Video games have provided the world with some cold-blooded killers. Many use guns, others use blades, and some only their bare hands. While all of these methods require a certain level of skill, perhaps the most difficult means of murder comes in the form of sniping. With this in mind, it could be argued that those who can handle a rifle can handle just about anything.
Picking off a target from hundreds of meters away requires a level of accuracy that most simply do not possess. It also calls for a degree of moral flexibility that's only found in a small percentage of the population. These killers are often callous, but rarely careless and can always be counted on to hit their marks.
10 Joanna Dark (Perfect Dark)
Joanna Dark is one of the Carrington Institute's top agents. She's forgotten more about combat than most will ever know and has racked up one hell of a body count during her time in the field. Although rifles aren't necessarily her specialty, she's more than proficient in their use.
During several of Perfect Dark's missions, players are given a first-hand glimpse of what years of marksmanship training can accomplish. She handles her Walther WA 2000 in a way that only an expert could and makes difficult shots look easy. She's just as deadly with the FarSight XR-20, proving that she's much more than just a close-combat killer.
9 Karl Fairburne (Sniper Elite)
Despite having been raised in Berlin, Karl Fairburne was one of the Allies' biggest assets during the Second World War. His skills as a marksman made him a legend amongst soldiers on both sides due to the vital role that he played in the allied war effort. He took out countless high-profile targets right across the Western front and was able to gather vital intel in the process.
After Hitler executed Plan Z, Karl then became one of humanity's best hopes in the war against the dead. Having typically acted as a lone wolf up until that point, the circumstances forced him to finally work as part of a team and this allowed for some much needed personal growth. He once again played a pivotal role in this new team, with many men and women saved by his bullets.
8 Violette Summer (Velvet Assassin)
Velvet Assassin was a deeply flawed game, but it certainly had its moments. One of its highlights was the main protagonist, Violette Summer. Her character is loosely based on Violette Szabo, a Special Operations Executive for the British and French during the Second World War. Although Szabo wasn't a sniper, it's a skill that we see from Summer during the game.
Summer has suffered great loss during the war and it's perhaps this that drives her forward. She's both mentally and physically strong and remains completely unfazed by the near-certain death that could result from even the tiniest of mistakes. Her training as an undercover operative allows her to infiltrate the Nazi forces and her skill with a rifle allows her to pick them off with relative ease.
7 Quiet (Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain)
The Metal Gear series has pitted Snake against some deadly snipers over the years, so having Quiet protect him after she defects to the Diamond Dogs made for a welcome change. As soon as she becomes available for selection, none of the other buddies really stand a chance. As great as D-Dog is, his usefulness on the battlefield pales into insignificance when compared with that of Quiet.
Although it's normal for snipers not to be too talkative, Quiet takes this to a whole new level. At first her silence can be a little unnerving, but, once players become accustomed to her ways, the click of her radio starts to become something of a comforting sound. The game's narrative was a bit of a mess due to some of the circumstances surrounding development, but Quiet is one of the few things that the team got absolutely right.
6 Falcon (Silent Scope)
Back before Konami shifted their attention towards Japan's lucrative Pachinko market, it was one of the best developers out there when it came to character design. Falcon is an incredibly charismatic protagonist who bucks a lot of the trends that developers usually lean towards when it comes to snipers. He's a really cool guy, but he is also very deadly.
Throughout the events of the Silent Scope games, his adeptness with a rifle is clearly on display for all to see. He singlehandedly rescues the president and the first family from terrorists and has saved countless other important figures throughout his career. He might not be the brightest bulb in the box, but he's a man who knows how to get things done.
5 Deadshot (Batman Arkham)
Deadshot is a former military sniper and is believed by many to be one of the world's best. His extensive army training makes him a master marksman who can pick off his targets from great distances. On several occasions, he's been able to kill multiple targets with a single bullet and has managed shots that others would never even think to try. Some even say that he never misses.
Tragically, a freak accident led to him killing his brother and his life spiraled out of control. He became wracked with guilt and began to behave recklessly, which led to his discharge from the army. With no purpose, he eventually turned to a life of crime and became a killer for hire. Although he was ultimately no match for Batman, there are few whose talents as a sniper even come close.
4 Jun-A266 (Halo: Reach)
There are many great marksmen in the United Nations Space Command, but none can match Jun-A266 when it comes to his rifle skills. His composure under pressure allows him to shrug off distractions and remain focused on his mission and he's always able to get the job done. The Halo series is lucky to have him.
Unlike the majority of other snipers, Jun is an incredibly sociable person. He's happy to share a laugh with his comrades and remains modest in spite of his obvious superiority. Doctor Halsey once remarked that Jun's skills as a sniper are unmatched and this seems to be a view that's shared by many. When a sniper is needed, he is usually the first person that people turn to.
3 Agent 47 (Hitman)
Most snipers don't like to get up close and personal with their victims, but Agent 47 seems perfectly happy either way. He's like the MacGyver of murder as he can take out a target with pretty much anything. There are times, however, when getting close to a target just isn't possible and it's here where players get to see just how capable he really is with a rifle.
Several of the recently released Hitman games have offered some sort of sniper challenge as a preorder bonus. Not only do these help to keep fans ticking over while they wait for the full release, but they also provide ample opportunities for 47 to show off his excellent marksmanship. Whether or not he takes his rifle along to regular missions though is entirely dependent on the player.
2 Marina Wulfstan (Valkyria Chronicles)
Most fathers teach their children a sport or an instrument. Marina's father had other ideas though and, from an early age, he taught her how to handle a rifle. This helped her to grow up to be one of the best snipers in Valkyria Chronicles. Welkin may get all of the plaudits, but Marina regularly plays an integral role in the successes of Squad 7.
When it comes to the Gallian Militia, Marina is the only sniper who is able to reliably and consistently make difficult shots. She might not be the most sociable member of the squad, but few are more loyal than her. She often saves her unit from certain death, sometimes putting her own life in danger to do so.
1 The End (Metal Gear Solid 3)
After being infected with a parasitic organism, The End developed a number of special abilities that made him the perfect sniper. He was a master of camouflage and was able to lie in wait for days at a time. Due to his skills as a marksman, many referred to him as 'The Father of Sniping' and this is a title that he more than lived up to.
Most people start to think about retiring when they reach their sixties, but that doesn't seem to have been a thought that ever crossed The End's mind. By the time his path crossed with Snake's, he was more than 100 years old. As a result of this, it ended up being a relatively easy fight for Snake. Had the two men met while The End was still in his prime though, the outcome would likely have been very different.