Sniper Elite 5 was announced during today's ID@Xbox stream, and it's coming to Xbox Series X, PS5, Xbox One, PS4, and PC (via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and the Windows Store) in 2022.
The announcement trailer for Sniper Elite 5 promises a simultaneous multi-platform release and introduces the starring crew of US Rangers who are sent to Brittany, France to weaken some fortified walls in a pretty standard mission in 1944. However, following the discovery of a Nazi project dubbed Operation Kraken, our hero, Karl Fairburne, moves to take out Nazi officers and pre-empt the operation. You've got three guesses as to how he'll take them out. Spoilers: sniping, more sniping, and also some close-quarters stealth.
Rebellion is leaning into real-world locations with Sniper Elite 5, promising "a living, immersive environment" enriched by photogrammetry (that is, digital environments recreated using actual spaces as a template). There are more ways to get around those fancy environments, too, like ziplines, sliding, and improved climbing. Rebellion reckons you'll need to match your loadout to each area, from your sniper's specs and ammo to your backup weapon and non-lethal options.
Co-op play has also been expanded for this entry: beyond just shooting Nazis with a buddy, you can now "share ammo and items, give orders, and heal each other." You can also call for support mid-mission to have another player pop in to help you out. Oppositely, there's a PvP system that lets you invade another player's campaign to try and out-fox them as an Axis sniper. These multiplayer systems separate from Sniper Elite 5's traditional multiplayer modes, one of which drops 16 players into sharpshooting battles, with another pitting teams of four against waves of enemies in more of a horde mode.
It wouldn't be a Sniper game without a stomach-churning kill cam, and Rebellion says it's outdone itself with this one. "Bones deflect bullets unpredictably, ripping a new path through enemy bodies," the studio says. "SMGs and pistols can also trigger kill cams, including multiple shots in dramatic slow motion."
You can sign up for more details via Rebellion's website.
Believe it or not, Sniper Elite is now a board game.
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