Sniper Elite: Resistance Hands-On Preview

Sniper Elite: Resistance Hands-On Preview

As a seasoned sniper enthusiast with over a decade of gaming under my belt and countless hours spent in the Sniper Elite series, I can confidently say that Sniper Elite: Resistance has managed to strike a perfect balance between nostalgia and innovation. The game feels like an old friend while still offering fresh challenges that keep things exciting – much like reuniting with an old comrade after a long tour of duty, only to find they’ve picked up new tricks in the field.


The current phase of the Sniper Elite series commenced with Sniper Elite 3, reached its peak with Sniper Elite 4, and has continued to shine brightly with Sniper Elite 5. The announcement of a new game, Sniper Elite: Resistance, which includes a fresh protagonist and missions that coincide with Sniper Elite 5, has piqued the interest of both long-time fans and newcomers alike. Following approximately 90 minutes of playtesting the preview build of this upcoming title, Sniper Elite: Resistance appears to be an essential addition to Sniper Elite 5 and a welcoming entry point for anyone wishing to delve into the franchise.

The interactive demonstration kicked off by plunging us into the initial stages of Resistance’s third campaign mission, a covert operation occurring under the cover of night. Here, the new character, Harry Hawker, was seen operating behind enemy lines. Similar to past games in the Sniper Elite series, there was a primary goal to accomplish (in this scenario, making it to Hotel Terminus and retrieving a highly classified Gestapo document housed on the hotel’s upper level). However, additional, optional objectives also presented themselves throughout the journey. The route to achieve this main objective, as well as the methods employed to eliminate adversaries, were left entirely to the player’s discretion, offering an impressive degree of adaptability in how Sniper Elite: Resistance handles its semi-open stealth arenas.

Sniper Elite: Resistance Shares a Lot of DNA With Sniper Elite 5

Players accustomed to the Sniper Elite series will find themselves comfortable in Sniper Elite: Resistance, as it shares many similarities with Sniper Elite 5 and 4. In the game, players begin at a neutral location on an expansive mission map, equipped with binoculars for reconnaissance purposes. The initial phase of the mission showcases the attention to detail in Resistance’s enemy AI, as their patrol routes are not set and enemy placements change dynamically. Furthermore, the preview build features a variety of enemy types, including infantry, higher-ranking Gestapo forces, snipers, and soldiers operating large spotlights, making stealth the preferred approach to achieving Harry’s objective.

Following a satisfactory assessment of our opponents’ positions at the mission’s onset, we opted for a “quiet lethal” strategy, selecting off unsuspecting soldiers individually using stealthy melee attacks. Similar to the last two iterations of the Sniper Elite series, melee combat in Sniper Elite: Resistance is swift and dependable, particularly when coupled with vegetation such as tall grass and bushes that enable players to dispatch enemies and conceal their bodies simultaneously. This tactic appeared effective until we encountered a dark room where we squared off against the Gestapo face-to-face.

In the style of Sniper Elite games, triggering an alarm in Resistance doesn’t usually mean immediate game over as it does in many other stealth action games. Players have the luxury to move slowly and potentially complete a “perfect stealth” run without being detected for 1-2 hours. However, during my hands-on preview session lasting 90 minutes, I unintentionally sped through areas I would usually tread carefully. This led to situations where character Harry Hawker had to make noise, and the abundant cover and enjoyable close-range combat in Sniper Elite: Resistance made such a noisy response a viable option.

Initially, when I was noticed, it became straightforward to swiftly adapt my strategy and switch to an automatic rifle for close-quarter situations, even hurling a grenade effectively to eliminate a cluster of unsuspecting adversaries. Following the neutralization of immediate dangers, players will still need to vacate their previous hideout, yet the demo build offered various routes for escape. Besides leaping from windows, scaling rooftops, or concealing oneself in empty spaces, there was also an underground passage that proved convenient, ultimately leading to the mission’s most nerve-wracking moment – a perilous advance over a bridge linking directly to the hotel, surrounded on all sides by snipers and teeming with troops.

Sniper Elite: Resistance Hands-On Preview

Sniper Elite: Resistance is Playing to the Series’ Strengths

In the test version, there weren’t any checkpoints, so every time I died, I had to restart from the beginning of the mission. However, this minor inconvenience didn’t deter me from eagerly returning to play Sniper Elite: Resistance. With each attempt, I enjoyed experimenting with various strategies to accomplish the mission’s primary goal. Each playthrough provided a glimpse into the distinctive features that have helped the series establish its unique place within the stealth action genre, while also allowing me to admire the intricately designed levels that aim for historical authenticity, depicting 1944 France quite accurately.

As a gamer, diving into the preview build of Sniper Elite: Resistance felt like stepping back into a familiar yet enhanced world. The weapon customization from Sniper Elite 5 and the intense multiplayer action in Resistance were just two elements that caught my attention.

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2024-11-25 18:03