“Sniper Elite: Resistance” Review – A Fun but Familiar WWII Sniping Experience

Not every game must emulate IO Interactive’s Hitman series, but several could benefit from incorporating its strengths. Rebellion discovered this when creating Sniper Elite 3 in 2014, which ditched linear levels for expansive maps with player-choice navigation. However, despite these improvements and new features in the series, Sniper Elite: Resistance invokes a sense of deja vu, reusing strategies, assets, and skill trees from previous entries. Though the game still engages with its sniping mechanics and multiplayer modes, its perceived stagnation calls for significant innovation in future installments.

– Sniper Elite: Resistance retains the series’ strong emphasis on tactical, stealthy gameplay and challenging sniping physics from previous games but struggles with some controls and the reuse of levels and features.
– The game introduces a new protagonist, Harry Hawker, continues the narrative against the backdrop of World War II, and offers a variety of gameplay modes, including two-player co-op, Invasion mode, and a competitive PvP mode.
– Despite some outstanding bugs and control issues, Rebellion’s latest iteration in the Sniper Elite series remains enjoyable, especially for first-time players, but lends itself to a feeling of déjà vu for veterans of the series.

While not all games should strive to model themselves after IO Interactive’s Hitman, some stand to benefit from incorporating elements from this impressive series. This is a realization Rebellion seemed to make with Sniper Elite 3 in 2014, shifting away from contained, war-ravaged city streets towards more expansive environments and player freedom in navigation and mission completion. The series even ventures into creating absurd situations akin to Hitman’s Agent 47 for Nazi assassinations. Sniper Elite: Resistance sees a return of this tried and tested formula for the fourth time in over a decade. Even though it remains fun, a sense of familiarity is hard to escape during the campaign set in the French countryside.

Like its predecessors, Sniper Elite is set during World War II and maintains its third-person perspective, which shifts to first-person when aiming. It’s best known for its deep physics model that considers factors such as wind, bullet drop, and positioning, and its notable X-ray kill-cam feature that showcases in brutal detail the destruction of targets from the inside. A well-aimed shot can result in various horrific outcomes. While fun, the killcam has become less appealing over time, and the focus has shifted towards stealthy mission completion.

Sniper Elite: Resistance replaces main character Karl Fairburne with Harry Hawker, former Player 2 of the game’s co-op campaign. Hawker, a British soldier, is tasked with infiltrating Nazi strongholds, destroying strategic targets, and eliminating enemies. One slight drawback is that the Nazi enemies lack depth, often being reduced to mere comic book-esque villains, which is a missed opportunity in portraying the horrors of fascism.

Each mission commences with a main objective and additional ones discovered through exploration. Missions also feature high-value targets that can be creatively eliminated and other useful elements like weapon workbenches and alternative mission start points. The game encourages a strategic, stealthy approach to missions, although it allows for a more offensive strategy if necessary.

Apart from sniping, the cover-based shooting system tends to be somewhat unreliable, with your character inconsistently sticking to walls and uneven shooting mechanics for other weapons. These elements make you feel uncertain and vulnerable, especially when seeking cover in tense situations.

Resistance does offer a range of multiplayer modes outside the solo campaign, including two-player co-op, an Invasion mode where players can enter others’ campaigns as antagonists, and team-based PvP modes. The additional playstyles keep the gameplay fresh and exciting, despite the campaign’s familiar feel.

The newly introduced Propaganda missions, unfortunately, offer little value, presenting timed stealth, sniping, and combat challenges with little actual impact on gameplay. The game’s skill tree directly mirrors that of its predecessor, Sniper Elite 5, a disappointing revelation considering the lack of improvement or innovation on the existing system. In fact, a lot of this feels more like a slight iteration than real innovation.

Despite its faults, Sniper Elite: Resistance remains an enjoyable experience, particularly for newcomers to the series. Standard elements like the X-ray Killcam and well-executed sniping mechanics have become somewhat stagnant, and the campaign often feels repetitive. The additional modes, however, work to diversify the gameplay experience. Coordinated co-op play can also help smooth the campaign’s rough edges.

Sniper Elite: Resistance still hits its mark when it comes to tactical sniping and stealth, but after so many missions, the series feels like it’s stuck in its own crosshairs—it’s time for a fresh shot at innovation.

RATING: 3 out of 5 stars.

Sniper Elite Resistance is released January 30th, 2025 for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X.

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