The most famous Rebellion series, Sniper Elite, just took a big step forward. And this warlike title delights us with a fourth installment that, in our opinion, improves in many aspects to the rest of previous editions: it may be more of the same, but improved. And this has resulted in a third-person adventure that, despite not being perfect, does turn into a very appetizing title for fans of the genre.
And what exactly is Sniper Elite 4? Well, it is a very tactical third-person shooter that also presents some light touches of a sandbox along with the main ingredient: stealth. What would become of the series without this stealth, right?
Back to WW2
The plot that serves as a starting point for the adventure takes place just after what happened in the last installment of the series. Therefore we are dragged back to World War II, specifically to the year 1943. Everything takes place in Italian lands, being necessary to lead the resistance of the Mediterranean country incarnating the role of Karl Fairburne, an elite shooter capable of surviving alone In hostile territory … and carry out the most dangerous missions.
An argument for nothing original but that fulfills well with its mission, which is no other to serve as an excuse to enjoy an adventure in which encounter several elements of the game that make Sniper Elite 4 a very attractive title.
In this way the gameplay is based on several well-differentiated elements, starting with the theme of secrecy. As a good sniper, we need to move cautiously not to be discovered by enemies; it is very advisable to use binoculars, which become one of the most useful gadget of our main character.
Without the binoculars, it is possible to recognize the terrain, especially if we are in an elevated position like on the top of a tower or a mountain. And thanks to the possibility of marking both the enemies and the important objects found in the sets (boxes of ammunition, explosives and other types of resources).
To clear each of the missions and secondary objectives, we must go through eight large levels that make up the main game mode, and these levels are tremendously open. You will enjoy the complete freedom to complete these objectives in the order that interests you the most, as well as to it is all up to you to complete or skip the side missions. These secondary tasks not only extend the playtime but also provide us with extra experience that, in the long run, allows us to improve our character. Every five levels, we are rewarded with a special ability, either an improvement in resistance or ammunition capacity.
As mentioned earlier, you can complete every situation in this adventure as you like. It is possible to make use of the great specialty of our main character, his precision as an expert sniper, being able to eliminate the rivals from long distances. This has the advantage that it is not necessary to enter into direct contact with the enemies, although the noise emitted by the projectiles of his rifle is very evident and, the enemies can locate us quickly. To camouflage our shots we can resort to a couple of resources, the most interesting being offered by the scenarios themselves.
Aircraft, heavy machinery, and other elements occasionally emit noises so deafening that, if we link and synchronize with our shots, serve to overlap the shots made with our sniper rifle. An element of game mechanics that may seem minor but that has its importance.
Also if we choose to take down targets with our sniper rifle, we can enjoy one of the signature element to identity this franchise, the X-ray Kill Cam, a camera that is quite spectacular, following the path of a deadly bullet towards our enemy … with All the impact gore and blood.
We can also infiltrate enemy territory without being seen and end our enemies in a subtle way without raising suspicions, in total silence, tremendously recommendable if you fancy tactical play but more difficult to carry out. And while the enemies are not the most clever in the world (sometimes their artificial intelligence lacks more than it should), they can detect us if we pass close to them and enter into their field of vision … Especially if one of them is a sniper whose peripheral vision is wide.
If you don’t want to play it quite and prefer to go all guns blazing? Well, you can also do it, as we are well equipped with shotguns, hand grenades, machine guns and whatever it takes.
Of course, before each mission, it is advisable to have more or less clear ideas of the way in which you will act to prepare ourselves properly. And is that just before the beginning of each mission it is possible to customize our equipment and choose those weapons and gadgets that we create opportunity, there being a multitude of possibilities. A generous range of possibilities that greatly encourages gameplay.
A complete sequel
Aside from being able to enjoy individual story mode, the title encourages us to enjoy other multiplayer features … starting by moving forward in the main game mode with a friend! Of course, this cooperative option can only be enjoyed online (no split screen), but it is an appetizing incentive, and in fact, it becomes one of the great qualities of the game in global.
But there are more. This cooperative mode can grow to accommodate a maximum of four players at a time, enjoying a series of missions created specifically for that mode. An effort made by the developers to offer as much content as possible that is appreciated.
And to top it off, the title also hosts a competitive multiplayer mode for 12 users, an equally attractive option that also allows us to choose from a large number of multiplayer modes among different maps (half a dozen). Also, the developers have confirmed that they are planning to expand the number of game modes and maps available in this multiplayer mode, so it seems that it will become one of the most important claims of the title.
It is noticeable that Rebellion has worked conscientiously his new work in everything related to its playful side, and this is just as a patent in its graphic side.
The quality jump that has given this edition of Sniper Elite about what was established in the past is noticeable in an incredible way. Evidently the arrival of new consoles and PCs, much more powerful than the formats that welcomed the latest editions of this franchise, have allowed designers to create a truly magnificent visual environment that, without squeezing the full potential of PS4 graphics, Xbox One and PC, offers very convincing results … at least according to what we have enjoyed in PS4 Pro, which has been the version that we have accessed.
The recreation of the scenarios is quite satisfactory, environments that are much wider than those enjoyed in the last installment of the series. Its variety is also really striking, being able to travel from small villages to wooded areas, the interior of several laboratories and warehouses, etc.
The title is displayed at a 1080p native resolution in all formats, providing a stable animation frame rate and a good texturing job. But what has caught our attention is its illumination, which has seemed really magnificent (and it improves even more in PS4 Pro, by the way, like its fps rate ).
The least achieved in this sense are the irregular animations of the characters, which without being bad on certain occasions are somewhat robotized, such as those linked to jumps, not very successful.
And to conclude, the sound is at a similar level, remarkable sound effects, which are imposed on a soundtrack that takes on a more secondary role.
Final Thoughts
We have been pleasantly surprised by this new edition of the Sniper Elite. And not because we expected a mediocre title, but because what has offered us by Rebellion is a complete and well-done action adventure. And is that not too many similar games can join an individual campaign mode (or cooperative mode) so well shaped with competitive multiplayer options and cooperatives as diverse. Either you are new to the series or already played and finished the previous title in the series, Sniper Elite 4 has so much to offer to keep your entertained for hours.
