Sniper Elite: Resistance brings players back to the world of tactical sniping and stealth combat, offering a parallel story set alongside the events of Sniper Elite 5. While the core gameplay mechanics and hallmark features remain as satisfying as ever, the game struggles to differentiate itself from its predecessor, leading many to question whether it truly justifies its standalone status.
For die-hard fans of the franchise, Resistance provides more of what they love. However, for newcomers or those seeking innovation, it may feel like a glorified expansion rather than a full-fledged entry in the series.
The Premise: A Parallel War in Occupied France
Set during World War II, Sniper Elite: Resistance introduces Harry Hawker, a new protagonist working with the French Resistance. As a Special Operations Executive (SOE) agent, Harry must uncover and dismantle an insidious new Nazi weapon that could turn the tide of the war. The story is steeped in familiar espionage and sabotage themes, but Hawker’s witty personality and humor bring a slightly fresher tone to the campaign.
The narrative runs parallel to the events of Sniper Elite 5, offering a side story rather than an entirely new chapter in the overarching series. While engaging, the plot doesn’t break new ground, relying heavily on the established Sniper Elite formula of infiltrating enemy strongholds, eliminating targets, and escaping unscathed.
Core Gameplay: Polished but Recycled
The gameplay in Resistance retains the elements that have defined the series—stealth, precision sniping, setting traps, and dynamic third-person combat. The satisfaction of landing the perfect long-range shot, enhanced by the franchise’s signature X-ray kill cam, remains one of the game’s highlights. Advanced gunplay physics and the need to consider wind, gravity, and heart rate add depth to the sniping mechanics.
Customization is another strength, allowing players to tweak their loadouts, upgrade weapons at workbenches, and choose ammunition suited for specific scenarios. Whether you prefer to silently dispatch enemies with suppressed rounds or go loud with armor-piercing bullets, the game accommodates a variety of playstyles.
However, Resistance doesn’t innovate on this formula. The gameplay feels nearly identical to Sniper Elite 5, with reused assets, animations, and mechanics. While the core experience is solid, it lacks the sense of progression or evolution that long-time fans might hope for.
New Additions: A Mixed Bag
While much of the game is familiar, Resistance introduces a few new elements to spice up the experience:
New Enemy Types
The inclusion of secret agents and other advanced enemy units adds a layer of tension, particularly on higher difficulties. These foes are more challenging and unpredictable, forcing players to think carefully about their approach.
Propaganda Missions
This replay mode tasks players with revisiting levels under time-sensitive objectives, often in altered conditions like different lighting or weather. While these missions offer a change of pace, they feel shallow, serving more as score-based challenges than meaningful expansions of the gameplay.
Weapons and Tools
The game introduces new French and British weapons, offering slight variations to the existing arsenal. While these additions provide more variety, they don’t significantly alter the overall gameplay experience.
Level Design: Smaller and Simpler
The level design in Resistance takes a step back compared to its predecessor. While the maps are functional and provide opportunities for tactical engagement, they lack the creativity and grandeur of Sniper Elite 5’s sprawling environments. The smaller, more linear maps feel less immersive, limiting the freedom and exploration that the series is known for.
That said, infiltration and extraction points still allow for some choice in how players approach objectives. The sandbox-like nature of the gameplay remains intact, encouraging experimentation and strategy.
Multiplayer: Co-Op and Competitive Modes
The fan-favorite Axis Invasion mode makes its return in Resistance, allowing players to invade another’s campaign as an Axis sniper. This mode adds a thrilling game of cat-and-mouse, keeping players on edge as they navigate the campaign under the threat of being hunted by another player.
Co-op multiplayer is another highlight, with the campaign fully playable with a friend. Sharing tactical insights, reviving each other during firefights, and coordinating strategies enhance the experience. However, the lack of additional co-op-exclusive missions feels like a missed opportunity.
For those who enjoy competitive multiplayer, the game supports 16-player battles and a Survival mode where up to four players face waves of enemies.
Visuals and Performance: Showing Its Age
Visually, Resistance looks nearly identical to Sniper Elite 5. While the graphics were impressive for their time, they’re beginning to show their age, particularly in the lack of fine detail and environmental variety. The animations and character models feel recycled, contributing to the sense that this is more of an expansion than a standalone title.
Performance-wise, the game runs smoothly on most systems, including the Steam Deck. The lack of technical innovation, however, might leave players yearning for a more modern engine and graphical overhaul.
Strengths and Missteps
What Sniper Elite: Resistance Gets Right
- Tactical Gameplay: The core mechanics of sniping, stealth, and trap-setting remain as satisfying as ever.
- Customization Options: Weapon upgrades and loadout customization add depth and replayability.
- Multiplayer Modes: Co-op campaign and Axis Invasion mode enhance the experience, particularly with friends.
- New Enemy Types: The addition of secret agents and other challenging foes adds variety to combat.
- Replay Value: Propaganda Missions and difficulty customization encourage multiple playthroughs.
Where Resistance Misses the Mark
- Recycled Content: Heavy reuse of assets, maps, and animations makes the game feel more like DLC than a standalone title.
- Dated Visuals: The graphics, while functional, lack the polish and detail expected of a modern release.
- Missed Opportunities: Propaganda Missions and co-op multiplayer feel underdeveloped, leaving room for more innovative content.
- Simplified Level Design: Smaller, less intricate maps limit the scope of tactical engagement.
- Lack of Evolution: The absence of meaningful gameplay advancements may disappoint long-time fans of the series.
Sniper Elite: Resistance: Sniper Elite: Resistance is a solid yet unambitious entry in the franchise. It delivers the tactical sniping and stealth gameplay that fans have come to expect, but its heavy reliance on recycled content and lack of innovation prevent it from standing out. For die-hard fans, the game offers enough enjoyment to warrant a playthrough, particularly on sale. However, newcomers or those seeking a groundbreaking experience may be better served by revisiting Sniper Elite 5. Ultimately, Resistance feels like a missed opportunity—a competent but uninspired addition to a beloved series that’s overdue for a true evolution. – Obsidian