Sniper Elite: Resistance Review – More of the Same but Tons of Fun

In a remarkable way, the phrase “more of the same” has never been more fitting for the game Sniper Elite: Resistance, and I’m delighted by that fact. I’ve been a dedicated fan of the Sniper Elite series for quite some time, and 2022’s Sniper Elite 5 was a standout achievement in the franchise. Despite its flaws and imperfections, it offered one of the best tactical stealth shooter experiences in recent years on a lower budget. Sniper Elite: Resistance chooses to stick close to its predecessor, marketed as a spinoff that expands upon the foundation laid by Sniper Elite 5. It delivers more substantial content for both single-player and multiplayer experiences in a way that feels familiar yet continues to captivate, thanks to its robust gameplay mechanics and Rebellion’s exceptional design acumen.

For the first time ever, in “Resistance”, you won’t be playing as the usual protagonist Karl Fairburne. Instead, British SOE agent Harry Hawker takes center stage. This game coincides with the events of “Sniper Elite 5”. Harry is sent to Occupied France where he collaborates with the Resistance to thwart Nazi plans for a new top-secret superweapon that could alter the course of the war. The story, as you may expect from “Sniper Elite”, isn’t its main draw. Unfortunately, “Resistance” doesn’t excel in this department; none of the characters are particularly memorable, the dialogue is passable at best, and the voice acting leaves much to be desired.

Sniper Elite: Resistance opts to stay relatively close to its predecessor’s formula. Positioned as a spin-off, it expands upon the foundation laid by Sniper Elite 5 with a substantial amount of fresh content available for both solo and multiplayer modes. While maintaining a sense of familiarity, this game continues to captivate through its robust gameplay mechanics and Rebellion’s outstanding design aesthetics.

Essentially, while other aspects may be less significant, the core of Sniper Elite lies in offering expansive, meticulously designed maps and a wide array of stealthy gameplay options. In this regard, Sniper Elite: Resistance performs admirably, just as its predecessor did. Each mission takes you to a new environment, and the diversity and detail of these settings are among the game’s standout features from start to finish. Not only does it convincingly portray its historical backdrop, but exploring each location remains a continuous pleasure. The thrill of surveilling a town from afar using binoculars before executing a stealthy infiltration as a marksman is what truly defines Sniper Elite, and Resistance delivers on this promise abundantly.

Navigating through the challenging terrains of Sniper Elite: Resistance’s maps remains captivating due to the numerous strategies available. The game typically presents a wealth of choices, with each map boasting a range of optional content, collectibles, and more. Alongside these extras, your primary objectives are always at hand. The methods you choose to accomplish these tasks are entirely up to you, and often, each scenario can be tackled in various ways. Whether it’s gaining access to a building, eliminating a specific target, or creating diversions, there are always several paths to take when completing a task. This versatility has long been one of Sniper Elite’s key features, and Resistance continues to thrive on this flexibility.

Discovering new places is fun just for the sake of unveiling the unknown. Navigating beautifully crafted maps may lead you to concealed routes into main missions, secret spots with unique quests and tasks, overheard conversations between soldiers that give you valuable information, workbenches where you can personalize your weapons in various ways, and much more. It’s quite possible to invest 2-3 hours or even longer in a single map, and the sense of accomplishment I’ve experienced has been consistently satisfying.

Exploring the outskirts of a town with binoculars for strategic observation from afar before making a silent approach – this is what makes Sniper Elite engaging, and Resistance excels at providing this experience.

The key stealth elements are impressive, as one might expect given the game’s history. Enemy AI is sharp, and emergent mechanics add depth to exploring Nazi-controlled maps, making it an exhilarating experience. It achieves this by employing techniques that will be familiar to those who played Sniper Elite 5. However, since Sniper Elite 5 was a stellar stealth game, I have no qualms with Resistance continuing in the same vein.

Indeed, it’s evident that the game shares similar challenges as Sniper Elite 5, such as movement which can sometimes feel slow and inexact, particularly when trying to take cover or perform environmental tasks like climbing or vaulting. I’ve encountered a few minor animation glitches and bugs occasionally. However, it’s worth noting that the shooting mechanics have noticeably improved, making all guns in the game feel more precise.

You’ll primarily use your sniper rifles, and sniping remains as thrilling as ever. The sensation of locking a target in your crosshairs from great distances, estimating distance, holding your breath, firing, and then witnessing the series’ signature ultra-grisly x-ray kills in stunning slow motion never loses its allure for me, even after multiple playthroughs of Sniper Elite games.

In my gaming experience, Resistance is not just about the single-player campaign, which while shorter than Sniper Elite 5 (approximately 10-15 hours depending on your style), it’s packed with additional features. To be honest, it’s more of the same greatness that this series excels at. The Invasion mode, co-op campaign play, and multiplayer combat from Sniper Elite 5 are all back, but with fresh content in Resistance. I’ve always found the campaigns to be the crown jewel of this series, but the tactical sniper battles in the multiplayer mode of Sniper Elite can be a unique kind of fun, so having more opportunities to engage in that is definitely welcome! Moreover, the game also introduces new Propaganda missions. These are short, optional missions that may not be essential, but they certainly add an extra dose of tactical excitement with their diverse objectives, ranging from stealth to sniping and beyond.

Sniper Elite: Resistance may not offer groundbreaking advancements typically associated with a main series installment, but by expanding upon the solid foundations laid by Sniper Elite 5, it skillfully creates an immersive stealth game experience that dedicated enthusiasts of this genre should definitely explore.

Sniper Elite: Resistance doesn’t break new ground in any aspect, yet that hasn’t been the focus of this series. For years, Rebellion’s World War II franchise has been content to leave the glitz and glamour to others, focusing instead on providing remarkable level design, engaging emergent systems, gripping stealth, and strategic shooting consistently. This is exactly what its latest release achieves. As a spin-off, Sniper Elite: Resistance doesn’t promise groundbreaking advancements as you might expect from a main series installment, but by building upon the solid foundation of Sniper Elite 5, it still creates an experience that fans of stealth games shouldn’t overlook.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

2025-01-28 13:43

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