I still get the same buzz from finding the perfect sniper perch, zoning in on my target, waiting for an opportune moment, and turning an enemy’s head into a fine paste. Sniper Elite Resistance keeps this feeling going 20 years after the first foray into stealthy sniping.
But I’m left with an uncomfortable feeling after rolling Sniper Elite Resistance’s credits—is this the end? Sniper Elite 5 introduced a few new features and shook up the formula enough. However, 2025’s Sniper Elite feels more like renaissance than Resistance as rousing feelings of elation are becoming fleeting moments of fatigue and familiarity.
My Sniper Elite Resistance review is a generally positive one, don’t get it twisted, but it feels like we’re swiftly approaching a pivotal moment in the series’ history.
Sniper Elite Resistance‘s story takes place alongside Sniper Elite 5, with new protagonist Harry Hawker providing a parallel adventure to regular hero Karl Fairburne. Harry sounds like a local comedian trying his best Jason Statham voice he’s spent days practicing in the mirror. I appreciate the efforts to elevate the new hero and give him personality, but he comes off a bit contrived—and annoying.
I think I speak for most when I say the World War dynamic has been played to death. Call of Duty: Vanguard showed the populous doesn’t crave this period anymore, and maybe we leave it as a bygone era for now. Resistance offers another fictional glimpse into the past as we go behind enemy lines to destroy the Nazi’s Wunderwaffe superproject.
The narrative chugs along as you’d expect, with next-to-no twists, and it’s a fairly cut-and-dried tale. Cutscenes try to explore the emotional resonance of its main characters, but when they’re given no backstory or time to develop, it’s hard to become truly invested. It’s a solid story, but I guarantee you’ll have forgotten the bulk of the missions and monologues quicker than it takes to be seen, and your mission become all-out armageddon.
A change of scenery would be nice for Sniper Elite. You can only destroy so many German top-secret weapons and infiltrate underground bunkers before you’re stuck in a loop. Modern shooters are oversaturated, but that’s because World Wars have been recycled more than a glass bottle. After 20 years, I think it’s worth a go, and it would be interesting to see if the formula can be adapted to a fresh setting.
Sniper Elite’s intricate level design and multi-layered maps are why fans (and I) keep coming back. I genuinely have few grievances with Resistance’s missions, and each of the seven main missions feels unique enough to warrant an hour or more of my time a pop. Speaking of pop, the moment a high-caliber bullet explodes out of my Sniper Rifle, I do an internal giddy dance. Sniper Elite’s trademark X-Ray killcams continue to thrill as I spill more blood in cinematic fashion.
There are plenty of weapons and ammo types to keep the job fun and each mission has several objectives to complete. Every map is a giant playground allowing you to replay the level in new ways, even if it does lack the imagination of better contemporaries like IO Interactive’s devilishly smooth Hitman. You’ll find Resistance’s lower difficulties demand respect as AI can track you from far away. You need to time your shots well, factor in velocity and distance, and think about your next move before you contemplate the current one. One errant shot—or a successful one within the sight and eye line of others—and Harry suddenly lands a starring role in The Great Escape as half the map converges on his position.
You’re encouraged to replay levels multiple times to seek out Workbenches, upgrade your gear, and take in some French-inspired sightseeing by finding special Propaganda posters throughout levels to unlock bonus trials. Honestly, there’s tons to do—even if I feel I’ve played this before—and longevity is the name of the game. Multiplayer and Invasion modes are sure to satisfy the PvP enthusiast in you, and DLC content is scheduled too.
Guns feel punchy, Melee kills feel stabby, and Resistance kills it in this regard—as Sniper Elite always does. A couple of eyebrows need to be raised at having fewer overall missions than its predecessor though, and one mission is half-repeated. I often fell back on the same feeling playing Sniper Elite: Resistance: “This feels like glorified DLC.”
Resistance is visually the best-looking entry yet. It’s still rough around the edges with character models still looking janky and robotic, but architecturally and aesthetically speaking, it’s a treat. I feel immersed in my virtual world of France. Add to it the dynamism of planes flying overhead, guns going off, and the explosive syncopated interruptions caused by yourself, and the audio shines brighter than any invasive enemy spotlight.
The world around you feels dangerous and terrifying. It’s just sometimes hurt by the ineptitude of the enemy AI and world-building hiccups souring my experience somewhat. I will preface Rebellion has addressed these issues, saying they “Will be addressed/improved in a title update prior to the game’s release.”
Enemies regularly got stuck and Harry had trouble performing the simplest of actions such as walking up a flight of stairs. Bushes are made of concrete, making sneaking around needless tougher, and I had instances of being seen by the enemy through walls and other inanimate objects. Hopefully, the full release fixes these problems.
One of Sniper Elite Resistance’s missions is called “End of the Line.” I found it fitting as I flirted with the notion in my mind. The franchise has something that demands more games and maintains a pretty consistent fanbase eating up everything Rebellion puts out. But I think even hardened fans will have a hard time seeing the need for this sequel. Again, it’s a solid game, a 7/10 even and Resistance does what the series has always done right. But the excitement is waning, and recent releases barely feel like a step forward.
I rate Sniper Elite Resistance as WAIT. It’s guaranteed to keep you entertained for a few hours, and it’s fun but doesn’t quite justify a full-price release. I hope the developer understands the law of diminishing returns and takes some time to reinvent the weapon wheel.
#Sniper #Elite #Resistance #Review #Elite #Longer
