Stealth Bastard
A stealth platformer where shadows mean survival.
Stealth Bastard: Tactical Espionage Arsehole—later rebranded as Stealth Inc: A Clone in the Dark—is a stealth-based platformer from 2011, created and self-published by Curve Studios. Its gameplay draws comparisons to both Metal Gear Solid and Super Meat Boy. Players take on the role of a clone wearing goggles, sneaking through a facility full of traps and robotic guards. Being caught in the light means instant death, so staying hidden in shadows is essential.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Stealth Bastard
- Developer
- Curve Studios
- Designer
- Jonathan Biddle
- Composer
- Ricky Honmong
- Engine
- GameMaker Studio
- Platforms
- Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, iOS, PlayStation 4
- Genre
- Platform, stealth
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The game was first released on 4 November 2011 as Stealth Bastard, a free download for Microsoft Windows. An expanded version, Stealth Bastard Deluxe, followed on Steam in November 2012. It later became available for OS X and Linux in April 2013, alongside The Teleporter Chambers downloadable content released the previous month. In June 2013, it was released for Android as part of the Humble Bundle with Android 6, including DRM-free versions for Windows, Mac OS and Linux and its soundtrack. Versions for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita arrived in July 2013 under the name Stealth Inc: A Clone in the Dark. Curve also announced plans to release the game for iPad and iPhone. In February 2014 a PlayStation 4 version titled the Ultimate Edition was announced, containing two DLC expansions: The Teleporter Chambers and The Lost Clones, and was released in March 2014.
Reader's Guide
Stealth Bastard is notable for blending stealth mechanics with the precision platforming of games like Super Meat Boy, while drawing comparison to Metal Gear Solid for its tactical espionage elements. Its release history shows a gradual expansion across multiple platforms, from a free Windows download to paid deluxe editions and console ports under a different title. The game's availability through the Humble Bundle with Android 6 helped broaden its audience. The sequel, Stealth Inc 2: A Game of Clones, was announced for Wii U in May 2014 and released in October 2014, with later versions for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC in April 2015. The original game's legacy lies in its successful fusion of stealth and platforming, and its multi-platform strategy that kept it relevant through the early 2010s.
Did You Know?
- The game was originally released as a free download for Microsoft Windows on 4 November 2011.
- It was later renamed Stealth Inc: A Clone in the Dark for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita releases.
- The PlayStation 4 Ultimate Edition includes two DLC expansions: The Teleporter Chambers and The Lost Clones.
- A sequel, Stealth Inc 2: A Game of Clones, was released for Wii U in October 2014.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Stealth Bastard?
Stealth Bastard is a 2011 stealth platformer developed and self-published by Curve Studios, in which you guide a goggled clone through a trap-laden facility patrolled by robotic guards. The title was later rebranded as Stealth Inc: A Clone in the Dark.
What's the core gameplay like?
You navigate each level by staying in the shadows, weaving past laser traps and patrolling robots with tight, precision-based movement. Fans often compare the tension to Metal Gear Solid and the punishing level design to Super Meat Boy.
What happens if you step into the light?
Getting caught in a beam of light triggers instant death—there is no health bar or second chance. The entire game is built around shadow as your only safe space, so every level becomes a puzzle about staying hidden.
Who made it, when did it come out, and where can I play it?
Curve Studios both developed and published the title, releasing it on Microsoft Windows on 4 November 2011 as a self-published project.
Did Stealth Bastard get a sequel?
Yes—Stealth Inc: A Clone in the Dark arrived in 2014, carrying forward the same shadow-based stealth platforming formula under the rebranded name.
More in Platform Games of the 2010s, Part 2 1-24
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