Sniper Elite: Resistance review: Delightful stealth and action

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Sniper Elite: Resistance Review

Sniper Elite: Resistance casts players as Harry Hawker, a Special Operations Executive agent deployed in Nazi-occupied France with the objective of halting a formidable Nazi weapon that could disrupt the Allied invasion of Europe. Although the narrative might not be revolutionary, Sniper Elite’s unique mix of stealth and action combat is back and delivers a thrilling ride. This review primarily concentrates on the single-player campaign, which can also be shared cooperatively.

While multiplayer aspects are available, such as the Invasion mode from the last installment, I largely found myself engrossed in the role of an undercover operative. In this respect, Sniper Elite: Resistance truly shines, offering a captivating and highly entertaining experience.

For the resistance!

As a devoted fan, I’m thrilled to delve into Sniper Elite: Resistance, a game that masterfully builds upon the series’ core sniping mechanics while introducing intriguing new elements. Roaming through France’s diverse landscapes, you’ll stumble upon propaganda posters and other captivating collectibles. However, these aren’t just tick-boxes for completionists; they unlock side missions that transport you into the shoes of a resistance fighter. These additional quests not only extend your playtime but also provide a fresh perspective on the resistance in France under occupation. It’s a refreshing break from the usual meticulous approach a sniper takes during a mission.

In Sniper Elite: Resistance, the maps are vast and jam-packed with details. I’ve managed to navigate through them all, but I believe I’ve only uncovered about half of each one. From concealed passages to enticing new sniper perches on rooftops, the game provides a lot of leeway in deciding how to tackle each objective. Moving around the area using rooftops, alleyways, caves, and zip lines, it’s often the case that I finish a mission feeling there’s still much unexplored. Plus, the option to choose various starting points for each mission boosts the game’s replay value significantly. This is surprising coming from someone who seldom returns to story-driven games once they’re completed. However, the allure of exploring new strategies has me seriously considering going back and playing it differently.

Players can acquire weapon upgrades, extra experience points, and other perks by accomplishing mission tasks in particular ways or discovering concealed weapon workstations scattered around the game. Let me put it this way: It’s quite satisfying to take out a high-ranking Nazi officer by making his bridge collapse beneath him. On another note, I’m excited to tackle some of these challenges with a teammate. Facing the entire Nazi force alone can be quite daunting, but luckily there are extensive difficulty settings that can be tailored to your preference. These include adjusting the duration enemies stay marked, their search intensity, general alertness, and the damage they inflict, among others. I appreciate Rebellion for incorporating such immersive gameplay elements into the storyline. Interestingly enough, I’ve found their standard difficulty level to be just about right for me.

Boom, headshot!

In Sniper Elite: Resistance, it’s no shock that sniping remains top-notch given its central role. When you peer through the scope, adjust for distance, and follow the mark for where to aim, you truly feel like the skilled and lethal sniper character, Hawker. It may not be overly complex or realistic, but it’s enjoyable, which is what matters most. When you make an impressive shot, the game switches to bullet cam, giving you a gruesome, detailed view of your bullet’s impact. You can manipulate time controls, speed up and slow down, and delight in watching organs burst at your leisure. There’s nothing quite as rewarding as landing your initial headshots during the campaign’s early stages.

In the game, being in long-distance engagements isn’t the only aspect; you, as Hawker, have a diverse arsenal at your disposal beyond that. This includes a rifle, submachine gun, pistol, and an assortment of gadgets and weapons found on maps or from defeated foes. Each weapon has its unique feel, and while I prefer the stealthy method, I’ve certainly been in my fair share of firefights. These skirmishes are thrilling, but they’re also quite demanding, as intended. Luckily, enemies behave realistically when they discover you and break your cover. In these situations, it’s possible to retreat, lay low for a bit, and pick off stragglers even with the alarms blaring. Even on those rare instances when I thought I had made a huge mistake, things eventually settled down, allowing me to resume my mission.

One aspect of Sniper Elite: Resistance I’d like to praise is its abundance of user-friendly features. For instance, the ability to swiftly dismiss all notification icons and mark new collectibles and lore discoveries is greatly appreciated. This user-friendly approach was evident even during the game installation and initial settings process. The Denuvo anti-cheat software, necessary for online play, can be declined at the outset, as can the reminder about outdated graphics card drivers. I’m quite picky about drivers and not a fan of anti-cheat software, particularly when multiplayer isn’t my primary focus. While these may appear minor, they significantly enhance the overall enjoyment of Sniper Elite: Resistance.

Halt! Wer geht da?

While the sniping mechanics and mission maps in Sniper Elite: Resistance provide plenty of entertainment, there are aspects that diminish the overall experience. For one, you might not get as much sniping action as expected due to the focus on indoor environments and close-quarter combat within destroyed buildings and narrow alleyways. However, Hawker’s ability to slow down time and spot enemies and intriguing objects even through walls does make these stealthy segments enjoyable. Nevertheless, it can sometimes feel more like a Stealth game than a Sniper game. It’s frustrating that the only method to identify enemies is by using scopes or binoculars, leading to some odd situations where I had to use binoculars to confirm I had marked an enemy who was just a few feet away from me.

In simpler terms, the missions in this game tend to follow similar patterns, often boiling down to either eliminating certain individuals or reaching specific locations to trigger events. This lack of variability means that your actions don’t significantly influence the mission outcome. However, there are occasional side objectives that allow you to eliminate additional targets, which can add a layer of challenge. A more engaging experience might be created if the objectives adapted based on circumstances, such as when you’re discovered and the entire base goes into lockdown. On the other hand, the predictable nature of the missions does offer a sense of security for players, making it suitable for those who prefer a more straightforward gaming experience. Some players might find the repetitiveness a bit disappointing, though, since the outcome remains the same regardless of your approach.

There’s a lot to love

As a fellow enthusiast, I wholeheartedly recommend giving Sniper Elite: Resistance a spin if you’re captivated by sniping, delving into maps set in World War II-era France, or yearning for the thrill of being an action hero from classic war movies. The shooting dynamics, be it long-range or up-close, are engaging and rewarding. There’s nothing quite as exhilarating as using the roar of a thunderstorm to conceal your sniper shots, or stringing together silent headshots with your silenced pistol. The hunt for collectibles, weapon customizations, and devising creative strategies for each objective infuses Sniper Elite: Resistance with plenty of reasons to return. With co-op mode, Invasion mode, full-blown multiplayer, DLC, and a season pass, you’re in for numerous hours of action amidst the enemy lines. If you share my fondness for stealth action games, it might just be the most enjoyable experience since Splinter Cell.

This assessment is written with reference to the Steam PC version of the game, which was given to me for the purpose of review. Sniper Elite: Resistance will be launched on January 30th, offering a version compatible with PCs, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, and both PlayStation 4 and 5 consoles.

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2025-01-27 17:28