Sniper Elite III Reviews
It's a shame that some pieces aren't as well designed or constructed, but with a limited market aimed for sniper players, there's really no way of putting it other than Sniper Elite III is the smartest and best sniper game money can buy. Now it just needs to step up to the plate and become more.
This, finally, feels like a game which knows how to play to its strengths and minimise its weaknesses. Anyone who enjoys a good tactical shooter, especially those with an affinity for the long-range kill, would do well to check it out.
Once again, Sniper Elite proves to be a really fun and engaging game, despite its numerous bugs at launch. If you can stomach the issues, there's a lot of enjoyment to be had, but Rebellion really needs to tighten up their QA problems, and maybe then they can focus on an all around more robust entry next time.
Sniper Elite III answers the perennial question of 'are video games art?' by saying, "Dude, who gives a crap? I just shot a freaking Nazi in the testicles!" It's an occasionally annoying but often enjoyable game.
Sniper Elite 3 may have the outstanding gunplay of its predecessor, but inconsistent AI and a myriad of bugs keep it from hitting its mark.
It's too rough around the edges for awards and higher scores, but we'd recommend Sniper Elite 3 all the same. It's beset by bugs and some really strange AI, yet the core sneak and snipe gameplay is still enthralling, and the open levels and sandbox approach make for a refreshing departure from the shooter norm. You'll see slicker shooters later on this year, but will they be this much fun?
"Sniper Elite 3" isn't trying to be a groundbreaking display of social commentary. It's not begging to be analyzed. It's shooting Nazis in the most violent way possible. That's what it set out to do, and that's what it accomplished. It's not the most polished experience, but it should be a bullseye for fans of the stealth and sniping genre.
At the end of the day, is Sniper Elite III going to end up on my Top 5 list for the best games of 2014? Not likely. What I will say however is that in spite of its lack of ambition on the narrative side of things, it serves as a pretty meat-and-potatoes action game that does one thing really well…and sometimes that's enough.
Overall, Sniper Elite 3 does have a fun kill-cam feature, it does have online co-op and it does have an interesting multiplayer. But, almost everything about it feels like a rushed product that simply cannot be ignored. So, unless you are a huge fan of the series, or just want to see some intense kill-cams, this just isn't a game I can recommend at its current price point.
Sniper Elite III sees the franchise creep closer to excellence. It doesn't quite get there, but nonetheless this is a solid title that has arrived in a particularly lean month.
Sniper Elite 3 does provide a unique experience and it really puts forth a lot of effort in making you feel like a expert marksman. Sadly the other aspects of the game doesn't seem to have been given the same amount of care.
Sniper Elite 3 provides a unique take on an overpopulated time period, in an overpopulated genre, but still manages to stand out. Utterly enjoyable, and customizable if you are not one for the X-Ray kill-cam, Sniper Elite 3 manages to make the carnage of killing something more about a means to an end. While the story may leave wanting, the experience within, and the collectible content, is enough to call Sniper Elite 3 a definitive step forward, and one we hope continues for Rebellion and 505.
Sniper Elite III's gory killcams and open-ended arenas succeed at making the act of sniping more involved and rewarding than you'll find in most other shooters, but it struggles to flesh out a complete game experience around that one mechanic.
Third time is the charm for Rebellion with Sniper Elite III. Unfortunately, the charm is too short-lived thanks to a short Campaign and limited multiplayer modes (DLC will hopefully correct that). Plus the glitches are hard to ignore.
Sniper Elite 3 is still a better sniping game than a stealth game, but at least the series has finally managed to create a fair balance between the two schools of gameplay.
At the end of the day Sniper Elite III is a pretty good game. From large game levels and lots of extra tasks to that non-linear approach to how you can complete said tasks and the ability to play the whole campaign cooperatively, there really is a lot to like. Let's not forget that the gruesome, but cool kill-cam is back too! Sure, the AI can be unpredictable and a bit wonky at times, the competitive online is not that busy, the story can be cliché and there is the odd visual glitch, but in the end it's not enough to overtake all the good. Many people should find a lot to like here, and fans of the previous two games can come back knowing there is still a lot to enjoy.
Perhaps a little short and a touch too narrow, but Sniper Elite 3 pretty much gives you a huge Nazi-filled playground, a sniper rifle, a satchel of explosives, and then waves its hand and lets you sort it out your own way. Which, really, is pretty much exactly what I was hoping for.
Sniper Elite 3 treads that fine line between realism and fun, but it comes together well, providing cheap kicks for those who enjoy over-the-top sniper kills, and a modicum of tactical depth for players looking for something more substantial.
While not without its flaws, Sniper Elite 3 remains a compelling, tactically-rewarding shooter that fans of the genre would do well to snap up asap.