Back in 2019, I lucked in Sniper Elite 4 with PS Plus. The game sucked me in with it's crazy bullet cams and the stealth aspects. As a result, I ended up getting the DLC for it, then the previous games (SEV2 and SE3) as time went on. I became a fan of the series and started to hope a new game would launch with the current generation of consoles. So, when Sniper Elite 5 was announced, I was instantly excited. I am very happy to say that Sniper Elite 5 was everything it needed to be and then some.
Sniper Elite 5 is a game about patience. My favorite thing to do is find a spot, scope out as much of an area as I can with the binoculars, and then take out any targets I can at a long range. Rebellion's latest iteration of the game does this very well. For a vast majority of the levels, I would find my first clearing and take out several enemies at 200-300 meters for my first 30-45 minutes in the level. A fallen bad guy is a surefire way to stun a group of soldiers into a panic, helping to add more bad guys to my radar at a long range. Given that they didn't always know where the shot came from it would sometimes be funny to see them try and take cover and figure out where I was. This would lend itself to creating a lot of chaos that ended with a lot of fun and downed enemies.
There is a new twist in the way detection is handled as well. Sound is very dynamic in Sniper Elite 5. All weapons have a decibel level and a range associated with it. If your enemies are within that range, they will hear your shot. If you are looking at enemies through the scope of your rifle, a greyed out exclamation point will indicate which enemies can hear you when you take your shot. This visual indicator regularly helped me to determine the order in which I should pick off my enemies. Interestingly, the dynamic sound detection applies to not only your loud weapons, but silenced ones as well. In videogames, we've become accustomed to a silenced weapon being whisper quiet and not alerting the guy standing nearby when we take out an enemy. That isn't how it works in real life, however. Sniper Elite 5 has taken this videogame trope and turned it on it's head, making it so that you have to be very careful with your shots and know the sound range of any of your weapons at any time. This mechanic added a layer to stealth I didn't know I needed in a videogame. When I successfully took out a group of enemies that never knew I was there, I felt like a true stealth champion. It also made long range shots that much more rewarding because enemies had absolutely no clue where I was. Rebellion gives you many tools to manage this sound as well. Ambient noises come in varying levels that will mask different decibel levels. A dam's rushing waters may not be loud enough to mask a rifle shot, but they will mask a silenced pistol or your non-crouched footsteps so that a nearby enemy will have no idea you took out his pal. Overhead flying planes are very loud, so when they fly by, you can take a shot with your rifle and the sound won't be detected. While the sound masking isn't new to the franchise, the dynamic sound detection is completely different than previous games. It's a feature I've never seen in any game that comes to my mind and it's handled very well.
Levels in Sniper Elite 5 are massive and have truly scenic and wonderful sniping opportunities. As I played through the game, I always managed to start a level locating several enemies at a long range I was able to take out, as I mentioned earlier. Exploring these levels, I found numerous alternate starting locations and my first thought was how this would change my sniping tactics. Rebellion has said they wanted to focus on replayability and I for one believe they had some great ideas. A starting location in the games 3rd level, Spy Academy has me excited to go back, sneak past a bunch of enemies, and get to a perch high above the level that will absolutely make for a marquee sniping opportunity. I have yet to try it as I explored the whole level and took out all the enemies before I found the location, but knowing where I'd seen enemies previously has me excited to go back and give it a shot (pun intended). There is a concession to make that there are a lot of invisible walls in Sniper Elite 5. While true to some degree, it's really no different than the previous titles. Sniper Elite 3 was the first open level design for these games and it was much harder to find a place to get a good long shot. Sniper Elite 4 had the largest levels at that time and while the sniping opportunities were equally plentiful as in the latest game, there were tunnels, mountains, or buildings you were funneled through to get to another location. This ultimately isn't to the detriment of Sniper Elite 5, but the way it is handled can remove you from the immersion at times.
While taking out enemies through a scope of an M1903 is the highlight of the game, other weapons and styles are encouraged as well. Sniper Elite 5 gives you a target on a "kill list" in most levels. These are always some high ranking officer or scientist that is helping the Nazi war machine, which is all the incentive you need to end them. However, you are encouraged to take them out in varying ways. One target can be thrown into concrete while another can be killed by dropping a chandelier on them. Doing these unique methods will reward you with an unlockable weapon. Further, if you are unable to meet the kill challenge the first time, this is an incentive to go back and try it again on another play through. Sadly, despite completing some of the kill challenges, a glitch would stop me from getting the reward weapon. As of writing this, Rebellion has released an update to address the issue, so as I am driven to go back an play it some more I am hopeful that these rewards will unlock as they should.
It can't be said enough how well done the combat is in Sniper Elite 5. While doing mission 8, I'd found an open street and several enemies at a long range. After taking out some of them with masked shots and taking in the gruesome kill cams, several of them that had wandered out eventually went back to their normal patrol locations and I had to go and find them. This lead to a stealth takedowns and sneaking pistol shots that never alerted anyone to my presence. It's nice that Rebellion has added x-ray cams to all weapons, so when I took out an enemy quietly with my .45, I'd still get to see the brutal damage I just dealt. Sniper Elite 5's ability to seamlessly go from long range shooter to quiet tactical stealth is a total thrill and makes the gameplay constantly feel fresh.
It does have to be said that the Sniper Elite's enemy AI has always been a bit of a mixed bag. Sometimes I would take out an enemy and his buddies would be alarmed by this event. Then, they'd get stuck in a permanent investigation loop. The investigation loop has, however, been a portion of the games latest update and as I played more of the game I didn't experience it again, so I am hopeful that it is fixed. In another instance I was climbing a ladder inside a building and an enemy outside on a motorcycle was able to spot me through a wall and alerted the whole building to my presence. While these issues do exist, they don't spoil the experience in any way. It can seem a little silly, but the game's bugs don't outweigh the fun.
Finally, I'd like to say just how well the game is presented. While I will admit that character models seem a tad on the dated side, the rock solid frame rate and visual polish on the Xbox Series X cannot be understated. Throughout my playthrough, I experienced seemingly no frame rate issues. If they did exist, they were so infrequent they didn't stick out. Cutscenes, however, do have some frame rate issues, but this doesn't effect any gameplay at all. The game's visuals are simply stunning. Walking into the Spy Academy level, I was struck with awe, it was a marvel to view at a high resolution on my 4K TV. The battered towns of mission 6 and 8 are well crafted and immerse you deep into the sense that you are a fighter in World War 2.
It's safe to say I am a big fan of the Sniper Elite series and I only hope Rebellion keeps up the good work. Sniper Elite 5 was as much fun to play as it's predecessor with some nice gameplay improvements that have me only wanting more. Further to that, if you have gamepass there is no reason you shouldn't give the game a try. In my opinion, the game is a welcome return for fans and a great place for anyone interested in the series to jump in for the first time.