Sniper Elite 5 shows some improvements but isn’t much of an upgrade to the predecessor.
This is a big moment. In fact, this is huge. What a time to be alive because what we have been waiting for is finally here. That is an outstanding five years since the predecessor. That’s a mere half a decade we had to wait. Sniper Elite 5 has finally arrived, getting people very excited about it. With the high number of positive reviews the last game had received, we would expect the latest that the current game would match the quality, or we would hope it would be better, especially with this being the first installment also being on the current-gen consoles.
There is better news. This is one of the many benefits of having an Xbox Game Pass subscription, which gets even better for you. It so happens that Sniper Elite 5 so is one of the games you are enabled to download. This is awesome because even if you want to try the game, you can do so without paying. And if you do not like the game, then there will be no regrets.
Sniper Elite 5’s story takes place after the events of Sniper Elite 4. Set in 1944 France, the protagonist Karl Fairburne undertakes the mission to unveil Project Kraken. You are given a set of missions and can complete them in whichever order you prefer to progress. Like the last game, the plot was pretty interesting, and it motivates you to stop the Nazi machines at any given cost. The idea that you need to strategize many different ways of completing objectives is arguably the most challenging and stimulating aspect.
You cannot just go guns blazing; otherwise, it will quickly lead to death. To reduce the percentage of this happening so often, you will need to combine critical thinking, creativity, and nous. Plus, doing so will also enhance your Sniper Elite experience. Having said all of this, I do feel the story mode lacked cutscenes, and I would have liked some more as they tell you more about the story and where it is proceeding. But not so much of it that it overrides the campaign gameplay. There should be a balance.
Sniper Elite 5’s gameplay is somewhat reasonable. It is good that the signature epic kill cams are still in the franchise. Executing them with your weapon, watching bullets penetrate through enemies and objects in the most brutal manner, and viewing them through x-ray visions are beautiful.
Another refined facet is navigating through missions with the option of stealth, and when it comes to Sniper Elite 5, or Sniper Elite games in general, this is your best ally. As you play the game, you will realize this. And it’s great that this installment gives you more areas to become invisible and perform stealthy attacks. As well as have numerous ways to lure enemies to their deaths.
Although the gameplay doesn’t seem much different than the last-gen consoles, which you could add as another negative, it doesn’t deviate from the overall action-packed simulation experience. Although, it would have looked a lot better had the developer had done more to make this game look more current-gen—for example, much more realistic gaming mechanics. However, there is enough content worthy of your time to grind out the game possibly.
There is an improvement. You can perform much more methods in taking down enemies. Single-player is great, and I feel the multiplayer mode is just as enjoyable. Especially if you are playing competitively, this is the franchise’s first game to be cross-platform. Multiplayer has improved and has gotten a little more fast-paced. You are now more likely to be involved in gun battles in almost all instances, making for an epic experience.
Just be sure to avoid being invaded; if you are, you will need to be extra careful. This is the most aggravating part of the game. The new invader mode is when a player intervenes while you are playing in campaign mode, looking to terminate you. I feel this new mode is entirely unnecessary, and I honestly don’t see its use. It isn’t fun at all, and all it does is add more frustration. Especially when you are close to completing an objective, you can turn off the mode, but the developer should consider removing it anyway.
Ideally, if Sniper Elite 5 is your first game in this franchise, it’s best to play the campaign or co-operative first to familiarize yourself with the buttons before naively jumping into multiplayer. With all that being said on the gameplay, sadly, the bugs and glitches deduct some excellent points from the game. For example, sometimes it would be troublesome to gather items from the floor and enemies, and there were a few instances where my character would be stuck in bushes, buildings, or concrete surfaces.
Sniper Elite 5’s visuals are not very attractive. You’d feel we would have more appealing graphics with the current generation consoles. This isn’t the case with Sniper Elite 5. It’s like playing on previous-gen graphics with improved gaming mechanics. Although the maps look decent and well designed, they would have looked much better had the developer emphasized the visuals more.
Therefore, I would feel like I am playing on the Series S, not Xbox One. Another thing that needs to be mentioned is that the maps are too big. It would have been much more helpful if you could ride through transportation.
Sniper Elite 5’s audio is excellent. My favorite sounds are simply during kill cams. Hearing the sounds of your weapons and the squishy sound effects of the impacted body parts during slow motion makes this game different from many other shooters. Almost like you can somewhat sense the feeling of the excruciating pain of the enemies that are unfortunate to be on the receiving end.
The protagonist’s voice actor has a distinct voice that makes Karl seem like a bad boy who isn’t afraid of anything or anyone and is full of machismo. The classical music playlist fits the 1940s era. Especially during combat, you hear faster and more aggressive music that sends the message that you are in for an intense fight.
Ultimately, Sniper Elite 5 is a tactical shooter you enjoy alone or with a friend. There is an exact number of improvements from the predecessor. With the improved mechanics, you can create more methods of eliminating your enemies, and the kill cams are better than ever. The bugs and glitches should be addressed. Hopefully, the developer can fix this with some updates. But that pretty much ends there. Other than that, there’s not much to praise.
The visuals, on the other hand, are without a doubt the biggest downfall. We are in a new era of console gaming, and it’s unacceptable to see nearly no enhancement on the graphics. Fortunately, this problem doesn’t take away from the overall great experiences you will have with this game. It’s shocking that five years since the last game, they delivered a game that isn’t much different than the previous title.
Sniper Elite 5 is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Microsoft Windows. Also, follow our website for the latest gaming reviews.
