Sniper Elite 5 is the latest installment in Rebellion’s action shooter series set in World War II. The film, which opens tomorrow, sees Karl Fairbairn take on Nazi Germany once again. And like its predecessor, it draws on the well-known concepts and core components on which the series was founded. However, that familiarity can wear off quickly. While there are long-lasting multiplayer mode options, his single-player campaign disappoints. As for replayability, I hope a few factors help.

Vive la France

From the deserts of North Africa to the hills of Italy, Karl Fairbairn’s exploits stretch him far. In Sniper Elite 5, he arrives in France on the eve of his D-Day, the largest amphibious operation in human history. As the French resistance and covert operations seek to undermine Hitler’s Atlantic Wall, Fairbairn learns of Mellor and the Nazis’ planned Operation Kraken. Yes, it is another “silver bullet”, a hoaxed plan to stop the Allied advance. Fairburne comes with a variety of sidekicks, some of which are only playable as skins. Missions have shortcut cutscenes and collectibles that provide additional information on the backstory. However, the story remains one of the series’ weakest points, as it still draws on old tropes that veteran players have come to know.

Massive Level

Sniper Elite 4 takes the series to new heights with massive levels, and Sniper Elite 5 follows that trend. The single-player campaign consists of eight missions. These missions take place on huge maps ranging from rolling countryside hills to industrial plants. There is a primary objective that must be completed to complete each mission, but multiple secondary objectives can also appear as you explore or gather information.For example, one level may ask you to find documents related to Operation Kraken, which culminates in the destruction of a factory.

However, there are also optional tasks that allow you to sabotage a steel mill or blow up a tank. Due to its massive nature, most missions in Sniper Elite 5 can expect to last an hour or more. What’s impressive here is that, like its predecessor, Fairburne still can’t climb hedges or overcome bumps. The level has wide open sections to traverse, but there are design restrictions that restrict movement. 

Kill List

The optional tasks for each level are called the kill list. Think of these as specific assassination targets that you need to find on the map. There is also a special requirement to give a weapon if the opponent can be eliminated in a certain way. For example, an officer in a castle ballroom should be stunned by a falling chandelier. On the other hand, the North Korean defectors in the facilities must be blown up with ‘rat bombs’. There are even assassinations that can cause accidents that result in characters falling into a cement pit. The kill list objectives reward you with unlocking weapons and in some ways might remind you of the assassination objectives in Hitman 3. Perhaps the downside here is that there aren’t enough and the requirements themselves is very obvious and easy to complete. Rather than relying on player agency and creativity, the game is almost continuously in your hand. 

War Weapons and X-Ray Kill Cam

In addition to mission success and kill list tasks, weapons and tools are also rewarded in the form of workbenches. These objects correspond to his three types (Pistol, SMG, Rifle) and are scattered throughout each level. By discovering and manipulating these, you can unlock new mods and attachments (muzzles, scopes, grips, etc.).

These rewards allow you to repeat missions, as you may not encounter a particular workbench unless you really explore every nook and cranny. You can start future executions from . At the very least, exploits give you tons of XP, making leveling easier and skills and perks easier to earn. Speaking of weapons, pretty much anything in the game can trigger his x-ray kill cam. As usual, long-range sniper rifle headshots (and testicle shots) in slow motion are frighteningly brutal. Similarly, pistols and SMGs can have kill cam moments depending on their setup. Some melee takedowns may also have this effect. Of course, grenades and booby traps also lead to these instances. We know the X-Ray Kill Cam is a staple of the series.

Noise, Noise, Baby

One of the biggest gripes with action games that use stealth mechanics is how they use noise (or lack thereof) in gameplay. In the Sniper Elite 5, enemies can hear muffled shots even through concrete walls (depending on silencer squelch radius). Conversely, noise can be masked by sabotaging vehicles/generators, waiting for planes to fly overhead, or chilling until giant cannons fire shells. Sound is always masked, regardless of how loud the gun is or how loud the explosion is. The AI’s own limitations can be exploited to lead to situations where it’s just waiting for a distraction before taking a shot. And yes, AI can still be surprisingly incompetent. Soldiers run around when they hear gunshots or find dead bodies.Camping in a corner, they start looking for you, picking up one after another. On the plus side, these moments are also downright funny and hilarious.

Invasion and Other Modes

My Sniper Elite 5 game experience is based primarily on the single player campaign. Indeed, it broke new ground and repurposed the tried-and-true formula that made the series a hit.As a result, this “more of the same” mantra transitioned from sniper games to close- and mid-range skirmishes. I missed out on what competitor Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts and its sequel had to offer. These had uniquely-feeling short, bite-sized “contracts’ ‘ and “longshot” set pieces that could be extracted from levels so you could come back to them later if you wanted to earn credits. I noticed occasional crashes and some bugs (e.g. temporary weapons disappearing through textures or taking damage when standing on top of ragdoll NPCs).

Thankfully, Sniper Elite 5 has many other interesting modes. Co-op is back for you and your buddy. There are also competitive modes such as traditional deathmatch, squads, and no cross. The last is a 2v2 long-distance battle separated by barriers. Survival mode, on the other hand, defends the target against waves of enemies. Finally, there’s drop-in PvP and Axis Invasion, similar to Sniper Elite 5, featured in Souls bourne combat. Enabling this option will allow another player to spawn while the mission is running to take on the role of an Axis sniper. You end up playing cat-and-mouse while searching for each other’s known locations. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to try this during the course of this guide.