The Sniper Elite franchise has established itself as a veteran gaming powerhouse over the years. Debuting all the way back in October 2005, the series has managed to remain consistently ever present within the gaming industry. Of course, that is not to say that the continued popularity of Sniper Elite came without shake-ups to its formula. Despite maintaining the same stealth-based, WW2-era sniping gameplay, the series has had to consistently offer something fresh with each title to keep fans engaged and to stave off tedium.
Perhaps one of the more notable changes that the series has implemented is the evolution of Sniper Elite's infamous "kill cams," which follow a fired bullet from the barrel of the rifle to the head of an unsuspecting victim. Each installment of the series has built upon these kill cams, becoming increasingly more gruesome and detailed as they show real-time x-rays of the internal damage that precise shots wreak upon enemies. However, with these kill cams having reached their limit of detail, Rebellion has instead interestingly looked to the infamous PvP "invasions" of Dark Souls, to provide an exciting twist to the upcoming day-one Xbox Game Pass title Sniper Elite 5.
Dark Souls PvP Invaders
The infamously grueling and difficult gameplay of FromSoftware's iconic Dark Souls series introduced a predictably cruel and unforgiving PvP element. If players opt to play online in Dark Souls, and are freely exploring the world, there is a chance that they can be invaded by another player. Opponents appear in a phantom-like state, and will attempt to kill whoever they are invading, leading to a fight to the death.
This gameplay aspect is a favorite amongst fans, who laud the randomness and unpredictability of invaders entering their game. Invasions add an element of uncertainty and apprehension to even the most experienced players, regardless of what playthrough they are currently on. The online element of invaders additionally breathes life into the NPC-heavy world, providing a break from the bleak loneliness of the Dark Souls landscape, even if it is in the form of another player who is as just as hostile as the games AI enemies.
Sniper Elite 5's Invasion Mode
Sniper Elite 5 has recently been announced by Rebellion Developments, and it sees players return as the lethal lone-wolf Karl Fairburne, this time uncovering the mysteries of Project Kraken in 1944 France. With what little is known about the game, it is known that it will continue the series' recent trend of a co-op campaign, allowing a gamer and a friend to tackle the campaign as allies.
However, it is the game's newly-touted Invasion Mode that offers a shakeup to gameplay, and is reminiscent of the aforementioned Dark Souls invaders. If players choose to opt into an online connection, there is a chance that another player can join as an Axis sniper, creating a game of cat and mouse in which both players must out-snipe each other.
Players will be subsequently forced to up their observation skills significantly, knowing that as they align their crosshairs with the head of an enemy, an opposing player may be doing the same to them. This is an element of gameplay that transfers oddly well between the unlikely pairing of Dark Souls and Sniper Elite, with the tactical elements of timing and stamina-rationing of the former mirroring the patience and sharp-eyed elements of the latter in terms of PvP difficulty.
For less competitive players, gamers can also call upon other snipers to simply aid them in tough combat situations, another aspect of Dark Souls invasions that has translated to this upcoming title. That being said, the concept of invading a players campaign with the intent of a long-range battle of whits is too enticing to resist.
Sniper Elite 5 is scheduled to release in 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.