The Sniper Elite series is known for its strategically tactical gameplay, intricate stealth elements, and the ever-present X-ray kill cam feature. With the latest installment, ‘”Sniper Elite: Resistance,” developed by Rebellion Developments, seeks to expand the franchise’s breadth by capturing new audiences while still maintaining its original appeal. While the game attempts to make changes, our focus is whether it truly transforms the essence or only modifies what is familiar. Let’s take a look together.
New Location and The Same Objectives:
The game case takes place in France in 1944. So, the players expect both a Sniper Elite style environment, and also a beat up world full of dead Nazis. The playable character is Harry Hawker, another of the co-op campaign characters, who teams up with the French Resistance to aid in the disabling of the Nazis’ Kleine Blume nerve agent project.
In this part of the campaign, the plot outline may feel like the previous episodes, however, it does hold together semi-engaging tactical missions with sneakiness, drama, and full gun blazing action.
Strategic Gameplay and Expansive Maps
In Sniper Elite: Resistance, players have the freedom to approach missions in a flexible manner due to the inclusion of freeform sandbox levels. Each mission has objectives, collectibles, enemy targets that need completing, making the level of player agency extremely high.
The sniping mechanics remain top-tier as players have to consider numerous factors before taking a shot, such as wind speed, heart rate, and bullet drop. But when those shots are made, the legendary X-ray kill cam shows it’s visceral, slow motion display like no other.
For players that appreciate being able to shift between tactics, the game permits for several different methods of approach:
- Stealth-oriented players can move and avoid detection by the enemies using traps and silenced weapons.
- Aggressive players can employ direct combat tactics using rifles and grenades to subdue enemies.
- Hybrid strategists can attempt a combination of both styles by employing sniping tactics with sabotage.
The Propaganda Challenge Mode feature
Sniper Elite: Resistance has a new feature known as the Propaganda Challenge Mode, and one of its most notable features is the Propaganda Challenge Mode. This uniquely timed challenge mode is exceptionally difficult as it requires players to strictly complete certain tasks under chosen time limits and avoid detection at all costs.
This feature is ideal for precision, strategy, and adaptability as it puts you to the test under dire conditions. Each mode is designed for quick bursts of excitement while allowing for intense challenges, making it great for the replayability factor.
Multiplayer & Axis Invasion – A Sniper’s Duel
In multiplayer mode, die-hard fans of the game will enjoy the Resistance multiplayer feature, as it has spectacular new aspects and elements that are competitive in nature.
In the Axis Invasion mode, another player can join your campaign as a sniper, but in this case, you become the game’s objective. You will forever be on the move trying to escape a real human enemy and stop the game’s objectives from being completed. This not only forces you to change the way you play the game, but also provides tremendous replay value, as well as a breathtaking level of tension and immersion. Being the prey of the game is equally thrilling as that of being the hunter.
Stunning Visuals & Immersive Environments
In addition to Sniper Elite’s other advanced features, it captures the immersed environment that showcases the occupied imagery of France, be it the forests or the abanded bombed out cities. These game locations make the use of textures and lighting in an intricate way, which improves the experience of stealth in the game.
The game quality is superb, has high graphical fidelity, but comes with some reported problems, as some users report experiencing minor issues such as glitches and delayed textures. These problems, however, do not alter the overall experience greatly.
Verdict: Is This a Franchise First?
Sniper Elite: Resistance builds on the existing gameplay mechanics of the franchise and implements new ones in order to keep it fresh. The game is designed to appeal to both fans of the series and newcomers searching for a stealth-action game through its expansive levels, new challenge modes, and precise sniper mechanics.
While the technical issues are certainly there and the plot is somewhat cliche, the game offers so much in terms of immersive environments, thrilling multiplayer combats, and strategic depth that it would be wrong not to consider it an advancement to the Sniper Elite series.
