Massive sandbox levels, a sniper rifle, and plenty of Nazis: Sniper Elite 5 is the best installment in Rebellion’s stealth action series, although the game doesn’t differ much from its predecessors.
We are in the middle of the summer slump of the year. After titles like “Elden Ring”, “Dying Light 2” or “Gran Turismo 7” had already picked us up, the really big fun bombs were lately missing. A game like “Sniper Elite 5” comes in handy here. The British development team Rebellion has been tweaking the mix of bloody sniper and stealth action for over 15 years now.
In the test of the PS5 version, the fifth part therefore feels like a best-of of the previous series. No tangible surprises await you in “Sniper Elite 5”, but an overall more than successful continuation of the series.
Prevent Operation Kraken!
You take over once again US Ranger Karl Fairburne. The soldier fights in World War II and is traveling in France in 1944. During his missions he collects secret information about “Operation Kraken” and thus about a possible invasion of the USA by the Nazis.
In nine story chapters you fight your opponent Obergruppenfuhrer Abelard Möller and his sinister machinations. Within the story, Karl also makes contact with the local resistance and gets support from them.
“Sniper Elite 5” doesn’t come up with an overwhelmingly emotional story. Instead, there is a trashy world war plot that is also presented somewhat stiffly for long stretches. Expect standard fare here.
Always an open ear
The story holds “Sniper Elite 5” together, but the gameplay itself is much more important. As in its predecessors, the game throws you into extensive sandbox levels in which you have to complete secondary tasks in addition to the main goals and find collectibles such as documents.
The highlight: how you tackle the missions is ultimately up to you. At least in theory. Because even if “Sniper Elite 5” has a first-person view when aiming, direct confrontation is usually the last solution. Instead, it’s worth scouting out areas, marking enemies, and maybe also looking for opportunities for diversionary maneuvers.
“Sniper Elite 5” follows a similar concept as “Hitman 3” in your forays through the French hinterland. Because the many freedoms bring creativity when dealing with the henchmen. The most tried and tested method is, of course, shooting it down with a sniper rifle. The game continues to stage particularly beautiful or final hits with the X-ray camera, including bursting bones and bursting organs. That may put some people off these days, but it also exaggerates the violence in such a way that it fits in well with the already tongue-in-cheek plot.
Very nice, by the way: If you eavesdrop on soldiers and their radio messages, you will hear the stories that are being told about Karl Fairburne aka “the shadow”. This narrative element contributes significantly to the atmosphere of the game.
The world of snipers
The level design is first class and underlines this claim. And so you sneak your way through vineyards, fields, chateaux or military installations. Sometimes your opponent will take out with a simple uppercut, sometimes with the silenced pistol. The computer soldiers act solidly, but can also afford minor dropouts.
Once alerted, the lads will usually call for reinforcements so you can either hide cleverly or take up the fight. Occasionally, however, the boys simply react too late, don’t notice when comrades next to them are eliminated or make other mistakes.
Karl Fairburne on the other hand has upgraded. The levels are now more three-dimensional: rope slides, hidden ladders and other options allow faster navigation between different levels and, in the worst case, a quick escape if your cover is blown. As the campaign progresses, you’ll rise in rank, find and unlock new weapons, and customize them with all sorts of attachments, sights, and grips.
Very practical: This happens not only before use, but also in the field at workbenches. This allows you to adjust your loadout a little again and again. Despite three talent trees, the character system is rather meager and offers too few important talents.
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As nice extras, there are co-op options and wave multiplayer as well as the possibility of invasions in your or other games. This way you can annoy friends a little and make them the hunted in their own game. Technically, “Sniper Elite 5” presents itself all in all as solid, but not outstanding. The dialogue sequences seem a little stiff and minor graphic errors are also noticeable again and again. The game is undoubtedly not bombast action, but it is upper middle class.
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