Sniper Elite: Resistance was officially announced by Rebellion Developments at the end of August. Described as a gripping standalone sequel to Sniper Elite 5, Resistance features Harry Hawker as the main protagonist working with the French Resistance to destroy a disruptive new weapon called the Wunderwaffle.
Last week, I played a 60-minute demo for Sniper Elite: Resistance and walked away happy. If you enjoyed Sniper Elite 5, you’ll feel right at home with this game too. Here are more details on this title and my overall experience with the demo.
Harry’s Time To Shine
Sniper Elite: Resistance is best described as a single-player and multiplayer third-person tactical shooter. The storyline runs parallel to the events of Sniper Elite 5 with a central focus on stepping into the shoes of Harry Hawker as opposed to series lead Karl Fairburne. While Harry was playable in other Sniper Elite games, Resistance ushers him in as the lead with a separate mission outside of Operation Kraken.
My demo session started on the third mission of the single-player campaign. Taking place at night, Harry is still trying to find and destroy the Wunderwaffle. He is assigned several key objectives including recovering intel from Gestapo offices, inspecting cargo in a nearby hotel cellar, and identifying why the train station has increased security. Another optional objective was locating resistance fighters and joining their cause after finding three strategically positioned posters throughout the level.
Picking up the controller for the first time felt like revisiting Sniper Elite 5 in all its glory. Using an Xbox controller on a PC setup, the input controls included the following:
- LT button – Aim
- RT button – Fire and Request Item
- LB button – (Hold) Redial menu
- RB button – Use item, Throw, or Drop (Change Usage and Empty Lung)
- Y Button – Interact 1/Melee Kill (Hold) Swap camera side
- X Button – Interact 2/ Melee Pacify and Reload Weapon
- B Button – Tap to crouch and Hold to go prone
- A Button – Traversal and cover
In addition to the commands listed above, the directional pad is also used to switch between weapons, tag and zoom in and out on enemies, and change ammo. Lastly, using the Left stick allows you to sprint while the Right stick will pull up your binoculars for a closer look.
As I mentioned above, this is a tactical shooter meaning you’ll need to use stealth and think strategically before pulling the trigger. As I started to navigate through my surroundings, I saw several guards and Gestapo officers who were in the vicinity and could see me if I entered their line of sight. In some situations, you could slip by them after shooting a nearby object to distract them.
The AI-controlled enemies are very good at investigating suspicious sounds they hear. For example, I had one instance where I was hidden in tall grass while a guard and some pigeons were only a few feet away. As he turned his back, I started to creep up on him. This startled the pigeons and the guard turned around quickly to see what was causing their reaction. You have a small window of time to avoid being detected by an enemy which is distinguished by the white, yellow, and red sight meter that flashes on the screen.
The Perfect Shot
While you are always encouraged to use stealth when necessary, combat is the most fun aspect of a Sniper Elite game. The signature X-ray sniper kills are still enjoyable and I never grew tired of taking out enemies from any angle or distance within my scope. I also liked that shooting specific objects can cause explosions that instantly make the enemies come after you faster. You have to think strategically about these kills too because a nearby guard may see a colleague go down and can sound an alarm to alert everyone in the area. It’s also important to move after performing a kill because other enemies can pinpoint your exact location if you stay in one place.
When you get close to an enemy, you can pacify or kill them. These close-combat X-ray kills are designed to be brutal and quick. The dead bodies can then be picked up and hidden in a dark area. If you do leave a dead or unconscious person out in the open then you run the risk of them being discovered by other guards. The constant strategy of knowing when to attack and use stealth is smart and exactly why fans will keep revisiting this series with every new entry.
While I did manage to complete a few objectives, my time with the demo ultimately ran out. I didn’t get to try out the newly added Resistance missions and I’m curious to see what those add to the overall experience. I experimented with getting into very tense combat scenarios to see how difficult the enemies were. This resulted in me getting killed a few times. I like that the game provides some challenging scenarios that help you become a better strategist and assassin over the length of the campaign.
Even though my time with Sniper Elite: Resistance was short, I can’t wait to pick up the final product in January. I still have questions about the multiplayer modes, Harry’s story, and where the series goes from here. I’m also curious if Karl makes a cameo even though he isn’t necessary for this specific storyline.
Final Verdict
Sniper Elite: Resistance is shaping up to be another certified banger for Rebellion. If you’re a Sniper Elite fan or looking for an intense tactical shooter then Resistance should be on your radar.
Sniper Elite: Resistance launches on January 30th, 2025 for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Game Pass, and PC via Steam and Epic. Stay tuned for more details about the game in the months ahead.
