REVIEW | Breath, focus and shoot in Sniper Elite V2 Remastered (Switch)

6 min readMay 24, 2019

Originally launched in 2012 for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360, Sniper Elite V2 was the direct sequel of the great success from developer Rebellion, Sniper Elite, of 2005. Taking place amidst the Battle of Berlin, in 1945, at the end of World War II, now the assassination missions are in the hand of an american officer that needs to take down german cientists involved on the V-2 German Rocket prototype.

Been praised by critics for its precise gameplay and well elaborated missions, still today Sniper Elite V2 is known as the best entry on the series. That is why he got a remaster with improved visuals, exclusive content and the improved kill-cam to check your shot damage on enemies. Get your Springfield Riffle and come with me!

Shootin’ Nazis in HD

We are in a time that seeing the word “Remastered” in game tittles, in most cases, means that the game is just being ported to a console or platform of the current generation. A big part of the game studios have simply forget the part of remastering a digital work that deals with the increase in image resolution, reworked textures, and much more. The good news is that Rebellion did a fantastic and above average job with Sniper Elite V2 Remastered, delivering to gamers a truly “remastered” tittle.

In addition to the increased resolution, the game now features new lighting effects that make everything more cinematic and atmospheric. Lightning, smoke and other tricks like lens flares add a new visual layer to the detailed scenarios of World War II.

Unfortunately, although having performed with a fixed rate of 60 FPS on PS4, Xbox One and PC, the game’s performance dropped by half with 30 FPS on the Switch, both in handheld and dock modes. Since this characteristic does not jeopardize the gameplay, it is something that should worry only those that care a lot for the graphics frame rate. Even so, the textures, colors and models feel so alive on the Switch that is easy to forget this graphical issue.

The character models and their costumes have also received an aesthetic upgrade, especially when it comes to Karl, our main sniper protagonist. You can see better in this version his face and the reflection of the light in his eyes, giving a bigger sense of immersion with the character. Enemies, in turn, are rounder. In addition, the weapons are more detailed and convincing.

Part of the grace of observing the visual upgrade is the inclusion of a Shooting Mode, simpler than the average seen in AAAs games but still functional on times of need. The mode can be activated in fully controlled action and also during death animations, but without being able to move the camera. At least, to compensate this limitation, there is the option to advance the frame-by-frame image and see everything in detail.

But, as most of the remastered game titles around there, apart from the visual aspects, there is nothing really new about Sniper Elite V2 Remastered. Therefore, this version is intended for those who have not touched the title before, as players will receive exactly what was already included in the Game of the Year Edition, such as downloadable challenges — the “Assassinate the Führer” mission among them — characters and multiplayer mode.

Keeping a steady aim

For those players who are accustomed to newer stealth titles, whether they are more fluid or easier, V2 can cause an initial irritation. Karl’s movement is limited and uncluttered, and very slow when one is in the crouching position. Getting in and out of toppings is a painful process, and there is no option of sneaking around.

In the end, t’s all a matter of comfort and custom to learn your enemies’ behavior. These movement limitations do not radically affect what is, in essence, a well-designed stealth campaign. That said, when your cover is blown up, try to resist the will to just go out shooting left and right, because you can be overrun by enemies pretty fast, and Karl is not very resistant to a great amount of shots. The best course of action on this situation is just try to stay hidden and shot your enemies from afar.

Still, Sniper Elite V2 Remastered is undeniably dated, and comparison with its more open and fluid successors may disfavor it. Something that III and 4 had introduced and that here was not implemented is the option to save at any time, since success depends on many attempts and many errors. Here, there are only the checkpoints. This can be frustrating, since a mistake at the end of a good move can cost your life.

However, as you progress through the relatively short campaign — lasting about six or seven hours on the normal difficulty — even the novice player can pick up pace of each stage and create its own strategies, with some levels introducing elements in his favor, like a loud sound in the background to disguise the noise of your shots, for example.

Some things never get old, but others…

The game features a new X-ray system (the trademark of the series), where after a shot is executed correctly, it may or may not show a special camera, where the vision focuses on the bullet in slow motion, showing its trajectory while it pierces the skin of the soldiers and destroys the skull, liver, heart, bones, testicles, tendons and other parts of the body. The bullet can also traverse the optical sights of enemy rifles, destroy explosive objects, and detonate vehicles by firing on the fuel tank caps.

The physical mechanics of the bullet is considered to be very realistic because it considers the velocity of the bullet, effects of gravity and influence of the wind depending on the difficulty chosen to play. In easy mode, there are little firing simulation and enough assistance for the player, and the most difficult mode have all the effects of firing influence to pose a more realistic challenge for the player.

Speaking of shooting, the feel of firing any gun (not just the Springfield riffle) remains palpable, and there is an excitement in feeling the trigger clicks fractions of a second before sending a bullet to the forehead of an enemy sniper. The death animations are activated quickly and well integrated to the rest of the combat, not letting the tension die and never feeling repetitive. To improve, the blood spurts are more dynamic and realistic.

As mentioned, the behavior of the bullets and enemies vary with the selected difficulty, and veterans will want to jump right into the Sniper Elite mode, which demands patience, planning and concentration (if you to live the experience as a real sniper and prove you have an eye for the job, of course).

In the end, the main qualities of Sniper Elite V2 Remastered is in its visual improvements, which is notable if we consider that the game is already seven years old. Even though, those players that can see past beyond the dated gameplay and the short and linear campaign, will still find fun in killing nazis in bloody gunfights — specially when you can do that on-the-go with the Switch.