Some of them did a better job than the others, though, and choosing a favorite among them was surprisingly easier than a similar choice in other categories. Are you curious to know which one caught our fancy in this very competitive corner of the gaming world? Let’s begin with the nominees and work our way up from there.

Let’s jump right in! The nominees for the best shooter of 2025 are:

1. Escape From Tarkov

There’s so much to like about this one. It does a brilliant job of making you feel like you’re a battle-hardened mercenary, while its movement systems and excellent weapon variety make it a very viable option for those of you who like playing multiplayer online. Its premise does a great job at providing context for your actions, while the visuals can make things quite immersive indeed.

As far as shooters go, Escape From Tarkov is definitely up there with the best ones of 2025.

2. Arc Raiders

Innovative, intense, and very interesting Arc Raiders’ spin on the extraction shooter formula has given its players a chance to create some truly memorable experience. Its post-apocalyptic world is one in which you can’t really trust anybody but when you find someone you can, it’s a beautiful moment with the potential for some spectacular ambushes on other Raiders.

It’s all so fast-paced and dripping with agency for its players that this gameplay loop is one that’s going to keep us diving back for more every time we get the chance.

3. Battlefield 6

Battlefield 6 had a lot riding on its shoulders after the debacle that was Battlefield 2042. The game has managed to live up to the hype, however, despite a poor response to its single player campaign. Its visuals are outstanding while the Kinesthetic movement system does wonders for its gameplay.

The Portal is so much better this time around, while its weapons, destructible environments, and a general feel of polish being a part of the experience make this one worth owning.

4. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl (PS5)

As a version of STALKER 2 that came complete with all of the game’s updates over the past year along with some great touches from GSC that made use of the DualSense’s haptics and adaptive triggers, the PS5 version of the game is the one to beat.

It’s very immersive while the improved and patched A-Life system and the newly added improvements to stealth make exploring The Zone on your PS5 an experience in which you’re always at risk even as you hunt down your enemies with skill and precision. The story is great and the world is one in which there is a lot of potential for unscripted chaos.

5. DOOM: The Dark Ages

The Slayer returned for a third instalment that channels everything that makes the first-person shooter genre so exhilarating. However, id Software’s switched-up gameplay loop coupled with a setting that explored the early days of the Slayer’s battles against enemy forces made this one a brutal romp through incredibly rendered environments.

Of course, those environments were peppered with deadly enemies and cool weapons for the Slayer to take on, and the entire experience is a blast from start to finish. You can’t go wrong with a DOOM: The Dark Ages title if you’re in the market for a new shooter.

6. Sniper Elite: Resistance

Rebellion’s return to the Sniper Elite franchise has been a largely entertaining trip, and watching Harry Hawker take on the Wunderwaffe was a delight. Of course, the gameplay mechanics were a huge part of that happiness, with a lot of freedom being given to players in determining their approach to a target.

The X-ray kill cam, and a lot of solid optional content makes this a great choice for those of you who like to shoot from a distance.

7. The Outer Worlds 2

This follow up to its 2019 predecessor is an RPG that’s going to have you grinning to yourself on many occasions even as you power through some intense battles and navigate a complex world with nuanced interactions between its factions and your character. The Outer Worlds 2 is full of memorable moments that’s balanced out by a story with some serious stakes..

With a lot of potential for build creation and excellent replay value, this is a game that can suck up a massive chunk of your life if you decide to take it on.

8. Escape From Duckov

Team Soda’s unique spin on an extraction shooter balances adorable characters with nail-biting action in this one. The top-down presentation works well to give weight to its mechanics while the visuals and story lend it a pace that’s quite satisfying.

As a single-player extraction shooter, Escape from Duckov stands out from the crowd, with a gameplay loop that seems deceptively simple until a firefight breaks out. It’s definitely worth a shot (pun intended).

9. Alien: Rogue Incursion Evolved Edition

Although the main campaign was a little too short for our liking, this tension-filled trek through a Xenomorph-infested facility was quite thrilling. The Xenos are brutal and relentless, coming at you from every possible angle while you’re left scrambling to find a good position and launch your counterattack.

The story on offer is quite riveting too, and it can be very rewarding to hunt down all of the lore drops you find in the well-rendered world. If only the next chapter of the story could get here faster.

10. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has been a great game, making us burn the midnight oil more often than usual thanks to how addictive its gameplay loop can be. Its combat mechanics are top shelf while your psychic powers can be the road to some very creative ways to cause mayhem.

This one is a great addition to the Switch 2 lineup, and ticks all the right boxes that make up a solid shooter.

11. Metal Eden

If you’re a fan of shooters that require you to move fast and shoot faster, look no further than Metal Eden. With a lot of excellent mobility options at your disposal in the field, along with great weapons and a very well-implemented bullet time mechanic, Aska is capable of taking on the android antagonists who stand between her and the Cores.

Its gameplay and level design are somewhat let down by a lack of balancing and weapon progression systems but it’s still an excellent shooter nonetheless.

12. Borderlands 4

The Vault Hunters have returned, and with style. This is an action RPG that doesn’t take itself too seriously unless it’s an aspect of the experience that really counts. As such, its story and gameplay are excellent, while the franchise’s unique art style continues to hold its own among current-gen productions.

With an open world that hides a lot of fun things to do, and the franchise’s signature style guiding you along, you’re going to want to keep an eye on the clock as you play this one unless you’re planning to lose track of time.

13. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine – Master Crafted Edition

Sneakybox’s remaster of Demetrian Titus’ 2011 adventure continues to be a brilliant Warhammer 40k game. While it can be a little over-the-top in certain moments of its story, the combination of melee and ranged combat works very well with the weapon variety on offer and the narrative framing of the Ultramarines.

This is a quintessential Warhammer experience and is one that’s worth diving into even after all these years.

14. Ready or Not (PS5/Xbox Series X | S)

We’re going to tell you that this one came quite close to being the victor of this 2025’s best shooter. Its gameplay loop is filled with a sort of tension that comes from a presentation that’s done exceedingly well. It’s straightforward and easy to grasp while its moment to moment unpredictability make it a challenge to master.

Even the best of players might find themselves in the midst of a chaotic shootout, a single mistake costing them a lot of careful planning and tactical infiltration. Ready or Not is a masterpiece but it might not be everybody’s cup of tea thanks to its sensitive content.

15. Gears of War: Reloaded

Markus Fenix’s PS5 debut was all sorts of awesome. With a visual overhaul of the original experience working well with a story that continues to be as exciting as was back in the day, Gears of War continues to be a franchise that does the shooter genre justice.

From the nostalgia factor alone, to the mechanics and weapons you can wield, Gears of War: Reloaded is a great shooter, and its multiplayer scene continues to thrive thanks to the franchise’s immense popularity.

Well, we’ve put our cards on the table. And now comes the challenge of selecting a winner. While it hasn’t been easy and competition has been intense.

The winner of the best shooter of 2025 is…

Arc Raiders

This is a title that’s so unique and full of potential for community-driven chaos that it simply races ahead of its competition, bringing a very unique experience to the extraction-shooter space while its gameplay loop lends itself very well to unpredictability and tension between its world’s inhabitants. Lose yourself in this one, and you’re going to find that your fellow Raiders are your best friends and worst enemies all at once.

It’s been awesome trying out all of 2025’s greatest shooters. Here’s to many more excellent ones in 2026!

Of course, size isn’t everything. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and Like a Dragon have earned recognition for smaller worlds packed with plenty to do, leading to the term “semi-open world.” While it could mean many things – like several moderately sized areas that aren’t seamlessly connected – it has resulted in some contemporary classics.

So without further ado, let’s dive into the best semi-open world games from 2025.

Hell is Us

The poster child for non-handholdy games this year, Hell is Us scaled its environments based on the needs of its story. Senedra Forest was fairly straightforward but accommodated a mid-game dungeon/tower. The Acasa Marshes are one of the biggest areas, accommodating a town, underground tunnels, and various smaller mysteries to unravel. And then you have locations like Lake Cynon, which consist exclusively of a dungeon (with far more awaiting once you’ve progressed enough through the story). It’s an intriguing mix, and even if some areas are smaller than others, they each feel unique and packed with things to discover, including the many horrors of the civil war.

Monster Hunter Wilds

Capcom’s approach to the latest mainline Monster Hunter is odd for any number of reasons. You’re still relying on fast travel to go from one region to another, but you can now seamlessly transition from one hunt to another with no need to return to base. Camps are now of the pop-up variety, letting you place them anywhere. It’s all very dynamic, borrowing elements of open-world titles while remaining within the typical hunter gameplay loop. Post-launch updates have enhanced it further, adding tougher challenges and more rewards (like random Talismans). Master Rank is probably what’s going to elevate it beyond previous entries, but for now, The Forbidden Lands are worth losing a few dozen hours in.

Mafia: The Old Country

Hangar 13 made no bones about what it wanted to offer with Mafia: The Old Country – a linear, narrative-driven experience with some wiggle room for completing missions your own way. Which is a nice way of saying “Stealth or guns-blazing”, but it worked well regardless. Those who wanted to explore the extensive vistas of Sicily on horseback or poke around different shops to purchase new items could do so at their own leisure. Admittedly, it’s not the most feature-packed world, but the focus remains squarely on the story and characters, and for this price, we’re more than satisfied with the results.

Atomfall

“Quests” aren’t the impetus behind your character’s journey in Atomfall. Instead, it’s all about the leads, but to what end? Well, take your pick in this post-Windscale disaster landscape. What is the Voice that speaks through the mutated horrors? Who or what is Oberon, and why have you been tasked with killing it? What are factions like Protocol really after? That constant drive for answers is what carries much of the intrigue, and you never know when an unassuming discovery could lead to something far bigger (and more dangerous). Then again, you may opt to ditch it all in favor of wanton murder. The choice – and where it could lead – is yours.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

While the franchise has made many strides over the years, one of Sniper Elite’s strengths is delivering on its core formula: Hunkering down, killing targets with ultra-long-range shots without getting caught and exfiltrating. To that end, its maps are massive sandboxes that offer multiple objectives and approaches alongside collectibles. Should you decide to go even further, there are Kill List objectives that bestow additional rewards and the new Propaganda Mode, which has you controlling a freedom fighter and completing unique challenges. While there are many different ways to play, Resistance only further improves on what it’s good at.

Clair Obscur: Expedition

By now, we don’t really have to explain everything that Clair Obscur: Expedition does well. But how about the world design, complete with an old-school RPG-style world map? Where you can encounter Chromatic Nevrons and wipe the expedition just as easily as discover Gestral Beaches with wacky mini-games (including an Only Up-style platforming challenge). Maybe you’d fancy testing your skills in the tower, finding out what happened to Lune’s parents or discovering more doors that lead back to the Manor. The sheer amount of variety is noteworthy, but the fact that all of this is enjoyable to engage with while expanding on your party’s capabilities to a massively broken degree makes it that much sweeter.

The Outer Worlds 2

Where Starfield opted for hundreds upon hundreds of randomly generated planets, with a few hand-crafted locations, The Outer Worlds 2 narrows its focus on a handful. Fortunately, they go well in hand with the branching quests and decisions, where one wrong move could alienate you from both companions and entire factions. And while pursuing the story is recommended, there are so many side areas, optional quests and hidden approaches that reward you for exploration. Again, however, you could opt to just kill everyone. The Outer Worlds 2 even provides dedicated Perks for those who would rather shoot first and never ask questions later.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

Leave it to Retro Studios to innovate on its established Prime formula, even if some of the results may not agree with long-time fans. Ignoring the new side characters (the less said about Myles, the better), Viewros is truly a unique location – one with multiple massive regions with convoluted layouts, puzzles, unique challenges, and, of course, boss fights. However, you’re also traversing the open desert on Vi-O-La, shooting down foes and harvesting resources. Despite initial apprehensions about the setting, it’s an intriguing mix that combines the genre’s best with something entirely new.

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers

An underrated yet solid action RPG, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is also surprisingly packed in terms of content, and nowhere is that more obvious than in the world design. Developer Leenzee took significant inspiration from Dark Souls in terms of connecting key locations, and while it doesn’t boast the largest scale, a lot is waiting off the beaten path. Optional bosses, NPC quests, new weapons – the list goes on. Of course, there’s also a lot to discover about the Land of Shu, and its cursed history, if you’re so interested. It may not push the envelope when it comes to Souls-likes, but Wuchang’s world is certainly compelling in its own right.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

An amnesiac Majima Goro, who decides to be a pirate, commandeering his own ship and waging war on the high seas, including against the likes of Raymond Law (played by none other than Samoa Joe). What more could you really want? Of course, the world design, a bright spot in almost every RGG Studio title, is the highlight here with numerous islands to explore. And when you’re tired of waging war and acquiring Briefcases in Madlantis, why not stop by Honolulu, which is carried over wholesale from Infinite Wealth, complete with numerous play spots and quests?

For those who aren’t enthusiastic about this year’s offering or want something sooner, there’s indie survival horror Dead Static Drive and stealth shooter Sniper Elite: Resistance. The former arrives tomorrow for Ultimate and PC subscribers, while the latter will be available with Game Pass Premium.

Egging On and Whiskerwood follow on November 6th for Ultimate and PC while interdimension survival crafting title Voidtrain leaves early access on November. It will be available for Premium, Ultimate and PC tiers. Great God Grove, Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris, and Pigeon Simulator are next up on November 11th while Relic Hunters Legend and Winter Burrow round out Wave 1’s offerings on November 12th.

Unfortunately, Microsoft has reaffirmed that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl will be leaving Game Pass. Check out other titles that won’t be available post-November 15th:

• Blacksmith Master (Game Preview) (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Football Manager 2024 (PC)
• Football Manager 2024 Console Edition (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Frostpunk (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Spirittea (Cloud, Console, and PC)

It’s kicking things off with two Game Trials for PlayStation Plus Premium – WWE 2K25 and Monster Hunter Wilds. The former is now available while the latter goes live on June 30th. If you’ve ever wanted to see what the fuss (and criticism) is about regarding both titles, this is a good opportunity.

Other notable occurrences include an exclusive weekend offer on the PlayStation Store with games like Sniper Elite: Resistance, Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 and Star Wars Outlaws discounted from June 27th to 29th. Multiplayer will also be free from June 28th, 12:01 AM to June 29th, 11:59 PM local time – no subscription required.

Head here for more details and stay tuned for other celebratory events in the coming months.

Rebellion has released a new, paid DLC pack for the shooter. Dubbed the Vercors Vendetta Mission and Weapons Pack, the DLC adds a new mission that sees protagonist Harry Hawker attempting to track down and destroy a straggling cache of the nerve agent Kleine Blume. The pack also includes a couple of new weapons in the form of the M1941 Rifle and the Armaguerra OG-44 submachine gun. Check out the trailer below for a glimpse of what the DLC brings. 

The Vercors Vendetta Mission and Weapons Pack is priced at $11.99 on Steam and $15.99 on consoles, though Rebellion has also released some free new content for all players to nab. It arrives in the form of the Fairburne’s Armoury Weapons and Skins Pack, which, as its name suggests, brings back (sort of) usual series protagonist Karl Fairburne in the form of a character skin (one of two new ones). There’s also a couple more weapons to check out- specifically, the M.1903 Rifle and the M1A1 Gov. submachine gun.

Sniper Elite: Resistance is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Read our review of the game through here.

This Sniper Elite Resistance guide has everything you need to know about quickly and efficiently reaching Campaign Rank 40.

Multiplayer is unnecessary to attain rank 40, and can be accomplished entirely offline. The XP earned from all actions persists between reloads of saves and mission restarts. In order to farm XP, as well as kill counts towards the other Trophies, simply identify a larger cluster of enemies in any given mission. Next, create a manual save, and then terminate all of the enemies while relying on distance and landing headshots for maximum XP returns. Now reload the save or restart the mission, and do it all over again until sheer boredom sets in, and you are ready to move on to the next mission.

The ideal mission for this is Mission 6, “Assault on Fort Rouge” where almost two dozen enemies can be picked off with a Rifle right from the starting location. Simply scope and kill all visible enemies without worrying about stealth, as the additional enemies can also be targeted as they wander outside. Once done, reload the save and do it all over again.

Be sure to gather all collectibles as well as unlock all available Propaganda Challenges by finding the posters in the missions. Completion of these will unlock weapons, but are also a good source for significant chunks of XP.

That is everything you need to know in order to grind to rank 40 in Sniper Elite Resistance.

This Sniper Elite Resistance guide lists each of the weapons by category and sorted by their mission availability.

Pistols

Kills toward the Mastery Medal counter persist between save reloads. In order to quickly farm 50 Ghost Kills with each Pistol in any given mission, simply find a sizable cluster of enemies to incapacitate, but not kill. Gather them in one spot, preferably close to where you can switch between weapons, then save the game. Execute the unconscious soldiers while outside of active combat for them to count as Ghost Kills. Reload the save, and continue for each Pistol, switching weapons as you earn their individual Mastery Medals. Completion of this task for all 6 Pistols will earn you the “Pistol Perfectionist” Trophy.

Modèle 1935A

Unlocked by default

Welrod

Unlocked by default

Nagant M1895

Unlocked upon completion of the Kill Challenge for Mission 2, “Dead Drop”

Star Ruby

Unlocked upon completion of Mission 4, “Collision Course”

Hi-Power 9MM

Unlocked upon completion of Mission 8, “End of the Line”

M1912

Unlocked upon completion of all three propaganda mission types

M1911

Deluxe Edition bonus

No mastery

Secondaries

Kills toward the Mastery Medal counter persist between save reloads. In order to quickly farm 150 Ghost Kills with each Secondary in any given mission, simply find a sizable cluster of enemies to incapacitate, but not kill. Gather them in one spot, preferably close to where you can switch between weapons, then save the game. Execute the unconscious soldiers while outside of active combat for them to count as Ghost Kills. Reload the save, and continue for each Secondary, switching weapons as you earn their individual Mastery Medals. Completion of this task for all 8 Secondaries will earn you the “Secondary Supremacy” Trophy.

UD-42

Unlocked by default

MAS 38

Unlocked by default

Model 1907

Unlocked upon completion of the Kill Challenge for Mission 3, “Sonderzüge Sabotage”

Trench Gun

Unlocked upon completion of the Kill Challenge for Mission 5, “Devil’s Cauldron”

Stengun MK2

Unlocked upon completion of Mission 5, “Devil’s Cauldron”

ERMA.36

Unlocked upon completion of the Kill Challenge for Mission 6, “Assault on Fort Rouge”

M1918 BAR

Unlocked upon completion of the Kill Challenge for Mission 7, “Lock, Stock and Barrels”

SIG MKMS

Unlocked upon completion of Mission 7, “Lock, Stock and Barrels”

Rifles

Kills toward the Mastery Medal counter persist between mission restarts. In order to quickly farm Rifle kills in any given mission, simply find a sizable cluster of enemies to pick off from a bare minimum distance of 100 meters. Save the game. Snipe each enemy in the head, as only headshots count. Reload the save, and continue for each Rifle, switching weapons as you earn their individual Mastery Medals. Completion of this task for all 7 Rifles will earn you the “Revered with Rifles” Trophy.

Berthier 1916

Unlocked by default

Lebel Model 1886

Unlocked by default

Mas 44

Unlocked upon completion of Mission 3, “Sonderzüge Sabotage”

M1 Garand

Unlocked upon completion of the Kill Challenge for Mission 4, “Collision Course”

Lee No.4

Unlocked upon completion of Mission 6, “Assault on Fort Rouge”

ZK-420S

Unlocked upon completion of the Kill Challenge for Mission 8, “End of the Line”

Mosin-Nagant M91/30

Unlocked upon completion of all Sniping propaganda missions

Karabiner 98 Rifle

Pre-order bonus

No mastery

Those are all the weapon unlocks and their Mastery Medal requirements in Sniper Elite Resistance.

That’s per the latest weekly charts for physical software sales in the UK. niper Elite: Resistance was the bestselling game in the UK last week, with about 80 percent of its sales coming on PlayStation consoles (as per Push Square).

Trailing behind Sniper Elite in the charts are regular heavyweights such as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe at No. 2, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 at No. 3, Super Mario Party Jamboree at No. 4, and Grand Theft Auto 5 at No. 6. Meanwhile, the recently-released Donkey Kong Country Returns HD also still ranks, coming in at No. 7. You can check out the full top 10 below.

UK physical sales chart for week ending February 2, 2025:

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.

For the first time in Sniper Elite history, in Resistance, you don’t play as series protagonist Karl Fairburne, with British SOE agent Harry Hawker instead stepping into the limelight. Set parallel to the events of Sniper Elite 5, the game sees Harry heading to Occupied France, where his mission is to work with the Resistance to uncover and foil Nazi plans for a new secret superweapon that can turn the tide of the war. story has never been what you come to Sniper Elite for, of course, and Resistance is unsurprisingly underwhelming in this area. None of the characters stand out in anyway, the writing is serviceable at best, and the voice acting isn’t much different.

"Sniper Elite: Resistance makes the deliberate decision to not stray too far from its predecessor. Billed as a spinoff, it builds on Sniper Elite 5’s foundation by delivering another meaty chunk of new content across solo and multiplayer offerings, in an experience that feels familiar, but – thanks to the strong gameplay core and Rebellion’s excellent design sensibilities – still continues to impress."

But that’s really all secondary (if that), because what Sniper Elite is about is putting players in large, open, intricately designed maps and arming them with a vast and varied repertoire of emergent stealth tools. In that area, Sniper Elite: Resistance is predictably excellent. Just like its predecessor, each of its missions sees players heading to a new location, and experiencing the variety and design of these maps is easily one of the game’s biggest strengths from beginning to end. Not only does the game excel at believably bringing its historical setting to life with an impressive level of detail, navigating each of these locations also remains a constant source of enjoyment. Skirting the edges of a town as you use your binoculars to conduct recon from the countryside before moving in like a stealthy marksman- that’s what makes Sniper Elite tick, and Resistance delivers that in spades.

Whether you’re slowly making your way across a heavily defended dam or moving under the cover of darkness through a dense town, making your way through Sniper Elite: Resistance’s maps never gets boring. Something else that contributes to that is the sheer amount of options the game usually tends to afford. Each map comes with its own healthy offerings of optional content, collectibles, and the like, in addition to your main quests, and how you undertake any of those activities is left entirely up to you. More often than not, every situation can be approached in a variety of different ways. Whether you’re trying to infiltrate a building, assassinate a specific target, or distract a foe, there’s always multiple ways to go about any task. That’s always been one of Sniper Elite’s biggest strengths, and Resistance continues to benefit from it.

Exploration is also enjoyable purely on the back off discovery. As you make your way through the immaculately designed maps, you can stumble upon secret paths into main quest areas, hidden locations with special quests and challenges, new intel from a conversation between soldiers that you eavesdrop on, workbenches where you can kit out your weapons with a variety of customization options, and more. You can easily spend 2-3 hours in a single map, if not more, and at least in my experience, it all feels sufficiently rewarding.

"Skirting the edges of a town as you use your binoculars to conduct recon from the countryside before moving in like a stealthy marksman- that’s what makes Sniper Elite tick, and Resistance delivers that in spades."

The core stealth mechanics also shine, which isn’t surprising either, given the series’ track record. From tight enemy AI to robust emergent mechanics, Resistance makes sleuthing around Nazi-occupied maps an entire blast. It does all of it in almost completely familiar ways, admittedly, because next to nothing that the game does from a gameplay perspective is going to be new to anyone who played Sniper Elite 5. But as I mentioned at the outset of this review, Sniper Elite 5 was a great stealth game in its own right, so I have absolute no issues with Resistance doing more of the same.

Of course, that does mean that the game is bogged down by the same issues as Sniper Elite 5 as well. For instance, movement can often feel sluggish and imprecise – especially when you’re trying to take cover or do environmental interactions like climbing or vaulting – while I have also run into a couple of minor animations bugs and glitches here and there. Admittedly, the shooting mechanics have seen improvements, with all the guns in the game now feeling much tighter to shoot. Of course, you’ll be using your sniper rifles more than any of your other weapons, and sniping continues to feel typically spectacular. Locking a target in your crosshairs from across a massive distance, judging the distance, holding your breath, firing a shot, and then watching the series’ trademark ultra-gory x-ray kills in glorious, cinematic slow-motion- no matter how many times I do that in a Sniper Elite game, I don’t think I’m ever going to get bored of it.

Outside of a single-player campaign that’s somewhat shorter than Sniper Elite 5 at roughly 10-15 hours in length (depending on your play style), Resistance has plenty more on offer as well. Again, the “more of the same” descriptor fits the game like a shoe in this area. Sniper Elite 5’s Invasion mode, its ability to play the campaign co-op, and its PvP multiplayer component all return with new content offerings in Resistance. Personally, I’ve always felt the series’ campaigns to be their highlight, but Sniper Elite’s multiplayer can be a special brand of fun with its tactical sniper battles across intricately designed maps, so the opportunity to do more of that is appreciated, to say the least. In addition, the game also introduces new Propaganda missions, which are bite-sized challenge missions that are by no means unmissable, but do add their own little doses of tactical fun, courtesy of a varying roster of objectives related to stealth, sniping, and more.

"Sniper Elite: Resistance doesn’t claim to make the sort of significant leaps forward that you would expect from a mainline numbered entry, but in building on the excellent bones of Sniper Elite 5, it nonetheless manages to craft an experience that fans of the stealth genre shouldn’t miss."

Sniper Elite: Resistance doesn’t pull up any trees with anything that it does, but that has never been what this series has been about. Rebellion’s World War 2 franchise has always been perfectly happy to leave the flash and pomp to others, instead delivering spectacular level design, emergent systems, compelling stealth, and tactical shooting time and time again. That’s exactly what its newest outing does. As a spinoff, Sniper Elite: Resistance obviously doesn’t claim to make the sort of significant leaps forward that you would expect from a mainline numbered entry, but in building on the excellent bones of Sniper Elite 5, it nonetheless manages to craft an experience that fans of the stealth genre shouldn’t miss.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.