
Sniper Elite is one of those franchises where you always know what you'll get: fun shooting mechanics, tense stealth gameplay, and the franchise's signature feature—the X-ray kill cam showing the bullet's path through an enemy's body. The series hasn't changed significantly since Sniper Elite 3 was released in 2014, and even that game was criticized for being too similar to its predecessor. However, with each new entry, there have been incremental improvements to gameplay structure, equipment customization, and movement mechanics. At first glance, all Sniper Elite games may look very similar, but the gameplay experience differs slightly in each installment, and each game has improved over the last. Unfortunately, that does not apply to Sniper Elite: Resistance.
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What's New In Sniper Elite Resistance
Mechanically, Resistance is identical to its predecessor, so it feels more like an expansion than a standalone game. No new movement abilities, enemies, vehicles, or mission types exist. You will do everything you did in the previous five games again here. Every mission boils down to gathering secret Nazi intelligence, destroying anti-aircraft guns, eliminating officers, and sabotaging various infrastructures.

On the one hand, this consistency can be a good thing—Sniper Elite 5 refined the gameplay mechanics to a respectable level. On the other hand, the game lacks any surprises. You will never fall into an ambush, accidentally wander into a minefield, become the target of a mortar attack, or cooperate with members of the French Resistance during gameplay. And while there's nothing inherently wrong with treating Resistance as a standalone expansion for Sniper Elite 5, the fact remains that it's sold at full price, with an additional Season Pass promising new missions and weapons.
The Story, If You Can Call It That
Despite being called Resistance, the game lacks interesting twists, such as disguising yourself as the enemy or carrying out missions in populated areas. Back in 2009, The Saboteur showed us how a game focused on the resistance movement could look, yet Resistance fails to fully utilize its premise.
While the core gameplay mechanics are solid, the game never surprises the player or offers anything that hasn't already been seen in previous entries.
The only significant change this time is that we don't play as Karl Fairburne, the franchise's long-time protagonist, but as Harry Hawker, a British special operative who previously served as the co-op partner in multiplayer. Harry somehow manages to be even less charismatic than Karl, who is already a dull character, making this change insignificant.
The Sniper Elite franchise has never been known for its engaging characters or captivating stories. The plot of every game can be summarized in one sentence: "The Nazis have a secret superweapon that must be destroyed." Sniper Elite 5 at least had animated cutscenes at the beginning and end of each mission, whereas Resistance features only two cutscenes—one at the start and one at the end. Everything in between is presented as a slideshow with voice narration. The antagonist is barely present, so don't expect anyone as memorable as Emmerich Voss from the recent Indiana Jones game.
The Look And Feel Of Sniper Elite Resistance
Visually, the game is identical to its predecessor. The environments are the main attraction—architecture is faithfully recreated, and war-torn French villages are packed with detail. Vehicles, weapons, and uniforms are well-designed and authentic. However, the lighting is fundamental, making the game look like something from the previous console generation.
Lighting remains static in every mission, upscaling options like FSR and DLSS are absent, and anti-aliasing is poor, resulting in jagged, pixelated edges throughout the game. Fortunately, the game isn't demanding, FPS remains stable, and I didn't experience any stuttering, which is commendable, especially in today's era of poorly optimized releases.
The sound design is fantastic. Guns sound loud and realistic, each with its distinct audio signature. The most satisfying is the metallic "ping" of the M1 Garand when it runs empty. Most importantly, sound plays a tactical role—things like church bells ringing or distant bombings mask the noise of your gunfire, and you can use audio cues to determine enemy locations.
However, the X-ray kill cam has not improved since the last game. It still feels inconsistent—you see an extremely detailed skull explosion, yet when you reach the body, there's barely any blood, just a tiny red dot on the enemy's face. Considering games like Dead Island 2 have introduced (NSFW CLICK) detailed destruction systems, it would be nice to see Sniper Elite evolve in this area.
Campaign and Content
The campaign has only seven missions—one fewer than Sniper Elite 5. The missions are shorter, and the locations are less interesting. While environments are faithfully recreated and well-designed, nothing here rivals the Mont Saint-Michel mission or the Atlantic Wall from Sniper Elite 5. A snowy mission set in the French Alps would have added some environmental variety.

The weapon selection is also disappointing. Many guns from Sniper Elite 5 are missing. The rifles are less well-known, which isn't necessarily bad, but classic weapons like the Thompson and M1903 Springfield are absent. Bizarrely, MP40 and Gewehr 43 are locked behind the Invasion mode, meaning you can't use them in the primary campaign, even though this was possible in Sniper Elite 5.
What's genuinely unacceptable is the paywalling of weapons and modifications behind pre-orders and deluxe editions. The Kar98 sniper rifle is exclusive to pre-orders, and the M1911 pistol is locked behind the Deluxe Edition, even though both were immediately available in the previous game.
The only real addition to the arsenal is a new type of grenade. Suppose you thought wooden non-lethal bullets from Sniper Elite 5 were ridiculous this time. In that case, you can throw a non-lethal grenade that detonates silently upon contact—an absurd and immersion-breaking addition.
Multiplayer and Extra Modes
Besides the campaign, there's a Survival Mode, where you must survive 12 waves of enemies. Only two maps are available, but each has four different configurations. The PvP Invasion Mode, where you invade other players' campaigns, remains the most entertaining part of the game. It turns standard missions into tense 1v1 or 2v1 encounters, adding much-needed excitement.
The only absolute novelty is Propaganda Missions, short, time-based challenges unlocked by finding hidden posters in main missions. These are incredibly brief, and I finished all of them within 30 minutes. There's no reason to replay them unless you want to unlock a few extra weapons.
In Conclusion

I've always enjoyed the Sniper Elite series, but the franchise's future looks uncertain after Resistance. The series needs significant changes to remain relevant. The gameplay must evolve to match Metal Gear Solid V, or the setting must shift to a different period. After 20 years of Nazi organ explosions, it would be nice to see a fresh environment, like Norway's snowy landscapes or the Pacific Theater.
Resistance is a financial safety net for Rebellion, and in case their upcoming action, RPG Atomfall fails commercially.
Final Score: 6.8/10
Sniper Elite Resistance recycles too much content, lacks innovation, and regresses production values, making it hard to recommend.
Recommended Age: 16+
Due to its graphic violence, mature themes, and strategic gameplay, the game is best suited for players aged 16 and up. The Official ESRB Rating is M17+ because of blood, gore, and intense violence.