This review has now been updated to include the multiplayer section and our final score.

Since checking out Sniper Elite 4 at a preview event just before Christmas, I’ve been eagerly awaiting its arrival and I’m so happy to confirm that the game does not disappoint. Slipping back into the shoes of covert agent and elite marksman, Lieutenant Karl Fairburne, SE4 takes us to Italy in 1943, picking up right where its predecessor left off. Developer, Rebellion, have ensured that there’s something for everyone in SE4, without compromising the quality of their content. Offering a solid Campaign, several Multiplayer activities and a well-implemented Co-op Mode, SE4 shows all the signs of an established franchise that is not only confident in what it offers, but incredibly successful in delivering a polished experience.

From start to finish, SE4 ensures that it’s players have plenty to do; no matter what your play style is and this is achieved through several complimentary factors. Firstly, the game’s blueprint is surprisingly large. As you’re probably aware, the smallest map in the new instalment is three times the size of the largest map in SE3, and this is very apparent when you’re running around completing various missions. Even when trying out the Co-Op Campaign, I found that my friend and I could split up, take on a couple of objectives each and not run into each other until we made a conscious effort to meet up again. Players will have a lot of space to move around, making elaborate trap setups all the more fun to construct. Stealthier players will also appreciate having plenty of room to change positions frequently, as to avoid being caught.

So, the maps are vast, but thankfully that doesn’t mean that they’re filled with barren stretches of nothingness. It’s actually quite impressive how much Rebellion have managed to cram into each of the missions, creating a reasonably realistic military presence on an island, while achieving some depth to what would otherwise be ‘seek and destroy’-style missions. Each map has a few main objectives, along with optional ones that consist of destroying Nazi equipment or gaining more intelligence on something. To fully complete each mission you’ll also have to locate a long list of collectibles including soldier’s letters, miscellaneous documents and sniper reports. As if that wasn’t enough, each mission also has a list of Challenges such as “don’t use any bandages or health kits” and “get at least ten foliage takedowns” to encourage players to adopt different styles when replaying missions. Despite offering all of the above, SE4 doesn’t force any of these additions on its players. You’re placed on an island with a lot of options and from then on, its entirely up to you how you want to approach the mission. SE4 gives players the freedom to do whatever they want, however they want, providing the game with a failsafe promise of pure enjoyment. Basically, you make your own fun so if you’re not having a good time, you should probably re-evaluate your approach.

Whether you’re looking to spend an hour casually taking out guards, or experience realistic bullet ballistics and brutal enemy AI, SE4 has you covered. I played through the Campaign on ‘Normal’ the first time around and I’d say that many players will find this mode very comfortable. ‘Hard’ mode is a nice step up and may be a good starting point to get fans back into the swing of things. For the insanely-skilled, ‘Hardcore’ is also an option. Regardless of which level you fall into, you’ll have an excellent selection of weapons, traps and grenades to choose from. This is where the game truly demonstrates its worth as it makes players aware of everything in its catalogue in the first mission, enabling them to start off slow with a few items before collecting the rest as they progress. Starting a mission with a small arsenal, players can loot the bodies of the AI and crates as well as poke around in tents to pick up more valuable items such as suppressed ammunition and S-Mines. Of course, these items are far less readily available and should therefore be used sparingly. However, as you replay missions, you’ll begin to unlock skills that will enhance your experience, including the ability to hold more of each item once you reach Rank 30.

Speaking of replaying missions, you’re probably wondering how many Rebellion are offering this time around. SE4 is short but sweet, featuring eight missions (plus the Target: Führer DLC mission for those that have preordered the game). However, it’s clear that the final mission doesn’t mark the end of the game. The war isn’t over yet and if you’re aware of the Season Pass details, we still have three additional campaign missions to look forward to. Despite only offering eight missions, each one feels different enough that players won’t get bored. The environments are varied and some of the missions include time-sensitive objectives which add some pressure to the situation. These occasional yet sudden changes in pace are a welcome addition as they add tension and leave the player feeling satisfied. Understandably, some of the objectives are similar but I feel as though there’s enough variety for players not to feel as though they’re completing the same task over and over.

As I mentioned earlier, players’ experiences will be defined by how they choose to play and I’m sure that fans of the series will appreciate the depth of each mission when replaying them, as well as the story in general. To be honest, SE4’s gameplay is so strong that it probably doesn’t even need a deep story, yet it seems as though Rebellion have experimented further by digging even deeper into the WWII setting. Many of the collectibles in SE4 consist of letters to and from the German soldiers and you’ll often pick these up after taking out an enemy. The content of these letters reminds us of the emotional layer of war: the fact that all of these men are human and are essentially just pawns in a game of greed. These are interesting additions in a game that depends on its players to ruthlessly eliminate enemies so I’m unsure how these notes will affect players’ decisions, if at all. However, they serve a good purpose in adding further detail to an already comprehensive historical backdrop.

Overall, Sniper Elite 4 has so much to offer its players and successfully caters to a wide variety of people. The fact that the Campaign can be played solo or entirely co-op is awesome, making it easy for players and their friends to jump in and out of the story as often as they please. Experiencing each mission for the first time is just the beginning of an on-going learning experience and the more familiar you become with the maps, the better sniper you’ll become. While this game gives its players the freedom to play however they choose, it definitely encourages you to improve your stealth skills, enabling players to calculate their actions and time everything perfectly for the best results. Whether you’re a pro or a rookie, Sniper Elite 4 will not disappoint you.

Additional Modes

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In addition to a full Campaign, Rebellion have included a number of other modes to keep players occupied. One of these modes is Survival, in which players are placed in special arenas where they have to survive waves of enemies. This mode can be played solo, or with up to three friends. Personally, I would urge players that want to try this mode to do so with friends as it makes the struggle a bit more fun! Other modes include ‘Overwatch’ (asymmetrical sniper and spotter missions), ‘Deathmatch’, ‘Distance King’ – where the player with the longest-range shot wins and ‘No Cross’, which is a lot like Deathmatch except it has the twist of each team being separated by no man’s land.

From what I’ve experienced playing on PC, not many people are actually playing these modes. It seems as though the community prefer to focus on a select few, mainly opting for custom games. Although I enjoyed the fast-paced and kind of chaotic atmosphere of Control, it’s incredibly difficult to find a game online. However, I completely understand why this is the case; its in the name! Sniper Elite may give you the option to run around with your sidearm, but the true beauty is in those tasty long-distance kills and this is reflected across both the single and multiplayer modes. I spent over an hour in a custom No Cross game where players were constantly disconnecting due to the length of the match. To be an elite Sniper in these multiplayer modes, you’ll have to be a patient player that can successfully switch between a number of good sniping spots. I must admit, I definitely improved my sniping skills by jumping into these modes but the length of the available games has definitely deterred me from returning anytime soon. If you’re not particularly patient (like me), you may lose interest in the multiplayer options pretty quickly.

System Requirements

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Sniper Elite 4 ran exceptionally well on Ultra settings on my PC (GTX 1080; 16GB RAM; i7 6700K). Overall, playing the game looked silky smooth and I didn’t experience any problems with it at all. Players using ultra wide monitors will also be happy to hear that this game supports the 3440x1440 resolution.

Minimum System Requirements:

OS: 64-bit Windows 7, 64-bit Windows 8.1 or 64-bit Windows 10

Processor: Intel CPU Core i3-2100 or AMD equivalent

Memory: 4 GB RAM

Graphics: AMD Radeon HD 7870 (2GB) or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 (2GB)

Recommended System Requirements:

OS: 64-bit Windows 7, 64-bit Windows 8.1 or 64-bit Windows 10

Processor: Intel CPU Core i7-3770 or AMD equivalent

Memory: 8 GB RAM

Graphics: Nvidia GPU GeForce GTX 970 / AMD GPU Radeon RX 480

Price & Purchase

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Sniper Elite 4 will release on 14th February 2017 on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

If you preorder the game now on Steam for $59.99, you’ll receive a couple of pre-purchase rewards in the form of the Target: Führer mission DLC - which I can confirm is really good - and a Camouflage Rifles Skin Pack. A Digital Deluxe Edition of the game is also available for $89.99, which includes the full game and the Season Pass.