Sniper Elite

 Xbox
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 18 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 18
  3. Negative: 3 out of 18
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  1. NickWelford
    Oct 8, 2005
    8
    A solid sniping game that is good fun and very rewarding if you are patient enough. Marks are lost for silly flaws like not being able to clamber over low debris and platforms, but this doesn't detract from the fun of the game. Taking out gas caps on trucks and tanks is most rewarding, or you could just lob some TNT under it then snipe that! Split Screen co-op just adds to the fun A solid sniping game that is good fun and very rewarding if you are patient enough. Marks are lost for silly flaws like not being able to clamber over low debris and platforms, but this doesn't detract from the fun of the game. Taking out gas caps on trucks and tanks is most rewarding, or you could just lob some TNT under it then snipe that! Split Screen co-op just adds to the fun with the chance to play spotter and sniper. Awesome fun, reccomended for those who like a bit of build up play rather than al out shooting.… Expand
  2. RichardS.
    Apr 16, 2006
    9
    Absolutely excellent game - compared to the tedious repetition of Call of Duty and Medal of Honour etc this is a breath of fresh air. I love FPS games, especially when I get a sniper rifle eg Halo, FarCry etc so this is manna from heaven. A really clever game - watching a bullet fly across a square from my hiding place to hit the enemy never gets boring. Every "kill" is a thrill (and no, Absolutely excellent game - compared to the tedious repetition of Call of Duty and Medal of Honour etc this is a breath of fresh air. I love FPS games, especially when I get a sniper rifle eg Halo, FarCry etc so this is manna from heaven. A really clever game - watching a bullet fly across a square from my hiding place to hit the enemy never gets boring. Every "kill" is a thrill (and no, I am not a psycho) - the strategy employed to outflank the enemy, the need to calculate variables to get an accurate shot and the timing to avoid being detected makes for such a satisfying experience. The gameplay is also very varied - you can use heavy machine guns and charge about if you like. The graphics are hardly xbox360 standard, but are fine - as for being muddy, that is part of the camo experience. The sound is excellent. Overall I agree with the top formal review - this is the best WW2 experience on a console.… Expand
  3. JorgeN.
    May 16, 2006
    10
    so far this is the best shooter game that i have played so far i have been hooked on it since i first bought it, and the online play is even better good job with this games and i hope to see part 2 of sniper elite.
  4. Uwepoll
    Nov 6, 2005
    7
    Offline, it can be decent but very challenging. Online, it feels a little forced since most maps are so small that you don't even need a sniper rifle to take out the enemies. On that note, online turns into Halo with everyone just running around grenading and machine gunning each other. So what's the point of playing this sniper game if you either don't need to snipe or Offline, it can be decent but very challenging. Online, it feels a little forced since most maps are so small that you don't even need a sniper rifle to take out the enemies. On that note, online turns into Halo with everyone just running around grenading and machine gunning each other. So what's the point of playing this sniper game if you either don't need to snipe or won't be able to since everyone plays it like Rambo? The fact that your binoculars zoom in further than your scope should tell you the maps are just to small for this type of concept. Another one to steer clear of.… Expand
  5. GeorgeN.
    May 24, 2006
    10
    sound and stillness of the game is what i love about this particular video game the graphics on the game are better than average but the most aluring about this game is the pink mist that you see after a head shot is priceless every shot is what you live for in this game good work Rebelion with this ww2 master peice.
  6. JamesM.
    Apr 21, 2007
    10
    Wow, what a challenging game!! The sound, weapons, and all around graphics were awesome. I just want to know if they will come out with a second one or at least a sniper game that is just or more challenging?
  7. RomanT.
    Jun 12, 2006
    9
    Sniper Elite is simply the best World War 2 game I've ever played, period. I am playing it right now with my roommate in a co-op mode and it's totally awesome. The whole post war atmosphere, the music, the graphics, the sound effects, and most importantly addicting gameplay are all there. I would strongly recommend anyone to check this game out; it's definitely a jewel of Sniper Elite is simply the best World War 2 game I've ever played, period. I am playing it right now with my roommate in a co-op mode and it's totally awesome. The whole post war atmosphere, the music, the graphics, the sound effects, and most importantly addicting gameplay are all there. I would strongly recommend anyone to check this game out; it's definitely a jewel of gamming. Sniping is just awesome: my personal best record is 305 yard head shot (I had to aim about 6 notches above the targets head just to hit him)… Expand
  8. Mastereed
    Mar 4, 2023
    5
    IF ONLY IT WAS BLACK AND WHITE

    BEFORE WE BEGIN: Co-op and multiplayer modes have not been tested and therefore will not be explored within the review. DISCOVERING HISTORY: Sniper Elite, as the firstborn of the long Saga that lives on to this day, left the seeds from which great titles such as Sniper Elite 4 were born. Unfortunately, whether due to technical and monetary problems or    IF ONLY IT WAS BLACK AND WHITE

    BEFORE WE BEGIN:
    Co-op and multiplayer modes have not been tested and therefore will not be explored within the review.

    DISCOVERING HISTORY:
    Sniper Elite, as the firstborn of the long Saga that lives on to this day, left the seeds from which great titles such as Sniper Elite 4 were born. Unfortunately, whether due to technical and monetary problems or a lack of experience on the part of the then-young team, this first title did not excel in many respects, but it certainly gave birth to mechanics unknown to the video game world of its time. The early stages of the game, as usual, are a series of actual recordings, dating back to the Second World War, that set the tone of the game and explain, partly through a handy task letter, the ultimate goal of the protagonist Karl Fairburne, a young German sniper who switched to the American faction. The game has no real tutorial but explains the basic mechanics to the player with extremely intrusive messages; fortunately these can be disabled from the settings, since they will tend to appear at critical stages of the game, breaking the atmosphere and often leading to unjust deaths.

    ICE SKATING:
    Explaining the gameplay of one of the latest Sniper Elite games would be redundant, but as this is the first occasion where some of the saga's iconic mechanics are introduced, it seems fair to go into them in detail. The two basic mechanics of the game are, or at least they should be, sniping and stealth; sniping is focused on a bullet decay system based on the range of the target (this is only in difficulties above beginner), a system of scoop oscillation based on the character's breathing, which increases with certain actions such as running, and a bullet travel system when making a particularly spectacular kill, built on a camera attached to the bullet that makes the player see exactly the path of the bullet before hitting the enemy. The famous X-rays, a focal point of later titles, have not yet been added. Of course, numerous other weapons are also present, but they can only be used in hipfire, that is, without aiming, and therefore the shots will go randomly; this was obviously done specifically to avoid the abuse of these weapons, which, even with these devices, are quite strong. The stealth mechanics, on the other hand, revolve all around moving while lying down and using the silenced gun; the problem with all this is that the game was rarely developed to be approached in silent mode, and doing so by running and being discovered always results in a more efficient as well as fun approach. As for the story and the various missions, they turn out to be very long-winded and well-structured, with missions divided by micro-quests and various optional ones. The story also turns out to be quite long, offering around 10 hours of gameplay. Story-wise, on the other hand, it comes down to the plot of a typical American action B movie.

    I FEEL LIKE I’VE ALREADY BEEN THERE:
    Graphically the original Sniper Elite does not turn out to be a top in any aspect except for the HUD, like the map. Comparing it to great games released in the same year such as Call of Duty 2 or Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, the graphics, art side, and level design come across as poorly detailed, poorly structured, and decidedly repetitive; the variation in aesthetics between missions is mainly about changing coloration and lighting of environments, giving a sense of fatigue and boredom when playing multiple missions consecutively. On the animation side, the game also fails to hold a candle to works published several years before its release, with clunky and extremely unnatural animations.

    HEARING TANK TRACKS:
    On the audio side, Sniper Elite has neither great merits nor flaws, settling on average. The only major flaw lies in the dubbing, which, at least for the Italian one, is extremely desyncato and qualitatively poor.

    BUT WHY 5?

    CONS:
    The cons of this game are varied and are mostly already mentioned in the part above. The slowness of the game, the unengaging shooting feel, the story not at all appealing, the repetitive and tiresome aesthetics, and the extremely clunky movements do not result in a positive mix. An unmentioned detail is that of running, which gives the impression of constantly being on a frozen surface, leading any movement to be slippery and increasing the difficulty in climbing stairs or making turns. Finally, the game's AI is rather silly, making certain missions completable extremely quickly.

    PROS:
    The pros of this title are mainly based on the main roots for this saga, since aside from the shooting which can be fun, the rest remains below the standard of games of that era, and even some games released even earlier.

    RATING
    Gameplay: 6
    Music: 4
    Story: 4
    Shooting: 7
    _    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

67
#67 Best Xbox Game of 2005
80
#80 Most Discussed Xbox Game of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. games(TM)
    80
    Sniper Elite makes headshots a grizzly reward that becomes addictive and, because the battle is always weighted against you, filled with air-punching satisfaction every time you make a connection. Bravo. [Nov 2005, p.96]
  2. Eurogamer
    70
    What lies beneath its rather unspectacular veneer is a really well designed game that approaches the conflict from a different angle and provides a solid platform for a hugely entertaining game.
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  3. AceGamez
    70
    The less patient and more action-oriented gamers might not warm to it so much, but if you're the kind of gamer that enjoys the chance to get a good sniping spot on your favourite online shooter, then this really is one game you must play.
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