Nazis giving you gripe? Well, take aim and fucking snipe!
One shot, infinite ways to ruin someones day
The Sniper Elite series may not have the grandest scope, but it’s always been on target when it comes to delivering intense, tactical sniping action. The series takes us to WW2’s most significant battlegrounds – throughout Germany to North Africa, Italy, and France; each game lets you zero in on Nazi scum with satisfying stealth and those gloriously brutal X-ray kill-cams. It’s not the most complex shooter out there, but it hits the mark where it counts – giving you the perfect opportunity to line up the shot, take a deep breath, and blow those krauts away.
Developed all by Rebellion, the series has become somewhat iconic for its X-ray carnage, turning every shot into a grotesque work of art. Every bullet that pierces through an enemy is a cinematic fireworks show, with the added bonus of watching someone’s lungs decide to take a field trip. The slow-motion parade of shattered bones and exploding organs are what can only be described as “tactical spaghetti”. The whole strategy of every level revolves around using the terrain to your advantage, carefully choosing when to engage or remain hidden, and making each shot count by considering factors like wind, bullet drop, and distance. Players can also use distractions, like setting off explosions or fucking with machinery to draw enemies away from key areas or create openings for stealthy takedowns. I’ve played all five mainline Sniper Elite games, and while they share similar core gameplay, my opinions on each one vary significantly. I’m only going to talk about the main games in the series and none of that zombie-army spinoff shit that I’ve never touched. My first experience was when my high school friend brought over a copy of Sniper Elite v2 on a Friday and we spent all night trying to snipe Nazi’s in the testicles while drowning in cherry-cola Boylans – simpler times…
Speaking of simplicity, even though I didn’t play them all in order, for the sake of this article, I’ll touch upon each chronologically:
After Sniper Elite v2, I was hooked and played through 3, 4, and 5 as they were released. Later, I stumbled upon a cheap copy of the original Sniper Elite at a retro-gaming store and picked it up out of curiosity. Throughout the entirety of the series, you play as German-American OSS soldier Karl Fairburne, who’s about as interesting as a broken pencil sharpener. He’s got all the personality of a moldy loaf of bread, the charm of a soggy potato, and the emotional depth of a glass of tap water. But that isn’t why we’re here. We’re here to satisfyingly sharpshoot Nazi’s from a distance and turn their insides into confetti. Regrettably, the first game has aged like a bowl of ice cream left out in the desert sun. While all of the sequels that spawn from this game make you feel like an elite sniper, this game makes you feel like an elderly tourist that wandered into Berlin with a rifle. You can just skip this clunky asspiss. It feels like Karl is wearing cement shoes and aims about as well as a drunk trying to thread a needle in an earthquake. Easily the weakest in the series. Moving on…
Now we’re talking. Like I said before, this is where the series sunk its lovely hawkeyed talons into me. I really dig this game. While it’s more linear than later entries, that’s not a drawback – it’s a solid foundation for the series. The core gameplay, from tactical sniping to the iconic bullet-time x-ray killcams, all starts here and only gets better in future installments. For newcomers, I highly recommend playing the remastered version, as it keeps the original experience intact while adding some modern polish. If you’re diving into the Sniper Elite series, this is the best starting point. It also takes place in Berlin just like the first game, but that game sucks and I told you to skip it so who cares? This is the first time we got to witness those bone-shattering spectacles that’s so synonymous with the series now. Here’s the thing about these games – it’s not just about landing the perfect headshot. Sure, sniping a bullet straight into your target’s spleen is satisfying, but the real fun comes from the chaos you can create. Shooting out a car’s engine, setting off an explosion, or using the environment to cause devastating collateral damage turns the battlefield into a playground of destruction. Every shot isn’t just about precision – it’s about creativity, and the game rewards you for thinking outside the scope. Masking your shots with environmental noise – like waiting for a thunderclap – adds an extra layer of strategy. But timing it perfectly, blowing up a car, and watching the shrapnel tear through nearby German soldiers in the killcam? That’s the icing on top of the strudel!
It’s a shame this game feels like a step back, especially since I was excited to see how it would build on its predecessor. I had high hopes, given its unique African setting, a rarity at the time, and the shift toward more open-ended, sandbox-style levels with optional objectives. I think the major problem with this game is that, while ambitious, the maps are too open ended and end up just feeling bloated. It came at the cost of the tight pacing and intense atmosphere that made v2 so engaging. The game lacks the same level of tension, as relocating after a shot is often too easy, making it less of a true cat-and-mouse experience. Sometimes the enemy AI are just flat-out retarded and way too fucking easy to escape from. It makes the stealth system (the whole purpose of the fucking game) feel way too lose. The sniping killcams are still fun, but the real issue is you spend half the game wandering aimlessly like you’re lost in a Nazi-filled jungle gym. While the game is bigger, it’s certainly not better. Instead of allowing you more freedom they forgot to fill the larger spaces with anything interesting. The game feels more like a chore to trek to the next objective than a fun strategic sniping adventure. Sniper Elite 3 isn’t a total shit-sub sandwich, I just remember that I wasn’t having as much fun with it as the other ones.
Fantastico! Maybe I’m biased by the Italian setting, but Sniper Elite 4 is the pinnacle of the entire series. It takes everything that Sniper Elite v2 did right and builds on it, refining the gameplay and expanding it in ways Sniper Elite 3 tried but failed to deliver. The open-ended levels are more engaging, the stealth mechanics are tighter, and the overall experience feels like a perfect evolution of what came before. The level design is expansive yet packed with detail, offering a perfect balance of open-endedness without feeling aimless like in the 3rd game. This game doesn’t feel like it’s wasting your time- you get to take it at ease by planning your movement with more precision. The AI is smarter, so now when you screw up, the Nazis actually notice and don’t just stand there like confused National-Socialist mannequins. Plus, the environments are packed with opportunities for collateral damage, turning every mission into a chaotic mess of explosions, shrapnel and Nazi organ pasta. Sniper Elite 4 expands the anatomy shredding, adding so many more layers to the x-ray killcam and teaching you much more about human biology in literal gut-wrenching detail. It’s easily the best looking game in the series because its Italian landscapes are like a postcard come to life – lush forests, sun-drenched coastal cliffs, and charming villages that make you almost forget your mission; until you blow up a fuel tank and burn the entire village to the ground, along with a few innocent goats (You’re a baaaaad man). This game has the best environmental tactics. I remember sniping this crane and dropping a massive load of cargo right onto a tank, watching it explode, and then seeing the chaos unfold as the blast wiped out the soldiers marching beside it. The collateral damage was like a perfectly orchestrated symphony of destruction – Nazis flying everywhere! Mama mia, it was fucking magnificent.
Viva la France – The game is good. Not as good, but still worth playing. While the gameplay is still fun this game started to feel a lot more familiar and less revolutionary than Sniper Elite 4. The French landscapes add some fresh variety but the series, by this point, has started to feel stagnant (Déjà vu). The WW2 settings and Karl’s wooden personality have really begun to wear thin, and I think what they need to do is either stop here or at least take a break. Take the time to breathe and maybe inject some life into the series by trying a different time period. The core gameplay is solid, and the sniping remains satisfying, but there’s a sense that the series has hit a plateau. The WWII setting and familiar mechanics aren’t adding anything new, and while it’s enjoyable, it’s hard to shake the feeling that it’s time for a change or a fresh direction to really reignite the excitement. If you really enjoyed Sniper Elite v2 and Sniper Elite 4, you’ll likely still have a good time with Sniper Elite 5. Plus, there’s a neat DLC mission where you get to hunt down Hitler at his compound – though let’s be honest, at this point, it feels like you’re contractually obligated to kill him in every game.
So there you have it…
I think the series offers more good than bad. They’re easily the best sniping games you’ll find in all of gaming. I mean, the only other series that really focuses on sniping that comes to mind is Sniper: Ghost Warrior, which I dabbled in a bit… and let’s just say I’d rather swan dive into a pool of electric eels and broken glass than play another round of that. The Sniper Elite series has likely run its course and could really benefit from a few years off to regroup and come up with something different to truly push the envelope. The x-ray killcams have become iconic, and you’ll still have a blast with hours of satisfying sniping action, but it’s clear the formula is starting to feel a bit stale. It’s time for a bold new direction, or at least a much-needed break. How about a Cold-War espionage game in Russia?
You should play these games if you love precision, patience, and the sweet satisfaction of a perfectly timed shot and feeling like a badass sniping menace. If you’re a fan of slow-motion brutality and peak sound design then definitely check this series out. Get in position, take aim, and snipe the Führer right in the fucking ball (heh-heh).
He won’t be walking that off,
Mikhail
Verdicts:
Sniper Elite: 5/10
Sniper Elite v2: 8/10
Sniper Elite 3: 6/10
Sniper Elite 4: 8.5/10
Sniper Elite 5: 7.5/10
https://opencritic.com/game/7702/sniper-elite-v2-remastered
https://opencritic.com/game/240/sniper-elite-iii