Why haven't they killed Hitler yet? – Sniper Elite: Resistance review

While everyone was checking the calendar before the release of the long-awaited Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, on January 30, 2025, a new iteration in the game series about a Nazi hunter during World War II, Sniper Elite: Resistance, was released unnoticed by many. From the first announcement of the game, it looked like an even smaller step forward than the previous installments of the series. We will discuss whether this impression was justified later in the review.

This has already happened... several times

The Sniper Elite series received its modern formula starting with the second installment, which took place during the storming of Berlin in 1945. Further, gradually improving and refining the game mechanics, prequels about the same agent of the British Special Operations Directorate (later an agent of the US Office of Strategic Services) Carl Fairbairn were released. Each time, he is sent on a mission to find and neutralize another Wunderwaffe of the Third Reich in the scenery of various theaters of war of the Second World War. It is the scenery, because whether it is North Africa, Italy, or France, only the design of the locations, which are built according to similar patterns, changes. However, this has never been a problem for the series, because paired with the thematic soundtrack, they work well for atmosphere and immersion. And the interesting mechanics and the famous X-ray camera gimmick during accurate shots motivate you to play and try different approaches.

What's old and what's new?

In short, almost everything here is old. The menu structure, game modes, weapon customization, skills for pumping, graphics, map structure, and even the invasion mode have all been completely carried over from the fifth installment.

In more detail, these are literally the same menus not only in terms of structure but also in terms of design. They also have the same weapon icons, skill icons and positions on the leveling screen, and very similar, if not the same, game world assets. There is also a mission to eliminate Hitler, though in the form of a separate add-on. This all clearly hints that it seems that Sniper Elite: Resistance was planned as a large-scale expansion, or a small spinoff. And it turned out to be a standalone game at full price. Traditionally, the plot is thrown in here purely to justify the gameplay. But the days of the first Doom are long gone.

We are not very good at innovations. We have several new types of weapons, namely from French manufacturers, which corresponds to the setting and plot. Some gadgets, such as grenades, have received non-lethal versions, complete with non-lethal ammunition.

More significant, but not very noticeable, are the challenges with propaganda posters. They are scattered around the locations of the storyline campaign, and once they are torn down, speed challenges open up. An important disadvantage is that there are a lot of posters in the game as part of the environment, and only some of them are interactive.

Gameplay basics for beginners

Tasks are performed on fairly large maps with a good design and a variety of landscapes. Although the maps in Sniper Elite: Resistance seem a little smaller than in the previous installment, there are still several basic and several optional tasks. Most of them work like this: get into a protected building or fortification and get intelligence, or destroy the target. Additional tasks include searching for information, destroying air defense installations or some evidence. Each map also has a special target to kill. Usually these are some Wehrmacht officers or civilians important to the Reich.

There are several approaches and ways to accomplish each of the tasks. Everything depends on the style of play and the equipment used. Before starting a mission, an operative needs to choose the weapons and gadgets with which he will go on a mission. The player takes 3 types of weapons with him: a rifle with a sniper scope, a melee weapon (usually a submachine gun), and a pistol. The game features shot ballistics. Although it is arcade, it adds complexity. After upgrading, most weapons can be equipped with a silencer for more effective sneaking. The set also includes gadgets: from bandages and first aid kits to grenades and mines. New types of weapons and gadgets are unlocked with new character levels, as well as for completing tasks.

The gameplay style can be either purely sneaky with the selection of all means and weapons for the quiet destruction of enemies, and, if possible, avoiding clashes on the way to the goal. Or it can be more aggressive. For example, I usually play the role of an "active scout" - this means observing from afar to select targets, and then quickly, but not too quietly, eliminating them, and if necessary, engaging in short firefights with small groups of enemies before there are too many of them. After that, you quickly change positions and move on with the mission. At the same time, there are machines scattered on the map for upgrading or changing weapons. So you can change the style of play during the mission.

After completing all or only the necessary tasks on the map, you need to get to one of several evacuation points. Missions can be replayed several times, and for replayability, you can open additional starting points before re-entering. This will give you a different perspective on the location and new ways to approach and complete tasks.

All the usual mechanics that fans of the series are familiar with are in place. So the gameplay is as enjoyable as ever. Although at release, Sniper Elite: Resistance has some unpleasant bugs with stuck collisions or malfunctioning weapons that were clearly not intended by the developers.

Any game becomes better in a cooperative, doesn't it?

From the very beginning, the Sniper Elite series has had a cooperative mode. It doesn't just add a friend to take out enemies, but allows you to try new tactics. This way, you can split roles, where someone goes into close combat, while others cover from a distance and make sure that enemies do not raise the alarm. Or you can work as two snipers and enter the target from different directions to cover more territory and take out enemies from a distance. Or you can actively attack together and suppress the Reich soldiers with fire.

There are also multiplayer modes familiar from the Call of Duty or Battlefield series. There's also an invasion mode that appeared in the fifth installment and migrated to Sniper Elite: Resistance. The first thing that comes to mind when describing it is that it is similar to the invasion in the Dark Souls series, when an enemy player joins the story campaign. At the same time, he is not attacked by enemies, but plays the role of a Nazi sniper.

Such a confrontation can be interesting and tense for players on either side. In addition, it is possible to invade a pair of players who are playing the game in cooperative mode. This can complicate or simplify the hunt, depending on how open or stealthy the snipers choose to play.

However, like in the fifth installment, the selection of enemies in Sniper Elite: Resistance is not balanced in any way, either by the level of players or by the difficulty level of those who are invaded. This means that the forces will often be unequal. This way, you can get to a sniper who is constantly being killed by non-player characters, even on easy difficulty. Or, on the contrary, you can get to the pros who have cleared the map of enemies to make it easier to hunt you down.

This also works in the opposite direction - you can get an invasion from an overly experienced enemy who knows all the places and routes and will quickly intercept you if you are on this map for the first time. Fortunately, invasions can be turned off both in single player mode and during cooperative play. This is what I used after several unpleasant skirmishes on the same mission.

Conclusion

Sniper Elite: Resistance was released for the second time. Even too much, even by the standards of the series. There are minimal changes compared to the previous installments. If you've played any of the games since the third one, it won't bring you anything new. Nevertheless, Sniper Elite fans love these games for their mechanics and proven game formula. But I would like to see more changes and innovations that would move the series forward. Otherwise, Resistance looks like it's treading water and trying to make money with a minimum of effort. A lower price tag or release in the form of an expansion for Sniper Elite 5 would have helped in this dilemma. Nevertheless, the fact that the game was released as part of the Game Pass subscription can be called a good compromise.

We would like to advise newcomers and non-fans of the series not to choose Sniper Elite: Resistance as the first game in the series, but to pay attention to the previous installments. Moreover, they are often sold with good discounts. After all, there were few changes in gameplay and mechanics throughout the series, and they were gradual. Or at least wait for patches with fixes and a good discount on Sniper Elite: Resistance.

And we wish developers to finally find fresh ideas for their favorite series of games. Here's a hint for the second time: The Cold War, the USSR, the Gulag, and secretive organizations working on... superweapons.