We owe Skyrim’s beloved Stealth Archer to one of the designers of an all-time classic PC stealth game, who wrote Todd Howard ‘a big document of stealth in 20 different games’

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I’m a big fan of stealth-based gameplay – both in dedicated stealth games and in larger role-playing games like Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, and Cyberpunk. If I have the choice, I’ll happily spend hours playing as a sneaky character. It’s a popular approach – the ‘Stealth Archer’ build in Skyrim is a perfect example. It’s become a well-known and beloved playstyle, with tons of guides and discussions online.

I’ve always been fascinated by stealth gameplay, especially in Bethesda RPGs, and I’ve often thought about something interesting: Bethesda’s design director has been involved with every one of their games since Oblivion, but he actually began his career at Looking Glass Studios. Looking Glass was a highly respected developer in the 90s, known for creating classic games like Ultima Underworld, System Shock, and the stealth-focused Thief.

Daniel Pagliarulo was a key designer behind two of the most enjoyable levels in Thief 2: The Metal Age: “Life of the Party,” a glamorous infiltration mission starting on the rooftops, and “Precious Cargo,” a pirate hideout concealing a steampunk submarine you need to sneak onto. I recently interviewed Pagliarulo for a PC Gamer feature looking back at Bethesda’s Fallout games, and I took the opportunity to ask him about the impact Looking Glass Studios had on his design work.

Pagliarulo described his two years at Looking Glass as an incredible learning experience, comparing it to attending graduate school. He jokingly referred to it as his ‘Good Will Hunting’ phase, explaining that he felt like a young person from a working-class background surrounded by brilliant minds at MIT, thrown into a challenging environment where he learned a great deal.

They were truly exceptional people – patient, passionate about their work, and remarkably creative.

Looking Glass Studios, originally known as Blue Sky Productions, was founded in Boston by Paul Neurath, a developer from Origin Systems (known for games like Ultima and Wing Commander). The company’s early team was largely made up of graduates from MIT, which contributed to the thoughtful and realistic nature of their games. Interestingly, John Romero, a co-founder of id Software, almost joined Looking Glass at its start. Before becoming a game developer himself, Tim Pagliarulo was the editor of the gaming website Adrenaline Vault.

I first experienced the immersive power of gaming with ‘Thief,’ playing it in the dark with headphones, and I’m a huge fan. So, when I joined the team, it felt natural to bring that passion with me. Todd actually asked me early on for my thoughts on stealth mechanics in our games and asked me to write a report on it.

I conducted a thorough analysis of stealth mechanics in twenty different games. I documented my findings, comparing how each game handled stealth and outlining potential improvements for stealth gameplay in Oblivion.

Speaking as a massive loser, I would love to read that stealth games analysis, which Pagliarulo said might still be tucked away in his office somewhere. One of the 20 games in question, according to Pagliarulo, was Hidden and Dangerous, a 1999 tactical shooter where you parachute behind German lines in 1941 to get up to assorted military hijinks and criminal mischief. It’s actually still available for purchase on both Steam and GOG.

Although stealth existed in previous Elder Scrolls games like Skyrim, Morrowind, and Daggerfall, it really became enjoyable in Oblivion. Released in 2006, Oblivion featured reliable sound and visibility rules, letting players strategically plan their movements. The game clearly showed when you were hidden, and its Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood questlines were specifically designed around using stealth effectively.

According to Pagliarulo, Thief is a game with significant depth in its core mechanics, but a narrower scope compared to The Elder Scrolls. It’s specifically designed as a realistic stealth experience. He acknowledges that Bethesda games are sometimes criticized for offering a vast amount of content without a lot of intricate detail, but he believes those games do have depth. Thief, however, prioritizes complex systems within a focused gameplay style.

Since our game is built around a simulated world, we wanted to include features like crime and stealth – things many games don’t have. The challenge was making those elements really polished while also developing all the other aspects of the game. It’s all about finding the right balance.

What truly sets Bethesda games apart, even from more complex stealth games, is the freedom they offer. You can decide who your character is – an Orc, a Dark Elf, anyone – and forge a unique identity. It’s also incredibly satisfying to see the legacy of Looking Glass, a brilliant but underappreciated studio, live on in some of today’s biggest video games.

Pagliarulo expressed satisfaction with the development of stealth gameplay over time, pointing to the Stealth Archer in Skyrim as a prime example of its success. He feels it’s incredibly satisfying to create those kinds of characters, and he’s carried the lessons he learned earlier in his career with him throughout his entire professional life.

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2025-11-23 00:03