Rebellion might be the most underrated publisher of gaming gun violence. The Sniper Elite series has managed to blend the complicated mechanics of military snipers with the required fun of video games to create some solid experiences. Now Rebellion and developer Just Add Water are translating to virtual reality in a new title, Sniper Elite VR.
SNIPER ELITE VR
Developed By: JAW, Rebellion
Published By: Rebellion
Available For: PlayStation VR, Oculus, Steam
Taking an established property into the VR space involves more than putting a stereoscopic camera in a game. Sniper Elite VR accounts for all the nuances of VR that could have been jarring for players. Movement, control, visual effects; everything about the game is adjustable so players can tune it to a level of VR they’re most comfortable with. We tried the game in several different ways. Playing on PSVR using the Aim gun controller was the best combination of device and immersion. The meat of the game is about becoming a WWII sniper and lifting the Aim controller gives you the best sense of that weight (both physical and emotional) while working with the limitations of PSVR tech. Motion Controllers, while useable, were clunky when gesturing your hands to the PSVR helmet.
While stealth and shadow sniper tactics like waiting for ambient noise to cover shots from your sniper rifle are what sells the game, other ways to play the game are surprisingly well crafted. Sniper Elite VR is a good run-and-gun FPS game when not forced to be a sniper during protection from vantage point missions. Shooting at enemies from behind cover using a Thompson SMG and then moving to a new spot while holding the Aim at your waist gives you a more immersive sense of combat not seen in other VR war games or games that use two separate motion controls.
Rebellion’s most associated feature, the “x-ray kill cam”, makes its way into Sniper Elite VR. This could have been something that went horribly wrong if the publisher had not included enough accessibility options. Yes, if you get motion sickness from VR you’ll ralph from those moments where you line up a perfect sniper shot and the camera follows your bullet as it eviscerates the ribcage, entrails, or skull of a WWII nazi. Fortunately, you can set the options to show you a distance view of the kill cam that doesn’t travel, adjust the number of times you’ll see the view, or just turn the cam off altogether.
Players avoid a sense of fatigue both physically from the VR and getting bored from the game due to the smart design of the short mission lengths. It never took me more than fifteen minutes to complete any of the eighteen missions. On top of that, there’s a lot of reasons to replay them such as leaderboard scoring and collectible searching.
I had a hard time justifying any nitpicking of the game. While shooters/war games aren’t everyone’s tea, if this type of game is your jam and you need something that genuinely feels made for the PSVR and Aim Controller, Sniper Elite VR is a must-have.
