The test
If Sniper Ghost Warrior and Sniper Elite are unquestionably the two flagship series in terms of specialized sniper option shooters, it is generally the second that gets the best reception from the press and players. The arrival of a fifth episode is therefore necessarily good news, especially since the logo of the game proudly displays the word France coupled with a cross of Lorraine. We are therefore going to travel through Normandy and evolve on familiar ground. But beware, this expression can also apply to gameplay…
This new adventure of sniper Karl Fairburne starts in May 1944 and of course asks us to eliminate as many German soldiers as possible, to infiltrate various buildings and sabotage many structures. A mysterious Operation Kraken serves as a red thread, but the scenario is in reality of little importance. It is all the same difficult to surprise with the second world war, seen and reviewed in so many games. However, this context finds a particular echo here since we are evolving in France. It is particularly pleasant for us French people to see propaganda posters and panels written in the language of Molière (despite the regular presence of spelling mistakes…) and to hear certain characters express themselves in French, or with a French accent when speaking English. It is also one of the qualities of the game to let most of the speakers express themselves in their native language, starting with the German soldiers who are regularly surprised in the middle of a conversation. It is also nice to see that the role of the Resistance is not overlooked for once. But the most exciting certainly comes from the landscapes that we cross. Norman hedgerows, fields of apple trees and other provincial castles form a familiar environment that one takes pleasure in exploring and rediscovering. The culmination of this geographical charm is certainly found in the third mission, which takes place in a revisited version of Mont-Saint-Michel, renamed Beaumont-Saint-Denis for the occasion.
I WILL GO BACK TO MY NORMANDY…
The series has still not crossed the stage of the true open world (which is perhaps not worse…) and therefore takes up the structure of Sniper Elite 4, namely missions independent of each other but rolling down each time over large open areas. This principle works perfectly well, and makes it possible to offer main objectives allowing the story to progress and optional secondary objectives, intended to prolong the pleasure of the game. We advise you to systematically complete these, because they will give you the opportunity to explore corners of each map that you would otherwise miss. It is also desirable to shoot down special targets in the manner specified in the interface, in order to win a unique weapon. Rather pleasant, the exploration allows you to climb ivy, surprise yourself on cornices and take zip lines. Unfortunately, there are some typical defects of Rebellion Developments productions, in particular the presence of invisible walls and other insurmountable obstacles. These “kill-the immersion” are relatively understandable and forgivable on the edges of the maps, because it is necessary to stop the progress of the player in one way or another. But it often happens that in the middle of the map we want to step over a small rock, pass through a hedge or climb on a crate to better position ourselves, and that we are simply forbidden. Fortunately, the mechanics of infiltration are numerous and well put together. Crouch in the tall grass to hide, whistle to lure soldiers towards you, throw a bottle to ward them off, focus to highlight them through obstacles, mark them with the binoculars, kill them or neutralize them in hand-to-hand combat, almost anything is possible.
THE NATION’S ELITE?
As far as sniper rifle shooting is concerned, Sniper Elite 5 takes advantage of the experience acquired on the previous installments. Noisy zones covering the sound of shots, ballistic drop, wind direction, emptying of the lungs and heart rate are thus managed. The difficulty is finely adjustable, since different sliders allow you to separately modify the overall difficulty, the fights, the tactical options (marking time, radar, interface, etc.) and the sniper options. Do as you please for the first three but preferably choose the “authentic” setting for the last. That’s how, and only that way, you’ll get a realistic shooting experience. You will thus be rid of the slowing down of time which facilitates the task a little too much and, above all, of the reticle indicating where the ball will land according to the wind and the ballistics. When you estimate these effects for yourself and aim straight, the pleasure of placing a headshot is really increased tenfold! Either way, the game will regularly reward you with its shots of X-Ray kill cams, more commonly known as X-Ray kill cams. A true signature of the saga (and its Zombie Army derivative), this effect combines tracking of the ball in close-up, slow motion, and spectacular staging of the impact thanks to the transparent zone which allows the piece of jaw to be observed dropping out, bursting eye, punctured intestines, crushed bones and a multitude of blood vessels. Yum !
Note that these quasi-scientific kill cams also concern close combat, which then makes it possible to admire cut throats and knives plunged into full hearts. As far as weapons are concerned, the customization system is extremely advanced since the sight, barrel, muzzle, magazine, stock, front handle, receiver, frame and cosmetics influence the range, damage, rate of fire, recoil, mobility, sound range or zoom level. The main menu offers many ways to enjoy the game. Beyond the traditional single player campaign, it is possible to play in co-op, to defend command posts in a survival mode, or to have fun in multiplayer in different modes (teams of eight, squads of four, each for himself, and “no crossing” mode which physically separates the two camps). A new option “Invasion of the Axis forces” even completes the list. This is an asymmetrical mode (and optional, fortunately) where a player playing a German disrupts the solo campaign of another. It is always good to take ! On the other hand, we would have liked the game to progress as technically, but it is not. During the cutscenes, the faces and animations seem once again dated, while the graphics are constantly reminiscent of those of Sniper Elite 4, which was released 5 years ago. Artificial intelligence also seems to have been taken over identically, even though it was largely perfectible. We must therefore once again face enemies who are almost blind at times, or whose tracking behavior clearly leaves something to be desired. Finally, and this has also become a sad tradition, the iconic mission to kill Hitler is only available as paid downloadable content.
