In a November 2024 hands-on, Insider Gaming’s Mike Straw played more than an hour of Sniper Elite: Resistance and completed its third mission. His preview build felt remarkably close to Sniper Elite 5: familiar stealth, shooting and level design, with some promising route choices but uneven enemy behavior. For returning players, that resemblance could be reassuring—or a sign that the series needs more than a new protagonist to feel fresh.
What Mike Straw played
Straw’s account, published November 25, 2024, is a limited hands-on preview, not a review of the finished game. He spent over an hour with a preview build and completed the third mission. His impressions of handling, enemy AI and mission design come from that session, rather than a systematic comparison with Sniper Elite 5.
The game is set in France, parallel to the events of Sniper Elite 5. It puts Harry Hawker in the lead role instead of Karl Fairburne. Straw described the engine and gameplay as nearly identical to the 2022 predecessor.
How familiar does it feel beside Sniper Elite 5?
In Straw’s hands-on, the core experience was recognizable: move through a mission, use stealth or fight more aggressively, and take advantage of the series’ signature kill cam. The preview did not establish a major change to the underlying gameplay or engine. Its clearest change in the account is the protagonist and the story context around him.
#1 Best Overall
- Brand new. UK Import PAL version. Game in English. UK PSN account may be required for any online features.
That continuity cuts both ways. Players who want another mission built around the established Sniper Elite formula may find the familiarity comfortable. Straw’s concern was that the resemblance could leave the game feeling too much like Sniper Elite 5, particularly if the larger story did not provide enough of a reason to return. That is his concern based on the preview, not a broader consensus or a verdict on the completed game.
Did the mission offer different ways to play?
Straw found that the region he played offered distinctive uses for cover and opportunities to distract enemies. He could move carefully and quietly or take a more aggressive approach, while objectives allowed multiple routes. Those options suggested room to replay the mission differently, although one preview session cannot establish how consistently that flexibility appears throughout the campaign.
Rank #2
- Based on the critically-acclaimed Sniper Elite video game series, with one player taking on the role of elite Allied sniper Karl Fairburne and their opponents teaming up to hunt them down.
- A tense one-versus-many hidden-movement game where bluff and deduction meets tactical combat, as every shot and movement risks revealing the sniper's location, but every step closer makes the defenders an easier target.
- Fast paced and action-packed, with an average play time of 45 minutes at any player count.
- Co-designed by award-winning designer David Thompson, designer of acclaimed war-themed titles like War Chest and the Undaunted series.
- Includes a double sided-playing board with two different maps, ten unique ink-washed miniatures and fully illustrated cards from the concept art team behind the videogame series.
The series’ kill cam also returns. It is a familiar feature rather than evidence, on its own, of a substantial change to the combat system.
What did the preview reveal about enemy AI?
Straw’s observations were mixed. Some enemy searches seemed credible and reactive, but he also saw enemies stand still, repeat a conspicuous bench behavior, and one apparent mismatch between a shot and its result. The build did not let him change difficulty, limiting what he could assess across settings.
Rank #3
- Written by Keith Richardson
- Illustrated by Patrick Goddard
These are observations from one journalist’s preview-build session. They do not establish how every encounter behaves or whether the same issues appear in the final release.
What other modes and content did the article mention?
Beyond the third mission Straw played, his article described the full game as including a campaign, the returning Invasion mode, and new Propaganda Missions. The account does not establish that his hands-on session tested those features, so they should be treated as content descriptions rather than hands-on impressions.
Rank #4
- Enter the stadium and take part of one of the biggest competitions across 34 sports: from swimming, soccer, extreme bike, weightlifting, trampoline and much more!
- Defend your own country and visit the World: United States, Australia, Japan, France…
- Train yourself alone or compete with your friends!
- An enhanced version of “30 Sport Games in 1”, with revamped design, new games and more customisation!
What did the preview say about release?
The November 25, 2024 article stated that Sniper Elite: Resistance would launch January 30 for Xbox, PlayStation and PC, but that sentence did not specify a year. It is a historical statement, not a current release announcement. The article does not verify today’s platform availability, regional editions, physical versions, prices, updates or retailer stock.
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