Sniper Elite

Sniper Elite
Logo used in Sniper Elite V2
Genres	Tactical shooter, stealth
Developer(s)	Rebellion Developments
Publisher(s)	MC2 France Namco Hometek Reef Entertainment MC2-Microïds 505 Games Rebellion Developments
Platforms	Microsoft Windows PlayStation 2 PlayStation 3 PlayStation 4 Wii Wii U Xbox Xbox 360 Xbox One
First release	Sniper Elite 18 October 2005
Latest release	Sniper Elite 4 14 February 2017
Spin-offs	Zombie Army Trilogy

Sniper Elite is a tactical shooter video game series developed by English studio Rebellion Developments and currently published by 505 Games. It is a third-person tactical shooter that emphasizes a less direct approach to combat, encouraging the player as a sniper to use stealth and keep distance from enemy soldiers. Sniper Elite, the first in the entry was released in 2005, and was followed by Sniper Elite V2, a remake of the original Sniper Elite in 2012 and Sniper Elite III, a prequel of Sniper Elite V2 in 2014. A sequel to Sniper Elite III, Sniper Elite 4, was released in February 2017.

Gameplay

Sniper Elite is a third-person shooter that involves stealth and first-person shooter game elements. Many of the single player levels allow multiple routes for the players to take in order to avoid direct firefights. Set in World War II, the player character utilizes appropriate weapons for the era. The sniper rifle is the primary weapon throughout the game, though additional side arms (submachine guns and pistols) can be used depending on the situation. In addition to hand grenades, the player can also deploy tripwire booby traps, land mines and dynamite. The player can also shoot the enemies’ own grenades to trigger an explosion. Binoculars are used to tag enemies in view, displaying their position and movements to the player. Different postures such as crouching or lying prone can steady a shot, and the player can take a deep breath to "focus" for increased accuracy. Realistic ballistics are optional, taking into consideration factors such as wind direction and strength and bullet drop, potentially altering the outcome of a shot even with the use of the scope. Introduced in Sniper Elite V2 is the “X-Ray Kill Cam”, a feature where upon a successful and skilled shot will, in slow motion, follow the bullet from the rifle to the target's point of impact, showing an anatomically correct x-ray of the body part being hit and the damage the bullet causes to the organs and/or bones. In Sniper Elite III, stealth mechanics were reworked. An eye icon squints or opens to denote the player's level of detection by the enemy. Enemy soldiers will also have a circle meter over their heads to indicate alert status. Players are then forced to relocate periodically to prevent detection with a white ghost image to mark their last known position and the enemy will search a wider area.

Video games

Novels

Rebellion Developments' book imprint Abaddon Books released a novel inspired by the game, Sniper Elite: The Spear of Destiny written by Jasper Bark.^[1][2] In this book, Karl Fairburne's mission is to stop Nazi SS general Helmstadt from selling a working atomic bomb to the Soviets.

A short story written by Scott K. Andrews titled Sniper Elite V2 - Target Hitler was released as an E-Book.^[3]

Reception

Thus far, the series has been met with relatively positive reviews. More than 10 million Sniper Elite games were sold.^[15]

References