Karl Fairburne returns. After opening up the African front to the allied assault, he is assigned to aid the Italian resistance against Nazi presence. Sniper Elite 4 is a new game from Rebellion Developments, for the fourth time putting the players in the combat boots of an American covert operative Karl Fairburne.
Sniper Elite improves on every aspect of the previous entries in the series. Bigger maps, better takedowns, more freedom of movement and approach. Sniper Elite 4 PC is a true next-gen sniper simulator.
Enormous maps What use is a sniper rifle when the map is too small to test its full range? The smallest of maps in Sniper Elite 4 are larger than the biggest ones of the previous episodes, and full of opportunities. Will you find the vantage point from which you can see and target most of the map? Or maybe you will use the shadow and cover to get close enough to stab somebody? Either way is possible on Sniper Elite 4 maps. Expanded X-ray kills A signature feature of the series is now better than ever.
Now not only getting a clear shot can trigger an X-ray killcam. If you enjoy stabbing people in the backs you can get your own set of X-rays, as brutal as anything you've seen. Or maybe you love traps and explosives? The shrapnel-cam will give you the front row seat to the carnage.
Whatever your favorite way of eliminating enemies, Sniper Elite 4 makes every kill memorable. Next-gen AI Sniper Elite 4 features vastly improved enemy AI, more responsive to player actions than it has ever been. The enemy ranks are controlled by officers, who bring a lot more complications as well as opportunities to the gameplay.
Kill officers to reduce enemy morale and get a patrol timetable, but beware! Officer presence makes your regular enemies much more efficient at looking for you, so the longer you let them live, the more complicated your job becomes. And don't expect your enemies to just stand around waiting for you to kill them. They have patrol routes to follow and their own agendas, adjust your approach accordingly.
Improved mobility Bigger maps demand better mobility. Karl Fairburne has some new tricks up his sleeve after his mission in Africa. He is faster and more agile, now able to climb buildings with relative ease to get where needs to be.
Move along the ledges to avoid notice or to get in a stealthy kill with your trusty knife. You do not have to be a classically trained assassin to use architecture to your advantage!.
With gameplay that can shock, amuse and satisfy in the same slowed heartbeat, Sniper Elite 4 is the best game in the series. While it graphics, story and characters can feel a little flat, the gameplay has always been the focus, and is so perfectly tuned to make the rest seem inconsequential.
Sniper Elite 4 is one of those games that has something for everyone. Being a borderline recluse, I was attracted to the idea of playing as a lone wolf, but the multiplayer co-op Overwatch game was even better!
A hearty improvement on Sniper Elite 3 that embraces freeform play, gets better in co-op, and most importantly lets us shoot things from very far away.
Its stealth and action mechanics may be simplistic, but they're functional and regularly enjoyable. And the maps--with their impressive scale, open-ended objectives, and clever level design--coalesce these disparate systems into a creative and fulfilling whole. There are still some issues with AI inconsistency, a bland story, and some dull competitive multiplayer, but it finally feels like this series is living up to its long-standing potential.
Sniper Elite 4 is a very safe sequel - it doesn't introduce revolutionary changes but expands and improves on the things that are well known. If something isn't broken don't fix it - that's a good approach. At the same time this game quite often looks like a copy of its predecessor - the same issues are mixed with some cool improvements. All in all, fans should be really happy.
With the fourth entry of Sniper Elite, a franchise built on delivering on that feeling, developer Rebellion has created a well-rounded and empowering sandbox shooter.
It really is testament to the gruesome enjoyability of those hyper gory killcams that, even after four games, the sniping continues to be satisfying enough to warrant a look in. Sniper Elite 4 doesn’t miss its target, then, but it plays things safe enough to guarantee the kill without any undue risks.
July 15, 2017
The third and final chapter of the Sniper Elite 4: Deathstorm DLC comes out next week. Watch video
