Review for Sniper Elite 4. Game for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 14/02/2017 The version for Nintendo Switch came out on 17/11/2020
The figure of the sniper is perhaps among the most fascinating in the military field. While never at the center of the action, he watches silently and hidden waiting for an enemy, a Death angel invisible that causes terror in enemy troops. In video games, this specialization is among the most ambitious to master, despite the fact that they are often spoken of as campers, pointing to annoying elements during a game; then there is the series Sniper Elite, created by Rebellion in 2005 and which has now become the flagship product of the British independent studio.
We have been following the feats of the sharpshooter for twelve years Karl Fairburne and, chapter after chapter, we have seen a general refinement of that in this one Sniper Elite 4 reaches a new peak, proving to be a really well-made stealth shooter despite some flaws.
The story continues the journey undertaken since the first episode of the series and, after various trips to Germany, the Soviet Union and North Africa, Karl Fairburne arrives in Italy to open a passage for the Allies who are landing on the Sicilian coasts, as well as investigating a new German technology which could prove to be fundamental in reversing the war in favor of the Axis.
From this point of view the Rebellion boys still have a lot to learn: in the face of a story that unfolds in history, the characters are never charismatic enough to grab attention and everything is carried forward almost as if it were a formality instead of committing to tell historical events of value. A shame because the basics are all there but, as long as the dialogues between the various secondary characters represent a mere formality to know the objectives of the mission we are about to start, Sara hard to get excited about such a dull narrative.
However, it must be acknowledged that Sniper Elite 4's strength lies in its gameplay which, episode after episode, it does not stop refining and expanding pulling a perfect interpretation of a sniper simulator out of the hat. Those who chew bread and stealth will have something to enjoy, but even newbies to the series will be able to gradually take manual skills with the numerous features of the game, aimed at making our lethal and silent infiltration: binoculars will be the most useful accessory in the game, as they will allow us to search the environments, mark our targets and therefore develop a good action plan without getting caught and not only.
In fact, it is good to keep in mind that our rifle is not silenced (unless you have specific ammunition), therefore our every shot will be evaluated with attention and timing, perhaps taking advantage of the noise of a low-flying plane that will allow us to remain invisible. As we go up in difficulty. Furthermore bullet ballistics will be increasingly realistic, putting in our hands an experience very close to reality.
Likewise, Rebellion has developed numerous diversions, from throwing stones to a whistle that will prove crucial in getting rid of some guards while we are conveniently hidden, as well as the ability to place bombs in enemy bodies to make the finding of the corpses more crackling than usual. Obviously the Killcam remains among the highlights of the game, with artfully crafted slow motion effects and the usual surgical anatomical care in highlighting our best shots with pulped brains, explosive jaws, perforated intestines and lungs, still making us proud of our work.
Artificial intelligence has made significant progress and we assure you that, even at the slightest difficulty, will be able to give us some thread to twist. Behaving in an unscrupulous way will cause the enemies to start to be much more attentive and to turn in groups, then becoming relentless once our cover goes off. The overall experience however remains very balanced e the player's skill will always be rewarded accordingly, in case it manages to find the right balance, proving to be a stealth game of very high quality.
The only thing that bothered us was automatic saving which is activated after each shot we fire e and he will not always be able to be as accommodating as he should, a criticism that leaves the time it finds but which acquires value if you think about the game's missions and their structure.
The ten levels that make up the Sniper Elite 4 single player experience are in fact very articulated, to the point that they can hardly be completed while remaining under an hour and a half of play thanks to numerous secondary objectives but also an impressive number of collectibles arranged everywhere, even on our enemies, which also translates into guaranteed replayability. They then think about enriching the offer in the long run different challenges that will put all virtual snipers to the test, making each mission a small microcosm where you can have fun for a long time, a bit like in the new chapter of Hitman.
They close the circle the shooting range, perfect place to hone our technique and face further skill challenges and the medal table, where numerous objectives are collected that will allow us to level up, earning perks that will make our life easier and the possibility of buying new weapons to use both in single player and multiplayer.
Sniper Elite 4 also offers a very wide multiplayer mode which allows you to play the entire campaign in co-op, as well as perform special missions as a sniper and observer: the first will be the arm while the second the mind, in charge of marking the enemies and, working in synergy, opening a way towards the mission objectives.
There are also the Horde-style missions, also available solo and of more conventional methods such as team deathmatches and other types that, given the gameplay, offer a decidedly unconventional experience but not bad for this, on the contrary. We have to admit that we haven't been able to play a lot in multiplayer due to almost deserted servers in the review phase, however the few games we managed to do return a very special feeling: in fact, the typical frenzy of online FPS / TPS is abandoned in favor of a war played more on a mental and tactical level which could frustrate at first glance, only to become absolutely galvanizing once you get the hang of it.
On a technical level, a good summary could be “good, but not very good”. Graphically, the game is not much affected by its independent nature: we are far from the results achieved in games such as Metal Gear Solid 5, however the good work done by Rebellion to characterize and diversify the various environments as much as possible of missions, with particular attention to small Sicilian villages, reproduced with great accuracy e details very faithful to the time reference with truly remarkable touches of style.
Having tried the game on PlayStation 4 ProFurthermore, we had the opportunity to enjoy an even more convincing experience thanks to a very stable framerate, a remarkable graphic cleaning and very short loads, almost immediate in the case of an autosave loading, making the game even more smooth.
Also the sound has largely convinced us: Sniper Elite 4 is entirely in Spanish, including dubbing: on the latter we would have to open a parenthesis because not infrequently we will hear voices that are not exactly perfect, at times similar to the good old Swiss dubbing of the past, however, the effort remains very appreciable and welcome. The sound effects are also excellent, with a good diversification of the noises of weapons and explosions, a little less the soundtrack, whose main feature is that of to be forgotten within ten minutes.
Ultimately Sniper Elite 4 is a well-made product and absolutely worthy of purchase: while still lacking the personality of the most famous franchises, its gameplay remains irresistible and the amount of content within it promises hours and hours of fun. A commendable work that will certainly not disfigure in your softeca and, to put it internationally, is worth a shot. Literally.
► Sniper Elite 4 is an Action-Adventure type game developed and published by Rebellion for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 14/02/2017 The version for Nintendo Switch came out on 17/11/2020
