one of us thinks it does), darkness and fog, Commandos' mult-cam setup, orienteering, cautiously crouch-walking at the speed Solid Snake and Jack Carver move about on their bellies, the annoyance of ambiguity / the thrill of ambiguity, being aware of sound and light, awkwardly swinging a metal pipe, Shibito character models, mission objective 2, the Link Navigator, Butterfly Effect puzzles, the baffling Interaction List Menu system, a photo album that caught Josh's attention, ten characters that couldn't grab the attention of Adam, L.A. Noire, and classic lines of dialogue such as "I told you to wait in the car."

After all that, the lads take you through what some of the critics were saying about the game around the time it came out, and then they give their final verdicts on whether Forbidden Siren is a Pass, a Play, or an Espionage Explosion.

For those who would like to play along at home, we'll be discussing, reviewing and dissecting Manhunt on the next episode of Stealth Boom Boom.

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During the mid-to-late 2000s, film fans were breaking down the doors of cinemas all over the world in order to see how new life had been given to the Batman. Around this time, the alter ego of Bruce Wayne had a similar renaissance in video games. We're going back to 2009 in order to look at the action-adventure game that became the measuring stick for future comic book games. We're talking Batman: Arkham Asylum.

On this episode of Stealth Boom Boom, we look at how a young English developer named Rocksteady Studios was tasked with bringing the story of Batman writer Paul Dini to life. We also discuss how getting the cape right was so important to Brian and all his colleagues, as well as how a singer almost owned Eidos Interactive.

In our review, you'll hear some chat on the sameyness of (most) Predator rooms – but also gargoyles with dynamite on them, how Detective Mode is OP, What's The Time Mr. Scarecrow, the rhythmic flow of punching and kicking baddies, the superhero launching himself at said baddies, glove-fixing, combo breakers, learning inverted takedowns on the job, Batman's gadgets that he left in the boot of his car, Metroidvania-ness in an open (space) world, setting up a crime scene without jurisdiction and scanning for Old Country tobacco, awful boss fights and a mohawked Joker, the beauty in the awful of Arkham Island, comic book characters in a comic book world, Christopher Nolan, Mark Hamill's menace and joy, the opening ten minutes, breaking the fourth wall, interview tapes, stellar easter eggs, and Commissioner Jim Gordon's COG-like physique.

After all that, the lads take you through what some of the critics were saying about the game around the time it came out, and then they give their final verdicts on whether Batman: Arkham Asylum is a Pass, a Play, or an Espionage Explosion.

For those who would like to play along at home, we'll be discussing, reviewing and dissecting Forbidden Siren on the next episode of Stealth Boom Boom.

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Before Gus Fring from Breaking Bad signed on, before you were doing some first-person platforming up a tower, and before your map was filled with icons, this series had you mowing down some angry monkeys, angry men, and angry monkey men. We're going back almost 20 years, to 2004, to look at a first-person shooter that spawned many sequels. We're talking Far Cry.

On this episode of Stealth Boom Boom, we look at how X-Isle got the attention of Nvidia, many years before the dinosaur island became Far Cry. We also discuss how Crytek were always looking to mix action and stealth in the game, as well as some dream casting for the Uwe Boll film.

In our review, you'll hear some chat on how to pronounce the name of the game, how you're noisier when dragging your belly on the ground, the excellent sight and hearing of every enemy, BIG ZOOM ENERGY, the stealth-o-meter, tagging guys via your binoculars, thermal goggles that make the Splinter Cell (and X-Files) noise, the MP5, the Trigens that can leap up into the air, the Trigens that can go invisible, the Trigens that are called fat boys, gun perviness, incredible headshots, punching PC monitors, overpowered baddies, bad stamina, a good-looking jungle, hang glider vs helicopter, poor pacing, the second half of Crytek games, and unintentional Duke Nukem.

After all that, the lads take you through what some of the critics were saying about the game around the time it came out, and then they give their final verdicts on whether Far Cry is a Pass, a Play, or an Espionage Explosion.

For those that would like to play along at home, we'll be reviewing Batman: Arkham Asylum on the next episode of Stealth Boom Boom.

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Around the early 2010s, there was a real boom in first-person horror-stealth and today we're looking at one of the most popular games in said genre. We're going back a decade, to 2013, to look at a video game that has since spawned two sequels – one of which only came out this year. We're talking Outlast.

On this episode of Stealth Boom Boom, we talk about how developer Red Barrels was set up by three people who had some stealth pedigree, having previously worked on both Assassin's Creed and Splinter Cell. We also discuss how their game was inspired by Aphex Twin and Mirror's Edge, as well as how they saw the camcorder as a gun.

In our review, you'll hear some chat on how the night vision camera both helps and terrifies, an asylum stuffed with batteries, a heartbeat that gets faster and faster, hiding in lockers, the thrill of being chased (and looking behind you while you're being chased), some differing opinions on the game's jump scares, staring competitions with NPCs, the fairly narrow path in Mount Massive, the name "Mount Massive", generators... just in general, running out of frustration, absolutely slamming doors, Robbie Williams in the Rock DJ video, little tiny robots, being really scared, not being scared anymore, MKUltra, an optional story, a hippo and a giraffe eating chocolate eclairs, and a line of dialogue about a cat.

After all that, the lads take you through what some of the critics were saying about the game around the time it came out, and then they give their final verdicts on whether Outlast is a Pass, a Play, or an Espionage Explosion.

For those that would like to play along at home, we'll be reviewing Far Cry on the next episode of Stealth Boom Boom.

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A quarter of a century ago, we got some real stealthy classics – some of which have already been covered on this very podcast. Today we're looking at the game from that year that introduced many to the fact that video games can also be a lot like movies. We're going back to 1998 to take a look at the third game in one of the genre's most beloved (and maligned) series. We're talking Metal Gear Solid.

On this episode of Stealth Boom Boom, we talk about how director / producer / writer Hideo Kojima, who wanted to make films from a young age, broke into the games industry. We also discuss some of the very explosive, '90s ways this game was marketed. We chat about pre-launch press coverage too, which includes some Resident Evil and Lego mentions, a research trip to see a SWAT team, and some chat on the influence of Yoji Shinkawa.

In our review, you'll hear some chat on the excellent Soliton Radar (and why it needs to be excellent, because the game has a fixed camera), fading footprints in the snow, chaff grenades, hiding in cardboard boxes, disappearing enemies, F.R.E.E. (full reactive eyes entertainment), Benny Hill, floopy-doop weapons, mostly great boss fights, Psycho Mantis reading your mind, that opening hour, how anti-war this war game is, Meryl's codec number on the back of case, the briefing tapes, the Yakuza / Like A Dragon games, some of the most verbose and melodramatic people ever, "press the select button," and the alert noise.

After all that, the lads take you through what some of the critics were saying about the game around the time it came out, and then they give their final verdicts on whether Metal Gear Solid is a Pass, a Play, or an Espionage Explosion.

For those that would like to play along at home, we'll be reviewing Outlast on the next episode of Stealth Boom Boom.

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What do you do after you've already rebooted a series and have effectively gotten everything you can out of it? Well, you reboot it again and give it another go. We're going back to 2013 to take a look at the first entry in Lara Croft's third (?) series under the same name. We're talking Tomb Raider (2013)... to be specific... but obviously it's just called Tomb Raider. Yeah!

On this episode of Stealth Boom Boom, we talk about how Batman and James Bond inspired developer Crystal Dynamics to have another go at creating a new Tomb Raider series. We discuss the marketing hype behind this game, which was partly fronted by Shazam actor Zachary Levi... sadly. We also chat about the press coverage, which includes some discussion on the protagonist apparently being relatable now because she wears trousers, an "attempted rape" scene that dominated the narrative around this game, and the sexualisation of a female video game character.

In our review, you'll hear some chat on scripted stealth (and something about a quiet rollercoaster), context-sensitive animations (that some enjoyed and some hated), the bow and how it's the best weapon in the game, pretty needless hunting, how the action is really frantic, an assault rifle from Splatoon, being able to literally curve Lara around objects like a bullet in that film Wanted, climbing that involves you, dated concepts like QTEs and set-pieces, rubbish tombs (that some didn't mind), awful secondary characters, a shoddy plot, a failed attempt to humanise the lead character, the fetishistic punishment that Lara goes through, and DELICIOUS LUDONARRATIVE DISSONANCE.

Colm doesn't test the gaming knowledge of Adam and Josh in another edition of Who Am I? this week. We're gonna take a little break with Who Am I? for a bit. We may get back to it down the line. So, at the end of the episode, the lads give their final verdict on whether Tomb Raider is a Pass, a Play, or an Espionage Explosion.

For those that would like to play along at home, we'll be reviewing Metal Gear Solid on the next episode of Stealth Boom Boom.

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Developer Ubisoft Montreal was given one job: make a game like Metal Gear Solid, but better. And they decided to make something a bit like MGS, but also a bit like Thief. We're going back to 2002 to look at the first entry in one of the most celebrated stealth-action series of all time. We're talking Splinter Cell... specifically Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell... just in case you find one done by someone else...

On this episode of Stealth Boom Boom, we talk about how Splinter Cell came from a sci-fi third-person shooter called The Drift, which was almost a James Bond game. We discuss Michael Ironside basically insulting the script, how it was important for the team to make Splinter Cell feel realistic, and did we mention Splinter Cell was going to take Metal Gear Solid's lunch?

In our review, you'll hear some chat on the astonishing light and dark system (and how you can create darkness by shooting out lights), hopping on the spot, the blend of silliness and Tom Clancy realism, excellent gadgets like the optic and diversion camera, some frustrating trial-and-error design, an unnecessary split jump, satisfying shooting, THE SC-20K, goggles (both night-vision and thermal), a divisive CIA office, Kombayne Nikoladze's coup, glitchy news broadcasts, a reluctance to look at The Fifth Freedom, Sam Fisher, Faithless, and THAT'S THE NAME OF THE GAME.

Colm tests the gaming knowledge of Adam and Josh in another edition of Who Am I? And then the lads give their final verdict on whether Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell is a Pass, a Play, or an Espionage Explosion.

For those that would like to play along at home, we'll be reviewing Tomb Raider on the next episode of Stealth Boom Boom.

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What does a publisher do after they've successfully resurrected a series that was laying dormant for years? Well, they put it on iPhone and iPad, silly! Or, at least that's what Square Enix did about a decade ago with Deus Ex. We're talking immersive sim-lite Deus Ex: The Fall (and also some Deus Ex: Human Revolution, because it's hard not to in relation to this).

On this episode of Stealth Boom Boom, we talk about New Jersey-based developer N-Fusion Interactive and how they really found their niche, in the mobile games space, in the early 2010s. We discuss how they got the gig to take care of this Deus Ex spin-off, as well as how fans of Adam Jensen were a bit cross The Fall wasn't the PC and console sequel they were anticipating.

In our review, you'll hear some chat on how – in 2023 – the only way to play this mobile game is on PC, inconsistent AI in The Drug Den, "prescribed verticality", vanishing bodies, how cloaking is OP, hacking and why it's brilliant or confusing (depending on who you ask), absolutely dreadful shooting, shit font, cool takedowns that transport you to the middle of the floor, Nutri-Grain bars, an oddly laid-out shop / inventory, a spider-bot on a rooftop, Panama City, a drug conspiracy, boring Ben "don't call me Jean Reno" Saxon, a pleasant sci-fi score, and how The Fall shows glimpses of Deus Ex-y-ness.

Colm tests the gaming knowledge of Adam and Josh in another edition of Who Am I? And then the lads give their final verdict on whether Deus Ex: The Fall is a Pass, a Play, or an Espionage Explosion.

For those that would like to play along at home, we'll be reviewing Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell on the next episode of Stealth Boom Boom.

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It all began in darkness. He awoke to a world of pain. Eric… Eric Bane. The name shot through his head like a bullet… it was his name These words will stay with you for the rest of your life once you've listened to this very episode of the Stealth Boom Boom podcast. We're going back a decade for this deep dive, as we discuss the stealth-action vampire game DARK (and definitely not Dark).

On this episode of Stealth Boom Boom, we talk about German developer Realmforge Studios and how they really wanted you to know that their game about bloodsuckers is nothing like Twilight. No sparkly fanged creatures here. No way. We also chat about why they chose a cel-shaded artstyle, as well as why they decided to make a stealth game in the first place.

In our review, you'll hear some chat on no-nonsense line-of-sight, how players of DARK are rewarded for being sneaky, the act of sucking necks dry, the top-of-class shooters of M17, the interesting idea for a save system, some motion-detecting museum exhibits, vampire abilities that favour the more aggressive players, the RPG trappings that fall flat, a shoddy version of Blink from Dishonored, a never-ending song, and some of the most memorable video characters we've come across in quite a while.

Colm tests the gaming knowledge of Adam and Josh in another edition of Who Am I? And then the lads give their final verdict on whether DARK is a Pass, a Play, or an Espionage Explosion.

For those that would like to play along at home, we'll be reviewing Deus Ex: The Fall on the next episode of Stealth Boom Boom.

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