Sniper Elite Resistance GBAtemp review
PlayStation 5
Product Information:
- Release Date (NA): January 30, 2025
- Release Date (EU): January 30, 2025
- Release Date (JP): January 30, 2025
- Publisher: Rebellion
- Developer: Rebellion
- Genres: Third-Person Shooter
- Also For: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
Game Features:
Having recently replayed Sniper Elite 5 on PlayStation Plus to flex my PS5 Pro, I was ecstatic to be offered the Sniper Elite Resistance code to review!
Picking up in 1944, Harry Hawker is the protagonist this time around, and his missions are more closely set within Nazi-occupied France, running parallel with the events of SE5. Hawker, first seen in Sniper Elite 3, is the gruffest cockney yet to grace this series, and the dulcet noir vocal tones of Karl Fairburne are genuinely sorely missed.
Harry takes the position of SOE (Special Operations Executive) in the war against the Wunderwaffe. Throughout the game, you work with the French Resistance to prevent the Nazi's winning the war with their new chemical weapon "Kleine Blume" warhead production facility.
More of the Same But More to do
While it's fair to say that Sniper Elite Resistance is more of the same, it also advances the series' technical prowess by leaps and bounds. The game feels markedly similar, yet everything also feels fresh, reinvigorated and ultra-polished to perfection. In playing the game on the PS5 Pro, I think any framerate issues or resolution qualms would have been smoothed out by the system, making this the best possible way to experience this title.
The game's controls are nearly identical, with the series staples of scouting with R3 (binoculars), aiming with L2 (or half-pulling the trigger to shoot from the hip), firing with R2, melee killing with triangle, melee pacifying or interacting with square, crouching with circle (hold to go prone), mantling and climbing with cross, and accessing radial menus with R1. For me, it's like muscle memory, I have hammered the previous games so much that these are second nature. I'm glad Rebellion didn't opt to change it up or alter the formula because it is perfect the way it is.
The game starts with you laying up the action ready for Barnes Wallace's greatest invention to come bowling in, and decimate the enemy axis power supplies from their hydro-electric dams. You're placed behind enemy lines, 300 meters from the target area, and tasked with depressurising the dam and destroying the flak batteries to allow our boys to get in closer. Luckily you're a dab hand at zip-lining and climbing branches, pipes and scaling ledges, after all, they called Hawker "spider" in basic.
This level eases you into the game, demonstrates how scanning and tagging recon is important and also highlights the dangers of elite snipers and heavily armed tanks. It's extremely simple, but when you eventually increase the difficulty to "Authentic" expect to get your ass handed to you more than a couple of times if you don't put in the groundwork.
Incredible Levels of Detail
Sniper Elite Resistance elevates the series by bringing more of everything to the fore. More enemies, more objects, more collectables and more objectives than ever before. Every mission takes a good hour on moderate difficulty to infiltrate and grab all the intel, find hidden treasures, and blast the stone eagles scattered around the maps. The maps are huge too, with expansive train yards, massive castles, and Nazi-infested fortresses. There are so many ways to attack each level, it's honestly a pleasure to try to figure out different ways into and out of the various scenarios.
Everything has a high-definition layer of finesse worked into it, from Harry's hair to his leather jacket, brickwork, water, grass, materials and textures that look insanely well-detailed and styled to perfection. Environments look incredible throughout, with effects such as lightning flashing, puddles reflecting everything, fog looming, and sun rays and shadows being cast through all objects and foliage to create an incredibly visceral experience.
The core-pillar evisceration has also been elevated to become a scientific journal-level anatomical marvel every time. Every organ and bone, each layer of skin, nerves, testicles, and teeth are fully explodable. Each pinpointed death animation is as stylish and action-packed as the next, and with time manipulation and camera control, you can enjoy every blood-soaked pixel of perfection any way you wish.
One small effect I hoped they would add was enemy bodies splashing into bodies of water. The first mission sees you stealth your way up to a lone guard under a bridge, and killing him and throwing the corpse from a great height automatically makes you hope for a big splash, but no, nothing.
The soundscapes in the game are immense. The world-building skills of Rebellion are to be commended because they all fit together so well, and the sound (and lighting) is so immersive and captivating. Just don't forget to mask your shots behind a backfiring car, or when the bells chime.
Honestly, the only real downside of the entire game seems to be the character animation for mr Hawker himself. His eyes seem to bulge in a cartoony fashion, and his gestures seem just a bit too over the top to be classed as photorealistic. I'm not sure why but 99% of the NPCs seem to look and act as lifelike as expected, yet the main protagonist has been treated slightly differently. It's not game-breaking or anything, far from it, but Hawker has some weird characteristics and honestly, even his voice really doesn't do much for the game. His voice is a strange mixture of Jason Statham and Bradley Walsh, it's cheeky or "crafty cockney" but it's rather unappealing to listen to, especially when you hear lines like "Sub Machine gun, great for when things get lively" or "*laughing-expression-of-excitement* Now that will come in very handy" more than several times in one mission. To say I miss Karl Fairburne's dulcet tones is an understatement.
The Ultimate Sniper Game
Throughout the game, you have to collect intel and documents to further the war effort, but amongst those found files you will also discover letters to home that tell the private stories of the soldier's lives outside of the war. Per level, there are also three stone eagles to find and obliterate, workbenches to unlock for upgrading your loadout, wine bottles, dog tags, medals, ribbons and trophies.
One of my favourite things is to try to get the longest distance kill I can on every level. My current record is 625 meters, and I am constantly looking for ways to increase it. It's addictive, just like collecting all the in-game ribbons and medals. That's my kind of jam!
Completing mini-tasks, like knifing 10 guards, or head-shotting 20 enemies in a row also unlocks weapons upgrades like grips, scopes, silencers, ammo types, and more. There are so many customization options that you can replay the game infinitely with a completely alternate loadout every time.
Overall, Sniper Elite Resistance is the pinnacle of the series so far. There is no reason not to play this game because it has everything you could want in one Nazi-brain-exploding internal-organ-shredding package. Many may think of this game as a DLC for Sniper Elite 5, but you couldn't be more wrong.
Every aspect is refined, remastered and improved. I cannot emphasise enough how incredible the game is from a technical standpoint. Barring a handful of character vs geometry-related collision issues (the majority of which have been patched since reviewing), the gameplay is thoroughly brilliant through single-player, competitive and cooperative multiplayer, axis invasion's panic-inducing endorphin rush, and in-game unlockable propaganda mode.
Verdict
- Axis invasion, Cooperative, Propaganda, Deathmatch, and a 9-level campaign.
- Stunning levels of detail.
- More weapons, gadgets and collectables.
- More creative kill list targets to complete.
- Kill Cam is the best it's ever been.
- Hawker's voice is questionable.
- A few annoying collision bugs here and there (which are actively being patched prerelease).