REVIEW: Sniper Elite: Resistance

A Shot That Mostly Misses the Mark

Sniper Elite: Resistance promised an exciting new chapter in the long-running tactical shooter series, but the final product feels like a missed opportunity. While there are glimpses of brilliance — particularly when it sticks to the series’ roots of tense, methodical sniping — a host of mechanical and design flaws weigh the game down.

Set in the fictional French region of “Valmont,” Resistance places you in the boots of a local partisan fighter named Luc Durand. Rather than the familiar Karl Fairburne, players experience the war from a new perspective — an idea that sounds fantastic on paper. Unfortunately, the execution struggles to bring this fresh angle to life. The story is flat and the new characters lack the charisma needed to make players invest emotionally. The stakes are high, but the storytelling feels perfunctory, with predictable plot beats and little character development beyond the occasional brief cutscene.

Gameplay remains familiar for veterans of the series: sneaking through large maps, setting traps, and lining up those satisfying long-distance shots. When everything clicks, Resistance still delivers the signature Sniper Elite thrill. The redesigned X-ray kill cam, showing devastating bullet impacts in even more gruesome detail, remains the highlight. It’s as morbidly fascinating as ever, and successfully scratches the itch that has kept fans returning for years.

Unfortunately, the stealth mechanics feel dated compared to modern peers. Enemy AI is frustratingly inconsistent: sometimes hyper-aware to the point of absurdity, and other times blind to a sniper perched a few meters away. The result is that tension often gives way to unintentional comedy or pure frustration. Too often, missions devolve into chaotic firefights, undermining the tactical planning the series is known for.

Level design in Resistance is a mixed bag. Some maps are impressively open and encourage exploration, with side objectives that offer multiple approaches. Others, however, feel constrained and repetitive, with recycled assets and uninspired layouts. The new “urban uprising” environments — narrow alleyways, rooftops, and bombed-out houses — initially feel fresh but quickly grow stale when every mission starts to blur into the next.

On a technical level, the game is serviceable but unremarkable. Graphics are a noticeable step down from Sniper Elite 5, with muddy textures and stiff character animations. Lighting effects are decent, but overall, Resistance looks dated, especially on current-gen consoles. Audio design fares better; the whizz of bullets and distant sounds of battle add a needed layer of immersion, even if the voice acting leaves much to be desired.

Content-wise, Resistance is lighter than previous entries. The campaign is shorter, clocking in at around 8–10 hours, and there’s a noticeable lack of side content beyond basic collectibles. The multiplayer suite offers the standard modes — team deathmatch, free-for-all, and survival — but matchmaking issues and a dwindling player base already make it hard to find stable games.

One bright spot is the new “Guerrilla Tactics” mode, a roguelike-inspired spin where you must survive a sequence of random missions with limited gear. It’s a fun and challenging diversion that shows what Resistance could have been if it had embraced more experimental ideas throughout.

Ultimately, Sniper Elite: Resistance feels like a stopgap — a spin-off designed to fill the space between bigger, better games in the franchise. It’s not without its moments, and hardcore fans will find pockets of enjoyment, but for most players, it’s hard to recommend at full price. A discounted pickup or a Game Pass trial might be the best way to experience what little it gets right.

There’s still life in the Sniper Elite formula, but Resistance reminds us that a sharp shooter needs more than just a steady aim — it needs a strong heart behind the trigger.

Score: 64%