The fan-favorite and award-winning third-person stealth sniper simulator is back! The fifth installment in the long-running Sniper Elite series drops on May 26th, and we can’t wait to pull the trigger. And if you know anything about the game, you know exactly why. At first glance, the Sniper Elite series may look like any other stealth game, but it has a special quirk that makes the series stand out. Yes, we’re all thinking the same thing – the brutal, gruesome, yet charming, and awesome X-ray kill camera! But there is a lot more to Sniper Elite 5 and if you’re curious about what upgrades Rebellion Developments have made for the 5th game, keep reading.
What’s new in Sniper Elite 5?
Ready. Steady. Aim
The gameplay loop in Sniper Elite 5 is much the same as in previous installments: you point, you shoot, you sneak around, and complete your objectives eliminating one or two nazis at the time. Where the game shines is its recreation of sniping mechanics. You have to adjust to the wind direction, bullet drop-off distance, and even the protagonist’s heart rate, which can affect your accuracy. The environmental noises also play a part as you’ll be able to mask gunshot sounds with the environmental noises which you can create yourself with trap mines, grenades, or wait for the perfect opportunity from the environment.
Larger world
Larger maps and territories open new possibilities for stealth and sniping. If you’re planning to sneak around taking nazis one by one with melee takedowns, you’ll find more spots to hide and downed enemy bodies. Ziplines will help to move around quicker and new platforming mechanics will let you reach new vantage points for sniping.
Weapon customization and expanded X-ray kill camera
As before, your main weapon is your trusty sniper rifle, however, your arsenal expands to automatic rifles and pistols. The X-ray kill cam can now also be achieved with sidearms and even environmental takedowns like blowing up explosive barrels. According to the developers, bullets can bounce from bones and rip through other body parts triggering new gruesome animations.
Weapon customization promises to be deeper and strives to achieve realism. You’ll be able to modify scopes, iron sights, barrels, magazines, and even weapon materials. As you progress, you’ll unlock new ammo types like armor-piercing rounds. You can also use non-lethal weapons if you choose to.
Invasion mode and improved co-op
Invasion mode is exactly what it promises: another player can invade your game and try to take you down if you choose to enable the mode. This promises a thrilling and sharp sniper vs. sniper cat and mouse game. Eliminating the invader will have its own awards like weapon skins and additional XP.
Two snipers are better than one, and knowing it, Rebellion has improved the co-op mechanics. Players will be able to share ammo and supplies, give orders to one another, and even heal each other if necessary. The second player will also be able to provide support when playing the invasion mode.
Though the core gameplay mechanics stick to what worked in the past games, as you can see, there are plenty of new little details and mechanics that promise to enhance the Sniper Elite experience. Who’s ready to snipe some nazis?
Sniper Elite 5 is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. Get Sniper Elite 5 key cheaper or subscribe to Xbox Game Pass because the game is available with the subscription on day one.
You can also check out the previous games in the series here
