Looking forward to play Sniper Elite? Take a look this in-depth Sniper Elite 5 review first! Here’s all you need to know about the game.
For war game fans, the name Sniper Elite is certainly not foreign to the ear. This game was first released in 2005 for Microsoft Windows (PC), PS2, Wii, and Xbox. At that time, the game made by Rebellion Developments was immediately greeted enthusiastically by many PC gamers because it was considered successful in providing something different.
Well, with pretty good sales, the developer finally made the next series, some of which even brought themes out of the main story, for example Sniper Elite: Nazi Zombie Army and Zombie Army Trilogy. Are all these franchises successful in the market? Unfortunately, some of them actually sold below the developer’s target.
On May 25, 2022, Rebellion Developments re-released the series from this major franchise and titled it Sniper Elite 5. Has it become an action game that deserves to be side by side with other big names? What is the author’s impression after playing it? Well, before buying it, you should read the following Sniper Elite 5 review below.
1. Sniper Elite 5 Review: World War II era is still the standard plot in this game
The plot or background story about World War II is still one of the interesting topics to discuss, at least in Sniper Elite 5. Oh, yes, why does the author state that the story of World War II is considered quite common? That’s because there are so many war games that include a World War II plot as the main story.
Starting from Call of Duty: WWII, Company of Heroes 2, Steel Division 2, Enlisted, Battlefield 1942, to Men of War, all have the same characteristics, namely the story of the World War II era. For your information, the previous Sniper Elite series are also very closely related to the story of the struggle of America and the Allies during World War II. Yup, it seems that many games from the West really like to bring up their country’s victory in the 1940s era.
Well, then, what makes Sniper Elite 5 considered quite different from the plot of many similar games? Here, you continue to play as Karl Fairburne, a sniper from the US Army whose name has become a legend in this game series. The main setting is in France which in 1944 is said to have been occupied by strong Nazi troops.
This secret military operation of the US and its allies was carried out because at that time, the Nazis were planning a secret project which would certainly be a threat to Western countries. Well, it is predictable that we will also be totally involved in investigations, ambushes, assassinations, and various secret missions that require us to move tactically or stealthily.
In general, the narrative model developed by the developer is also fairly standard. He didn’t stand in a real World War II style dress. However, the small missions carried out by Karl Fairburne were quite crucial to become the bridge that led the US and its allies to victory.
2. Game mechanics are similar to its predecessor
In fact, it’s the ideal way to play this game with sniper tactics and stealth moves in general. However, as far as the author plays, it seems quite impossible to do everything secretly. On many occasions, our main character must also fight openly like Rambo.
That’s why, apart from sniper rifles, the developer also provided Karl with various other weapons, such as pistols, machine guns, grenades, land mines, and medical equipment. The main protagonist is also still driven through the mechanism of third-person view alias behind the shoulders of the main character. Of course Sniper Elite 5 can still be played flexibly and adaptively, especially if you’ve played the old series.
So adaptive, the author feels that the gameplay mechanics in Sniper Elite 5 feels very identical to its predecessors, such as Sniper Elite 4 . The difference is, if Sniper Elite 5 is set in France, Sniper Elite 4 takes the plot in Italy. However, almost everything offered in the latest Sniper Elite feels the same and is very identical. It’s not always bad, really, considering that playing with a keyboard and mouse has become a pleasure for writers.
Maybe there are some new innovations injected by the developer even though it doesn’t feel kicking yet . For example, the Jager operation that assigned us to infiltrate other players’ campaigns . This is a pretty good method of sabotage in this game, although at first glance it’s very similar to previous games, such as Deathloop .
Oh, yeah, in Sniper Elite 5, you’re still allowed to make weapon modifications via workbenches . There are several things that can be done in more detail in assembling your weapon to make it more deadly. Not only that, the weapons and equipment that we carry can also be made much more efficient and effective for full use on the battlefield.
Speaking of warfare, the multiplayer mode of this game will allow you to join in a battle involving sixteen players from all over the world. This kind of game mode is perfect for those of you who want to test how great your abilities are when compared to other gamers. Uniquely, you don’t have to do everything alone because there is a co-op system with three other players to complete certain missions.
3. Keep the visual style of the X-ray kill camera coupled with standard sounding audio
X-ray kill camera is a visual style that is copyrighted by Rebellion Developments as the developer. In general, the appearance of this model will depict a bullet that shoots quickly into the enemy’s vital organs. Now, when the bullet hits the head, for example, the animation is depicted transparently like effects in Hollywood movies.
This is of course still a good idea even though this kind of style is always presented from series to series. However, overall, the graphics displayed in Sniper Elite 5 are fairly standard. In fact, this game has also been released for the latest consoles, such as PS5 and Xbox Series X. If both are played on a 4K screen, at first glance it does look similar to Sniper Elite 4 which was marketed 5 years ago.
Yes, of course when compared to the entire existing Sniper Elite series , this newest game is still at the very top level. However, to say it’s an action game with great graphics, I don’t think it’s there yet. For a PC, specifications of 16 GB RAM, VGA equivalent to GTX 1660 Super, and a mid-generation Intel Core i5 processor can run this game well.
Oh, almost forgot, this game runs on DirectX12. That means, Sniper Elite 5 will not be compatible with graphics cards that still use DirectX11. So, first check the full specifications of your VGA. Don’t let you already buy this game, but it can’t be played smoothly. Also leave 90 GB of storage space on your HDD to accommodate files from this game.
On the audio side, Sniper Elite 5 doesn’t seem to put forward the bombastic quality like many other war games. Not that it’s bad, but overall, the audio that reached the author’s ears was pretty standard and luckily it wasn’t in a bad position. The sound effects and conversations have also been maximized, although there are some things that feel stiff there.
So, the more brutal X-ray display is one of the advantages of this game. Unfortunately, it is not matched by really classy audio, which makes Sniper Elite 5 even feel quite burdensome in the eyes of the author. Apart from all that, playing it on a 4K screen also still feels quite amazing, really.
4. Kill or be killed
The map or maps displayed in Sniper Elite 5 review seem bigger than the previous series. However, with all the existing areas, for some reason the map here feels very repetitive. From one point to another, we will be presented with various kinds of actions that actually feel very linear. Well, in this game, our tactical moves will determine the final result.
In short, Sniper Elite 5 is thicker with elements of intense action. Here, you take on the role of a killer in silence. If you can’t carry out the heavy load, be prepared to be targeted or an easy target for enemy troops. Hunting enemies to complete the mission will be the same portion as us being hunted by them.
So, you don’t always have the upper hand in this game. Instead of being able to kill all enemies without being detected, you will often be in the position of being hunted by them. Hone and improve your ability to incapacitate the enemy stealthily because frontal warfare could backfire for us.
5. Continuing the big name Sniper Elite
With a more detailed visual display, this game clearly seems more brutal than the previous series. The gameplay mechanics are also quite adaptive and easy to recognize, especially for those of you who have played Sniper Elite 4.
Unfortunately, the plot of the story that is presented feels very shallow. The concept of World War II and the involvement of the Nazis in it seems to be a very consistent premise. So consistent, he can be dragged into the flow that is repetitive, linear, and of course crisp. Can’t imagine if a game like the Sniper Elite series is considered dry and boring, right?
Not to mention, the audio sounds pretty standard. It’s not in the bad category, but action games deserve to be juxtaposed with bombastic audio and sound too. Playing Sniper Elite 5 for writers is like playing Sniper Elite 4 which was even released in 2017.
So, what is the final conclusion? In our opinion, this game has been able to continue the big name of Sniper Elite. It seems that the standard concept brought by the developer will not be taken too far to get out of the original narrative. That’s why we think a score of 4/5 for Sniper Elite 5 review would be appropriate.
A competitive online game enthusiast who has potato aim and grandma reflexes, but still enjoy writing about various games.