Sniper Elite: Resistance Review (PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S & PC)

Sniper Elite series still delivers a fun, tactical shooter experience. Unfortunately, it’s starting to feel like the franchise is running out of fresh ideas. Sniper Elite Resistance sticks closely to the original formula, with stealthy infiltrations, satisfying long-range kills, and the iconic X-ray kill cam. However, it doesn’t introduce many meaningful changes.

Nevertheless, there’s still plenty of fun to have, especially for longtime fans of the series. The core sniping mechanics remain excellent, and the co-op campaign adds an enjoyable way to experience missions with a friend. That said, let’s jump into the Sniper Elite Resistance review and see if this latest entry is worth your time. 

A New Hero, Same Old Story

Sniper Elite Resistance puts players in the shoes of Harry Hawker, a British soldier working with the French Resistance. He replaces Karl Fairburne, the longtime series protagonist. While a new main character could have been exciting, Harry feels more like a generic soldier than someone memorable. He has very little dialogue, and the game doesn’t develop his personality or backstory.

The story itself recreates a strong narrative based on World War II. Harry sneaks into Nazi strongholds, blows up important enemy locations, and takes out high-ranking officers. It’s the same kind of mission players had in previous Sniper Elite games.

Notably, there are a few cool moments, but nothing stands out or adds anything fresh to the series. The cutscenes are brief, mostly serving to introduce the next mission without adding much depth to the characters or plot.

For fans of the series, the gameplay remains enjoyable. The missions offer stealth, long-range sniping, and strategic combat, which is what Sniper Elite does best. However, those hoping for a more engaging story or a strong new main character might be disappointed. The sequel feels more like an extra chapter than a full stand-alone game.

Ultimately, Sniper Elite Resistance delivers solid gameplay but fails to dazzle with new items in terms of storytelling or characters. It’s fun for those who love the series, but it doesn’t do much to stand out from previous games.

The Art of Sniping

The core gameplay in Sniper Elite Resistance sticks to what the series does best: long-range sniping, stealth, and tactical combat. The sniping mechanics are still top-notch, with realistic bullet drop, wind resistance, and heart rate management. Pulling off a perfect long-distance shot feels satisfying, especially with the X-ray kill cam. The X-ray cam shows bullets tearing through bones and organs in gruesome slow motion.

Additionally, stealth remains a key part of this stealth shooter game. Players can sneak through enemy bases, hide bodies, set traps, and use sound masking to stay undetected. Weapon customization is solid, allowing you to modify scopes, barrels, and stocks to match your playstyle. For players who prefer silent takedowns or quick getaways, there’s enough variety to keep things interesting.

However, the enemy AI is wildly inconsistent. Sometimes, guards are too smart, spotting you through walls or hearing you from a distance. Other times, they completely ignore dead bodies or fail to react when their comrades drop right in front of them. These inconsistencies make stealth gameplay frustrating and unpredictable.

On the other hand, the mission structure doesn’t bring anything new to the table. Players infiltrate Nazi-controlled areas, complete objectives, and exfiltrate. While the levels offer multiple paths, they feel smaller and more restricted than past games. Overall, the gameplay is still fun, but the AI problems and smaller levels hold it back. Sniping and stealth remain enjoyable, but the experience doesn’t feel as polished as previous Sniper Elite games.

New Propaganda

Sniper Elite Resistance brings a couple of new features to spice up the experience, though they don’t fully reinvent the gameplay. One of the standout additions is the propaganda missions. These are fast-paced, timed challenges where you play as a French Resistance fighter tasked with taking out as many Nazis as you can before time runs out.

Notably, it’s a fun diversion from the main story and offers a good mix of action and strategy. However, they feel more like mini-games than a significant part of the overall experience. They don’t add much depth to the game, but they serve as an entertaining distraction for a while.

On the multiplayer side, the Invasion mode makes its return. In this mode, other players can invade your game as enemy snipers. This move creates some tension, adding unpredictability to this campaign mode. This can be a lot of fun, especially if you like the idea of a sniper battle between players in the middle of your main mission. However, this mode isn’t without its frustrations. Players invading your game can sometimes feel more like an annoyance than a challenge, especially if an invading player knows the maps better than you.

Additionally, an 8v8 multiplayer mode has been added, with both deathmatch and team-based objectives. This mode brings more traditional multiplayer action into the game, allowing for sniping battles against real players. While it’s a nice feature, it can feel a bit imbalanced. 

One of the better aspects of the game is that the entire campaign can be played in co-op. Playing alongside a friend adds a new way to enjoy the game. Coordinating shots, covering each other, and handling missions together create an engaging cooperative experience. Ultimately, the new features bring some fun additions to this shooter title, but they don’t change the main experience.

Bugs and Glitches

Sniper Elite Resistance looks great overall, but it doesn’t push the limits of modern graphics. The lighting is well done, and long-range visuals are sharp, which helps make sniping feel immersive. However, character models and textures look outdated, especially up close. This makes the game feel a bit stuck in the past, especially when compared to other modern shooter games.

A significant disappointment is the lack of DLSS or FSR support, two features that help boost performance on lower-end PCs. Without these, the game can struggle on older hardware. While it generally runs fine, it does suffer from frame rate drops, especially in large battles with lots of explosions or enemy activity. This can cause stuttering and disrupt the flow of this shooter adventure game.

In addition to performance hiccups, there are some bugs and glitches that make the experience feel rough around the edges. Invisible walls can stop you from moving through areas that should be open, and hit detection isn’t always reliable. 

Sometimes, cover mechanics don’t work properly, causing players to get stuck or not take cover when you should. There are also moments when staircases and doors won’t let you pass smoothly, forcing you to either jump or awkwardly reposition. While these issues aren’t game-breaking, they do add up over time and can make the game feel frustrating to play. 

Familiar Locations

Another disappointing aspect of Sniper Elite Resistance is its reliance on reused maps. Instead of introducing entirely new environments, the game recycles locations from Sniper Elite 5, with only minor changes. While some areas have new layouts or additional details, they still feel very familiar, which can be a letdown for returning players.

The reused maps make the game feel less like a full-fledged sequel and more like an expansion pack. If you’ve played Sniper Elite 5, you’ll likely recognize many of the same towns, bunkers, and war-torn battlefields, even if objectives have been slightly altered. While the game still offers multiple paths and sniper nests, the lack of fresh, original locations makes exploration feel repetitive rather than exciting.

To make matters worse, the maps in Sniper Elite Resistance are smaller and more restricted than previous entries. In past games, levels were large and open-ended, allowing for different strategies and approaches. In Sniper Elite Resistance, they feel more confined, limiting the sense of freedom that the series is known for.

Reusing maps isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker, but it does make the game lacking. For longtime fans, this can make the experience feel too similar to past games. Consequently, it reduces the thrill of discovering new sniping spots and strategies.

Verdict

Sniper Elite Resistance delivers solid sniping gameplay and a great co-op campaign, making it an enjoyable experience for long-time fans. The X-ray kill cam remains as satisfying as ever, and weapon customization adds to the fun. Playing with a friend in co-op makes the game even more fun, offering plenty of exciting moments.

However, the game struggles to bring anything truly new to the table. Reused maps, inconsistent AI, and some technical issues hold it back from being a standout entry in the series. While these problems don’t ruin the game, they make it feel more like an expansion than a fresh installment.

Ultimately, if you love Sniper Elite’s slow, tactical gameplay, you’ll still have fun with this one. But for those expecting major improvements or a compelling new story, it might be a letdown. At full price, it’s a tough sell, but it’s worth checking out on Game Pass or during a sale.