It’s undeniable that World War II has provided an abundant source of inspiration for game developers. With numerous tales from the period waiting to be told, these narratives—although often somber—provide opportunities for emotional release or stories about triumphing over hardship. In the end, it’s no surprise that Nazis have become the go-to villains in video games, as most people agree they represent evil. There isn’t much debate about moral ambiguity in World War II narratives because the antagonists were clearly wicked, and you can play the hero by defeating them decisively.
In my observation, a series of games, notably Sniper Elite, has expanded the concept of rebellion into various titles, with a keen emphasis on one franchise that offers extra points for eliminating certain Nazi enemies. To put it simply, this is the Nazi-sniping game series, and if you’re feeling particularly mischievous, you can even aim for a memorable shot to fell Hitler himself. The newest addition to this series, Sniper Elite: Resistance, transports us to the heart of French Resistance activities aimed at ending the German occupation of France and preventing the Nazis from completing development on a devastating new superweapon.
Sniper Elite: Resistance Story and Gameplay (No spoilers)
Hang on a moment – that’s not Karl Fairburne! Instead, the main character in Sniper Elite: Resistance is a man named Harry Hawker. If you’re familiar with the Sniper Elite series, you might recognize Harry as the default Co-op character skin from the last three games. But if you’re not deeply immersed in the Sniper Elite universe, it’s easy to overlook him. He doesn’t have much background or personality; he’s more like a tool for following your directions and shooting Nazis.
In the context of Sniper Elite: Resistance, Karl Fairburne is unable to be our protagonist because he’s preoccupied with the events of Sniper Elite 5, making him unavailable. Hawker, who takes his place, appears older and has a more prominent beard, but overall, he lacks depth as a character, making it challenging to become emotionally invested in him.
Harry demonstrates an exceptional talent for eliminating enemies, particularly Nazis, which is exactly what we’ve gathered here to do. He’s proficient with various weapons such as a sniper rifle, submachine gun, or pistol (as long as you’re comfortable handling these weapons yourself), and you’ll find yourself immersed in his journey through the game’s nine semi-open world missions.
Similar to Sniper Elite 5, Resistance offers a semi-open world setting where each chapter consists of interconnected missions. Players are free to traverse expansive maps and focus on the primary objective while also choosing to engage in side quests such as eliminating specific German officers or assisting the Resistance. These optional tasks can be skipped if preferred, allowing players to exit a mission once they’ve completed the main goal.
In essence, the additional aspects of the game are where all the intricate details reside. Many actions, such as uncovering the German oppressors’ deeds, crafting new weapon loadouts during gameplay, or discovering hidden collectible workbenches, are embedded within lore items or require searching. The game’s missions offer flexibility, allowing you to tackle them in a manner that suits your playstyle best. You can opt for stealth, taking down enemies silently and disposing of their bodies to maintain the element of surprise, or go all-out, using parkour to scale drain pipes, break into windows, and engage the enemy with guns blazing.
In Sniper Elite: Resistance’s campaign, players can gather propaganda posters as collectibles that also offer a hidden function – they unlock 6 unique challenges in the game’s Propaganda mode. The Propaganda mode drops players into a map with a set number of enemies, armed only with a pistol. The first kill initiates the timer, and the goal is to complete the mission by eliminating all enemies within the designated time before the clock reaches zero. Extra weapons and gear have to be scavenged during gameplay. Medals are given for faster times, but I personally found it somewhat monotonous and not very engaging to pursue these medals repeatedly.
Sniper Elite is a series that truly shines when played with a companion, offering the thrill of leisurely navigating maps and uncovering hidden items side by side. The campaign can be experienced cooperatively, or you can elevate the tension by permitting Axis incursions – this feature enables another player to join your game as an adversary sniper. Incorporating invasions adds a dash of excitement, since it’s unpredictable how a joining player might act. However, if you prefer a more solo experience, you can deactivate or limit the invasion system accordingly.
As a researcher studying the gameplay dynamics of Sniper Elite: Resistance, I find that while the multiplayer experience includes traditional modes such as deathmatch and free-for-all, it seems there’s not much to compel me to engage in these modes beyond a few casual matches with friends.
Sniper Elite: Resistance Visuals and Sound
I was genuinely amazed by how beautiful Sniper Elite 5 appeared. However, when I started playing Sniper Elite: Resistance, it seemed like the graphics had taken a significant step backward compared to its previous version. I can’t quite put my finger on what exactly feels off about Sniper Elite: Resistance. It becomes apparent as you peer through the scope searching for an enemy. The vegetation appears to be awkwardly placed and seems to have been pasted into the game world carelessly. The eerie, waxy faces of the enemies are downright unsettling.
For this review, I tested Sniper Elite: Resistance on both my Xbox Series X and PC. Unfortunately, despite its impressive distant landscapes, I was underwhelmed by the game’s overall visual quality. While it’s not ugly per se, the close-up details seem off, especially when using the x-ray cam for those signature kill shots. In these instances, enemy weapons appear to pass through faces and limbs in awkward positions.
In Sniper Elite: Resistance, while the graphics might not be stunning, the sound design more than compensates. The game offers instances where timing your shots based on sounds can offer camouflage, like taking a shot during a storm’s thunderclap or as a noisy vehicle passes. This isn’t entirely novel for the series, but it’s executed exceptionally well. Moreover, there are visual indicators to accompany the audio mechanics, which is beneficial for players with hearing difficulties.
Sniper Elite: Resistance Conclusion
Among all games, Rebellion excels at creating bullet time and x-ray views of kill shots on Nazis, as demonstrated by Sniper Elite: Resistance. Despite playing numerous shooter games, there’s an unique charm in diving into a Sniper Elite game. I know what to expect, indeed it’s like comfort food for Nazi shooters. The formula may not vary much, but the experience remains delightful and satisfying every time.
I truly yearn for a stronger motivation to delve into Harry Hawker’s background, particularly his transformation into a sniper targeting fascist extremists. Also, it would be ideal if the non-playable characters weren’t devoid of personality, appearing more as lifeless dolls, only to be defeated by my sniper rifle under the cover of an approaching storm’s rumble. There are certainly numerous aspects I could brainstorm for enhancing the series’ replay value. However, Sniper Elite: Resistance does not embody these elements.
Instead of focusing on where I wish it to be, I need to consider its current location. It might not be ideal, but there’s still plenty of enjoyment to be had. And trust me, you’ll likely find fun too. However, be warned – if those NPCs turn out to be troublesome later on, don’t blame me!
Rather than worrying about where I want it to be, I should look at its actual position. It’s not perfect, but there’s still a good time to be had. You’ll probably enjoy yourself as well, just remember that any issues with the NPCs aren’t my fault!
As an analyst, I’m excited to announce that Rebellion’s latest creation, Sniper Elite: Resistance, will be available across all platforms on January 30. This title is also a day-one launch for the Xbox Game Pass subscription service, providing subscribers with immediate access upon release. Moreover, the game supports Xbox Play Anywhere, which means you only need to make a single purchase to enjoy it on both your Xbox consoles and Windows PC. So, get ready to line up those precision shots (or, let’s be honest, some tactically placed surprise shots) starting January 30!
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2025-01-27 18:10