Sniper Elite 5

Sniper Elite 5 is still a satisfying and spectacularly gross way to shoot Nazis in their nether regions, but it feels like the series needs to start aiming its sights a little higher.

A PvPvE spin whose biggest draw isn’t so much the drive to get the winning kill, but the rampant tug-of-war that is the dread and tension a rival sniper (out there, somewhere) on the field brings. Look past the momentary technical gaffes and what you’ll find in Sniper Elite 5 is a developer in Rebellion that even now can still find creative ways to excite and impress all over again.

Sniper Elite 5 is the best the series has been, with layered combat, huge maps, and tons of options to get that all-important kill.

If, like me, you watched that film when you were too young to do so, and thought "I wish there was a game that let me do that", rather than the more balanced "wow, war is terrible," then Sniper Elite 5 is that game, just without the Russian setting or Rachel Weisz. Couple that with eight superbly flexible sandboxes and the most imaginative interactive representation of the second world war in at least a decade, and you've got yourself one of the most entertaining games of the year.

Had Sniper Elite 5 launched without its new Axis Invasion mode, I'd have been suitably impressed with what is a confident step up onto new-gen hardware. But with its inclusion, although hardly revolutionary in the grand scheme of online sandbox games, it adds enough spice to Sniper Elite 5 to elevate it above anything from its own back catalog, and the majority of its competition.

More highly addictive Nazi cranium popping, that improves almost every aspect of the experience – especially in terms of the open world and expanded weapon options.

Sniper Elite 5 features the same great stealth combat that fans of the series have come to adore, even if its story and all guns blazing approach leave a lot to be desired. A few new upgrades like Axis Invasion mode and enhanced weapon customisation are welcome additions, making killing Nazis still damn fun.

It’s easy to get lost exploring the giant maps in Rebellion’s Sniper Elite 5, it’s been a while since I’ve played a game where I lost track of time. The collecting part leaves something to be desired, but the co-op and invasion gameplay modes more than make up for that.

Sniper Elite 5 is excellent, genuinely. This is a bold step forward for a franchise that felt like it was treading water, and it’s one of 2022’s most essential releases. Bugs and missteps stop it from being a true GOTY contender, but fans of open-world stealth will be enamoured.