Sniper Elite III Reviews
Overall, Sniper Elite 3 is OK and has the briefest of moments in exceling but it is not a game for the Nintendo Switch.
The Sniper Elite series is steadfastly ploughing its own furrow in a marketplace primarily dominated by the likes of Battlefield and Call of Duty. While it's unlikely to match either of those titans in terms of sales, it does offer an experience different enough for regular shooter fans to justify a purchase. As a PR exercise for anybody who has regularly played online shooters and may still have unresolved anger issues directed at snipers, Rebellion has made a strong statement with Sniper Elite III and as a form a therapy it proves to be both beneficial and effective.
Sniper Elite III is a third-person action game with a heavy emphasis on stealth action and sniping. Thankfully the levels are large and the player always feels in control, even in the frequent indoor portions. Gamers looking to run and gun will be disappointed, but everybody else will get a kick out of this solid World War II shooter.
It comes across as a budget title - both graphically and thanks to the bugs that make it feel unfinished. This used to be acceptable - it was, after all, the epitome of a guilty pleasure, some gory ridiculousness to pass the time. Now it feels overstretched and too reliant on that gimmick, diluting the core sniper experience. In the shadow of Wolfenstein: The New Order, even shooting a digital Hitler (and, yes, even the legend that is Charlie Brooker) feels underwhelming. A greater focus on ballistics, not ballsacks, would serve Rebellion well.
It's a great accomplishment for Rebellion to have made another successful Sniper Elite game, but the occasional jarring bug and a weak story hold Sniper Elite 3 back from being a truly great sniping experience.
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.
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.
I'm glad that I played Sniper Elite V2 as it gave me a deep appreciation for all of the things Rebellion has brought to the table for the sequel. With expanded set pieces, better sniping mechanics, and an even more visceral look into what happens when bullet impacts blood and bone, they really have nailed that aspect of their product. While the AI may be dumb as a post, scoring a long distance headshot without the aim assist reticule and slow motion feels like you've accomplished the impossible time and time again. For the few things that aren't quite up to snuff, Sniper Elite III gets a whole lot right.
Sniper Elite III is a step in the right direction. We've still got a ways to go but the improvements here are obvious and appreciated, and greatly enhances the fun factor and general quality. It's on next-gen consoles and although it doesn't feel "next-gen," there's no doubt that Rebellion took advantage of the extra power.
Sniper Elite III is a mediocre game with a gimmick that escalates it to be more enjoyable than it should be. Remove that particular mechanic though and we are left with a pretty bland shooter. Still, those that play games like Mortal Kombat just for the gore will be pleased, making this a fun summer diversion for new console owners starving for something new to play.
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.
The game is a solid experience for anyone who has enjoyed the series up to now. If you've never tried it then this is the one to jump into. If you've never liked it, this won't convince you. It's more of the same but it's polished and unapologetically good fun.
Sniper Elite 3 isn't a game I can really recommend unless you are a big fan of stealth/sniper gameplay. The campaign is one of the biggest problems I have with the game due to the overall dullness of the whole campaign like the repetitive missions and boring story. The overall gameplay of Sniper Elite 3 isn't that bad and there can be some good moments in the game, but overall I would either give this game a miss or wait until a price drop.
Sniper Elite 3 is the best example of its genre, full stop. A fantastic sharpshooting experience is interspersed with more considered, more competent stealth and action, and the array of tools and tricks available to Karl Fairburne is impressive indeed. While you're not often able to go for broke and "play your own way", there are enough routes through missions and enough open ground to really use the environment to your advantage. Overall, Sniper Elite 3 is a solid shooter that improves on everything that was good about Sniper Elite V2 and ditches most – though perhaps not all – of the bad. This should go down as a genuine triumph for Rebellion.
A huge improvement over the fun but flawed 'Sniper Elite' and 'Sniper Elite V2,' 'Sniper Elite III' is a welcome breath of fresh-air in the series and the WWII game genre. The trip to North Africa gives players environments unfamiliar and exciting, while the open-world approach to missions makes sure there's not just one right way to get things done. There's still a good deal of improvement left possible for the series, but the replay value of this outing, including the understated multiplayer system makes this a game worth checking out.
Without a strong setting, characters, or story to hold it all together, Sniper Elite 3 lives and dies on its gameplay mechanics.
Aside from the bugs Sniper Elite 3 is a good game, the survival mode is really fun too. If the game seems too easy for you, you can always crank up the difficulty. I played on Marksman (Normal) and plowed through the game with very little issues. If you want an epic story, and ground breaking game play then you might want to stay clear of Sniper Elite 3. Just make sure you buy this game for next-gen consoles.
If you happened to play Sniper Elite V2, you already have a good idea of how Sniper Elite III plays - but this latest iteration does everything a bit better. With less than a dozen maps, relatively lacklustre story and questionable enemy AI, Sniper Elite III is a flawed but enjoyable game nonetheless.
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.
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.