Xboxaddict.com Article
Sniper Elite: Resistance - Hands-On Preview
by Brent Roberts
A dynamic series that has captured the fascination of millions of gamers has always been the Sniper Elite series. This game has always combined massive open sandbox levels with weaponry of varying lethality and allowed you the freedom to explore and interact how you saw fit. Recently, XboxAddict had an opportunity to take part in a media event which was a hands-on experience with the latest entry into the Sniper Elite series with Sniper Elite: Resistance. Some of the details of the event was that it was only the third campaign mission and that this was a very early build, so checkpoints weren't even included, so once I died I had to restart the entire level, but checkpoints WILL BE included in the final retail product so rest easy on that.
This latest release doesn't include our main protagonist that we are used to, but rather we are introduced into a new character, Harry Hawker who is a member of the SOE (Special Operations Executive), tasked with destroying Hitler's new Wunderwaffe which would guarantee Hitler's victory in the war. This isn't a DLC experience to Sniper Elite 5, but instead a standalone companion experience that has you traversing all throughout France as you uncover the plot for this super weapon. Throughout your adventure you'll find that just like in Sniper Elite 5, you have your primary objectives as well as side objectives, and even new ones you can discover as you make your way through the levels.
Other similarities include your maneuvering and gameplay mechanics such as clicking in the Left Stick to hold your breath in a sniper shot, pressing 'A' alongside a railing to hop over and hang from the other side, or hiding in long grass and pressing 'X' or 'Y' to either knockout or kill passing guards with a melee attack. There are some new innovations though that stand out that unfortunately I didn't get a chance to partake in this preview event, and that are the propaganda missions. These side missions aren't normally active either; you will have to look for a unique propaganda poster and interact with it to unlock these missions, and if you're unfamiliar with Sniper Elite games, this is a version of needle in a haystack that will leave you hunting massive open levels for a single poster all while having to watch out for guards patrolling, vehicles rumbling through the levels, search lights, other enemy snipers and more.
It'll be interesting to see how many of these propaganda missions there are and if there is a propaganda mission for every campaign mission. Another thing that I wish I had a chance to experience is the new weapon upgrade system. If done right this will be a game changer, because what used to be a setback was that you were restricted to various ammo types (that still, make their return) to either silence your weapon or make it more powerful. Now though, you can upgrade your weapons, so you're no longer forced into something different to get the results you want. Another new thing I noticed was that in Sniper Elite 5, there were these stone eagles throughout the mission that were collectibles which apparently has been replaced by these black stone pigeons, which was pure luck I stumbled across it on a random stairwell ledge. I was crouching and I saw this flashing thing next to me on the stair rail, and when I shot it, I got a notification about this being a collectible.
Now, I know you'll all be wondering about the infamous 'Kill Cam' cinematics and if they make a return in this game. The answer is a resounding YES. Not only are the kill cams back in all their X-ray gory glory, but they have been improved upon by having little details that make a tremendous impact. I'll give you an example: When you would hit someone with a headshot there would be a cinematic where you can see the head snap back and bone fragments along with blood and bullet fragments fly around and everything was great to watch. Now though, if you hit an organ such as the brain, you will actually see the brain compress inside the skull from the direction you shot it from. If you hit the lung, then you will actually see the lung deflate. Should you opt for a testicle shot, yes they are back, and they will actually compress and explode from the impact.
These moments though are unique to the various guns and environments throughout the game. Explosive barrels will not only send shrapnel flying throughout the air, but the concussive force of the explosion as well will cause a body to be propelled through the air. You can even target an explosive that would be hanging on the belt of an enemy soldier, hit it and trigger an explosion, which is quite destructive especially when that enemy is in a group or near a vehicle that will also detonate in a chain reaction. This also works with traps as well. Let's say you kill and enemy, well instead of hiding the body like the stealthy sniper you are, I opted for a louder option. I proceeded to take the body and lay them in the road and then set a trap on the body. This way when a vehicle came close it would detonate and destroy the vehicle and all passengers in it. I used this as an audible cue as well to know where the enemies were at all times.
Now you can't trap an unconscious enemy, so if you're going to start trapping enemies with other enemies, you'll need to make sure they're corpses. Now, you can also lay traps around or outside of an unconscious enemy in an attempt to gain kills by enemies that come across them and try to revive them. I found that these actions helped me not only cover my tracks but also thin the enemy count on different paths, so that while one pathway may have been marked with traps, I'll go another way and let the explosions draw the guards towards it and away from my current position.
I also used similar methods to draw enemies to my location to eliminate them. Methods such as wounding guards which would cause other guards to come to their rescue, see that the coast is clear (or so they thought), kneel down to pick them up and then in an instant, drop both of them with one shot for the double kill. This gunshot drew attention so I would lay a trap where I was standing, then run to the bodies and trap them. Then I hid in the long grass and watch as the first group approached the two bodies and get eliminated. Then with my position still focused on back where I was, the second group would run up there and set off the trap where I was standing. I essentially took my time instead of just the "run-and-gun" option and thought that the more bodies in my wake, the less I have to worry about in the mission itself.
The graphics of this hands-on experience was what you would expect from a Sniper Elite game, where the detail of the environment is done with superb detail from all the buildings, roads and even waterways, to the lighting effects from search lights, streetlamps, and even the moon itself. The character modeling is also similar to the high quality you expect from the Sniper Elite series, and the kill cam cinematics look better than ever. The sounds were also very similar to previous sniper games too, from the gunshots to the reloading mechanics, to even the dialogue that you hear guards talking about and the vehicles that would do their patrol runs throughout the streets. Even the physics of the bullet drop and wind have been improved upon, and you can also see these physics in full force when you hit things that go boom. From big explosive barrels to streetlights and even candle lit lanterns on a table, the particles that are produced bring these little touches to the game that make it stand out.
Outside of single player and multiplayer options which we came to know from previous games, now you can tackle these missions in co-op should you wish to team up with a friend. Sadly, I wasn't able to test this mechanic out quite yet as it was a single player only event. There is still some polish to be put onto this game and solidify the build by getting some of the bugs out of the way, but once that happens you will see a dynamic Sniper Elite game that should stand shoulder to shoulder with what we've all come to know and love about these games. Look for Sniper Elite: Resistance to hit its mark in just a few short weeks as it drops on January 2025.
