In an industry filled to the brim with fast-paced shooters that reward twitchy aiming and rapid movement, it’s refreshing to find titles that take a slower and more methodical approach to warfare. Such is the case with the Sniper Elite franchise, which continues to embrace the stealth and sniping experience with increasingly realistic mechanics. If you’re new to the series and want to know what you’ve been missing, here’s a brief rundown of Sniper Elite and all of the games released so far.
What to expect from the Sniper Elite franchise
With the exception of two VR titles, the Sniper Elite franchise stars American OSS operative, Karl Fairburne, a deadly sniper with a penchant for getting shit done. As Karl, players infiltrate various Nazi strongholds during World War II in his quests to take out high-ranking officials, gather important intel, and work to stop the Nazis from gaining nuclear power.
Sniper Elite’s gameplay is built around intense stealth, letting players loose in medium-sized sandbox levels where they’re tasked with completing various main and side objectives without being caught by Nazi forces. Doing so requires distracting enemies, knocking out or killing them, and even hiding their bodies.
And while much of this can be completed with some melee takedowns and a wide selection of traps, sometimes you just have to resort to popping noggins with a sniper. This is where things get the most fun, too, as the franchise takes a relatively realistic approach to sniping, requiring you to mask your shots using lightning or loud nearby events, as well as learn how wind and bullet drop will affect your shots.
Perhaps most thrilling of all, though, is the series’ famous X-ray kill cam, which will often slow down time to show your bullet travel from your rifle to its target, then give you a view of their innards as the bullet penetrates their organs in graphic detail. Whether it’s blowing brain matter out of the back of their heads, exploding their kidneys, or (if you’re truly sadistic) even blasting open their testicles, you’re always in for a gory good time.
How many Sniper Elite games are there?
There are eight games in the Sniper Elite franchise as of January 30, 2025. Luckily, each game has a standalone story, meaning you don’t need to have played any previous titles to understand what’s going on. A vague reference to past events here or there may catch the ears of the most dedicated fans, but rest assured you’re not missing any pivotal information by jumping into the series wherever you’d like.
The release order of the mainline series is as follows:
- Sniper Elite (2005)
- Sniper Elite V2 (2012)
- Sniper Elite III (2014)
- Sniper Elite 4 (2017)
- Sniper Elite VR (2021)
- Sniper Elite 5 (2022)
- Sniper Elite VR: Winter Warrior (2023)
- Sniper Elite: Resistance (2025)
In addition to the mainline franchise, a spin-off franchise known as Nazi Zombie Army uses similar mechanics (including the beloved X-ray kill cam) while pitting players against an onslaught of zombies. This alternate history series contains four games so far, with the first three being bundled on modern platforms under the title Zombie Army Trilogy. Meanwhile, the most recent game, Zombie Army 4: Dead War, can be purchased separately.
Clearly, there are plenty of games in the Sniper Elite series that are waiting to be enjoyed, but if you just want to dive into the latest and greatest, you can start with Sniper Elite: Resistance on January 30.
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