Sniper Elite 4
Ending the Nazi menace, one burst testicle at a time
some new movement mechanics and vastly improved close range and stealth combat
Developer Rebellion publisher Rebellion price $ 59.99 Available At Steam sniperelite4.com
It would be all too easy to classify the Sniper Elite series as some kind of WWII themed gore porn. It is, after all, a series that has become identifiable with its hyper gory x-ray gunshots that show in loving detail bullets ripping through Nazi flesh and obliterating bone and organ alike. Any game that lovingly renders testicles with the express purpose of popping them with high velocity lead is obviously more interested in making a splash more than it is historical accuracy or any kind of nuance. When it comes to the reason for all of the x-ray deaths and testicle explosions, Sniper Elite 4 is perfunctory at best – there is an over the top evil Nazi and a superweapon that only you, a gruff American master sniper and all round killer, can stop. You do this by infiltrating and murdering your way through eight large, open levels until the ultimate target of your murder spree is in your crosshairs. While the story might lack any subtlety or nuance, the gameplay of the fourth game in the Sniper Elite series is the most varied and satisfying so far.
While climbing up to high vantage points and taking your time to scope out all the enemies in an area before picking them off one by one is still the go-to action of the game, some new movement mechanics and vastly improved close range and stealth combat mechanics make reaching these heights much more enjoyable. Players can now climb certain surfaces and m0ve in and out of some windows, giving far more options when it comes to scaling buildings and remaining unseen. If you are spotted, the close range shooting with a pistol or Tommy gun is more accurate and satisfying than in previous games. Up close shooting is still little more than an adequate, no frills stop-and-pop cover shooter, but that’s still light years ahead of what came before. A simple Splinter Cell-style last known position marker can be used to lead enemies into traps or away from your destination. Stealth and melee kills have also been improved. Taking out enemies with a swift punch that smashes the enemy’s jaw and severs the spine, or obliterates the hyoid bone is even more satisfying than doing it at range. A few multiplayer options round out the package, with Enemy at the Gates-tyle sniper battles being the slow but tense highlight.
For all the improvements, not everything is great about Sniper Elite 4. The enemy AI is erratic to say the least. Sometimes they are preternaturally aware, and at other times you’ll find half the enemies in a given area hunkered down behind your last known position. On normal difficulty it’s a little too easy as well, with the improvements in close range shooting making mopping up any mistakes a rather simple action. Still, if you like the idea of taking it slow, scoping out your enemy and splattering their brains (or the contents of their trousers) all over a wall, in the name of freedom of course, Sniper Elite 4 will definitely scratch that itch.