Sniper Elite 5 Review – Aryan vs Predator

At the risk of sounding like a homicidal maniac in training, Sniper Elite 5 is once again pure catharsis thanks to gratuitous violence inflicted on Nazi scum from a safe distance. After several tours of duty during the first half of World War 2, ace marksman Karl Fairburne is back in action and ready to hit the Axis forces where it hurts, as Allied troops begin the invasion of Normandy in 1944.

It’s D-Day for Hitler and his sputtering war machine, and it’s up to you to end the Third Reich with a full-metal jacket punctuation point in this latest stealthy shooter adventure, which may feel iterative but does show that it has learned a few lessons from developer Rebellion’s past.

Sniper Elite 5 has also peeked at the homework of its fellow classmate in the school of creative carnage, Hitman, using that inspiration to create sandboxes that camouflage stories and a few fascinating opportunities to inflict karmic retribution on Nazi forces. Its bread and butter sniping is still as good as ever though, enhanced by the X-Ray camera system that shows off just how much havoc a bullet can cause to the human body when it enters an organ.

It’s bloodier and more detailed than ever, with options to ignite searchlights with rounds that send shrapnel screaming into the closest orifice available. But here’s the thing: Sniper Elite 5 shows off a game that has slowly evolved to become more than just its namesake. If the fifth game in the series were to be just another instance of getting from point A to B so that you could pick off enemies, it’d be boring. Instead, Sniper Elite 5 gives you control of a more nimble operative who has more tools at his disposal for taking out Nazis.

It’s a game of brains and Von Braun, as you juggle multiple ranges of ballistic mayhem while carving a path forward for the Allied forces. Fairburne can castrate a fly from a mile away with his sniping skills, but he can also hold his own in a firefight when the situation gets dicey. Unlocking new skills to augment his toolbox also comes quicker when compared to the stingy nature of the previous game, and each sandbox has multiple opportunities to try out avenues for ridding the world of Nazi scum.

With Zombie Army 4 and Strange Brigade in the rearview mirror, Rebellion has also applied a few ideas from those games to Sniper Elite 5’s frame. Weapon customization is back, but more detailed than ever before, with a staggering wealth of options available. Multiplayer feels more focused, and in the few co-op sessions I had, a two-man cell that watched each other’s back as we eliminated targets, made for a surprisingly good time thanks to solid communication.

Other modes are also available, including a Dark Souls-inspired invasion option where another player assumes the role of an Axis trooper who’ll be on the hunt for you. In theory, it’s a great idea, as the opposing player can marshal anyone who doesn’t have a gaping head wound to hunt you down, but due to the sheer size of each level, it’s a mode that requires a significant investment of time.

The plot isn’t much to write home about either. Fairburne and his supporting cast exist merely to provide exposition, and the game could do with some more fine-tuning in the controls department when you switch to third-person combat. But those are small gripes when placed next to the core appeal of Sniper Elite 5, which is exploring the French countryside so that you can gruesomely murder fascist poster boys.

It absolutely excels at providing a long-distance power fantasy, it looks a treat on PC and newer consoles, and Karl Fairburne’s evolution into a full-fledged action hero works well within the more detailed sandboxes you’ll explore. As World War II begins to enter its endgame in this game universe, Sniper Elite 5 doubles down on blending stealth with action in a bloody fun romp.