TheSniper Eliteseries has made a meal out of the age-old classic of Nazi killing, and it’s made a killing doing it, with around a dozen different iterations of Sniper Elite, five in the main series, and more other spin-offs to enjoy.
All of these entries have something to enjoy in them, and there’s been a slow progression of mechanics all the way from the first game to the most recent. But that doesn’t mean the original games aren’t still relevant, especially if you’ve found yourself enjoying similar games.
7Sniper Elite: Nazi Zombie Army (Series)
The Nazi Zombie Army miniseriesbranched off from the main Sniper Elite series, opting to have players re-kill undead Nazis as opposed to normal-kill not-dead Nazis. There are multiple iterations of the Nazi Zombie Army spinoff, all featuring an alternate history of WW2.
The Zombie Army Trilogy version and Zombie Army 4 are, particularly, the ones that shine the most and are the most well-received. The formula had been refined by then; the co-op was strong, the world was defined, and everything could hit the ground running. Killing zombies is rarely this fun, and killing Nazi zombies with friends is a great bonding exercise.
6Sniper Elite: VR/VR Winter Warrior
Sniper Elite VR and its sequel, Sniper Elite VR: Winter Warrior are what most VR ports are; great VR experiences for fans of VR, or for super-fans of the franchise, but as compared to regular entries into the series, a little bit lacking in breadth and depth. It makes sense this is the case, considering VR is a tiny market compared to the traditional 2D market, and concessions sometimes have to be made both control and clarity wise.
All of that said, if you’re looking for a unique VR experience with sniping you can’t find many others, and these games are certainly worth your time. While they can be a little bit clunky, most things in VR just take a little bit to get used to. Once you get over that hump and understand how exactly to interact with the world, these games can be a very good time.
5Sniper Elite v2/v2 Remastered
Sniper Elite v2 has been remastered to include mechanics from the more recent Sniper Elite games, but the original version was quite good, as well. V2 was the first Sniper Elite to include the x-ray killcam mechanic, so you could get up close and personal with what your shots were doing to the Nazis you were so elegantly lining up in your scope.
The original version of Sniper Elite v2 is unavailable in many places, ever since v2 Remastered was released.
The story of Sniper Elite v2 takes place during the final portion of WW2, where Russian forces threaten to wrest control of German Rocket technology. It pits you against German and Russian forces alike, with an upgrade all-around when it comes to gameplay from the previous iteration.
4Sniper Elite 3
Sniper Elite 3 upgraded things in a big way, with expansive levels set in North Africa. This game is a prequel set much closer towards the beginning of the war, with new stealth mechanics leading enemies to where you were last seen. You can use this to your advantage if you’re quick, smart, and a little bit lucky, enabling you to lead enemies on a wild goose chase and right into your sights.
The large environments give you the ability to really get things done your way, and thenew stealth mechanicshelped make it into a sandbox that, once you get the hang of things, really lets you make the levels your own.
3Sniper Elite
Where it all started, the first Sniper Elite might be a little rough around the edges, but a lot is owed to the originator for the bones that everything that followed expanded upon. Considering its age, you’ll need to head into it understanding that it’s going to be lacking in a lot of things that we take for granted in newer games.
But if you do give it a chance, it might surprise you with some of the details that weren’t standard-issue back then. The killcam debuted in the very first installment, sans the x-ray component, but it was still a very cool addition, and provided the hook that got a lot of players involved in the first place.
2Sniper Elite 4
If Sniper Elite 3 expanded upon the Sniper Elite formula, then Sniper Elite 4 honed it. Expanding upon the x-ray killcam for sniper kills, it now includes kills of more or less any kind. Nazis taken down by explosions will get torn apart by shrapnel, and those that escape the explosion might get x-rayed by a melee kill.
It’s not all about the x-rays either, as new traversal options added more possibilities to stealth, and some real density to the return of big, open maps that first appeared in the previous iteration. All in all, Sniper Elite 4 took what 3 did and improved it all across the board, creating a really expansive sandbox.
1Sniper Elite 5
If Sniper Elite 4 improved on Sniper Elite 3, the fifth iteration nearly perfected it. The maps are still gigantic, but there’s so much going on in them that each section of the map feels like a level in itself.Sniping mechanics feel as good as they ever have here, and the bullet-time x-ray killcams are at their peak.
Weapon customization also received an upgrade, allowing you to change just about everything about your multitude of weapons, including different ammo types. The campaign is as long and satisfying as ever, and because of the size and depth of the levels, it’s a game that can be played more than once, and in very different ways.
