Beck Shaw, lead level designer at Reebellion, has spoken to us about the studio’s recently-released stealth action title Sniper Elite: Resistance. In the interview, Shaw tells about all things Sniper Elite, including the Axis Invasion mode and the level design in Resistance. Check out what he has to say about the game below.
What prompted the decision to make Sniper Elite: Resistance a spinoff to the main franchise rather than a true sequel?
After finishing work on Sniper Elite 5, we felt that there was still so much more to explore within the setting of occupied France. So, Sniper Elite: Resistance is our opportunity to give fans more of what they love, while telling a new story that sits alongside the main franchise entries.
"We felt that there was still so much more to explore within the setting of occupied France"
What is the scope of gameplay and level design that we can expect from Resistance? Will it be comparable to Sniper Elite 5, or will we have a shorter campaign overall?
Sniper Elite: Resistance is a standalone experience with its own full-length campaign that is similar length to Sniper Elite 5. The game also features Propaganda Missions, which are brand new to the franchise, and unlocked by finding Resistance posters hidden across the campaign maps. In these side missions, you become a Resistance Fighter and are tasked with completing time sensitive challenges centred around sneaking, sniping and combat. On top of this, we have a full multiplayer experience, including cooperative play, adversarial online play and the fan favourite Axis Invasion mode.
The Sniper Elite franchise is famous for a number of things, chief among them being the X-ray kills. How will Resistance improve the feature compared to what we saw in 5?
We’ve not modified the X-ray Kill Cam too much as it was so well received in Sniper Elite 5. But the level design of Sniper Elite: Resistance really amplifies the Kill Cam by offering stunning settings and vistas. Players are going to be able to admire their long-range shots and get a real sense of satisfaction!
"The level design of Sniper Elite: Resistance really amplifies the Kill Cam"
How popular has Axis Invasion mode been for the franchise so far? Can you tell us what portion of players opt to leave it enabled?
I can’t go into specific numbers, but Invasion Mode was one of our most loved features from Sniper Elite 5 and so we were keen to bring it back into Sniper Elite: Resistance when we started plans for development. Invasion Mode captures the cat and mouse sniping gameplay that was the inspiration behind the franchise, and we have really enjoyed seeing how these intense matches play out among the community.
Among the many fronts in World War 2, what led to exploring the French resistance in Sniper Elite: Resistance?
It was hard to properly address the struggle of the French Resistance within Sniper Elite 5, as the story centred on the frontlines of the Allied liberation of Europe. So, Sniper Elite: Resistance is about returning to the same setting but turning the attention hidden war that the Resistance waged deep within the heart of occupied France.
Will we see more short-form side-story games from the Sniper Elite franchise in the future?
Never say never, but this is all we have planned for now.
What other fronts from World War 2 is the studio interested in exploring?
That’s a tricky one as there are so many to choose from! Sniper Elite has already taken us from the desert warfare of Africa, to the dramatic landscapes of Italy and the Allied liberation of Europe. It’s hard to say where we will go next, but I wouldn’t say any theatre is off limits as they all have important stories to tell.
"It was hard to properly address the struggle of the French Resistance within Sniper Elite 5"
I have to ask this. You must surely be thinking about the future of the franchise after shipping Resistance. Will Sniper Elite 6 happen at some point?
We don’t have anything to announce on that front yet.
We know the game will be PS5 Pro enhanced. Can you please let us know what those enhancements are?
Using the enhanced specification of the PS5 Pro, players can enjoy Sniper Elite: Resistance in full 4K, 2160p resolution.
What resolution and frame rate will the PS5 and Xbox Series X and S run at?
The PS5 runs at 60fps with a resolution of 1800p. Xbox Series X runs at 60fps with a resolution of 2160p The Xbox Series S runs at 60fps with a resolution of 1080p.
