Here are the best sniper games for PC and console: stealth, strategy and lots of action for all fans.
The Sniper, or sharpshooter if you prefer, has for some time aroused a certain fascination in the gamer audience, especially those passionate about war video games. These lone wolves, these “one man army”, manage to represent the courage, skill and heroism of a true elite soldier.
They infiltrate the enemy lines with stealth worthy of Solid Snake, find the best points in each region and, with the trusty rifle, manage to hit their opponents with pinpoint accuracy and then disappear into the shadows. Sniper video games allow you to create an interesting mix of genres, from ballistic simulation to pure stealth. There is often a pinch of strategy or, on the contrary, pure action. Over the years, many developers have tried to launch into this genre.
So here are what we think are the best sniper games to try on PC and consoles.
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Hitman: Sniper Challenge was a welcome surprise.
We begin our excursion into the world of the most beautiful sniper games with Hitman: Sniper Challenge, the spin-off of the series that once again stars Agent 47. This stand-alone title connects to Absolution by sharing characters and settings. But it looks like a game with a somewhat different structure than the usual Hitman. The video game sees Agent 47 working as a sniper from the roof of a skyscraper in Chicago to assassinate a mob boss named Richard Strong Jr. with a sniper rifle.
The criminal is inside a skyscraper opposite. In the one where the well-known bald killer is positioned: the player, therefore, has fifteen minutes to find the way and the right time to eliminate the target without attracting attention, a period in which he can also shoot down guards to prevent these can raise the alarm. Everything is then recorded and classified on the Internet in special rankings, with the possibility of unlocking bonuses for Hitman: Absolution.
Hitman: Sniper Challenge is available on PC, Xbox 360 and PS3.
Silent Scope: retro Sniper
It is Konami’s Silent Scope series of different workmanship, not only in terms of quality and mechanics, since here we are talking about an arcade shooter on rails. It consists of four episodes, the most recent for arcade only. In terms of gameplay, it betrays its “hall” nature: immediate, with a very bland plot, very unlikely bosses and super “tamari” protagonists, full of action and poor in ideas. The three titles that have arrived on consoles are similar, apart from a few minor variations of the background or graphics, and see the gamer take on the role of a skilled sniper in the service of the government, engaged in a series of missions where he must assert his marksman skill.
Being arcade titles, the movement of the viewfinder is quite slow and precise when you activate the magnification, while it is faster (and inaccurate) when it is moved from one part of the screen to the other. Accuracy is rewarded through the assignment of points and the instant killing of even the bosses through a targeted shot to the head. From mission to mission, it is possible to choose alternative routes, to vary a little the experience, which remains very linear and repetitive. Nonetheless, it remains one of the best sniper video games – a must-try if you get the chance.
Silent Scope Complete (2004) allows you to play the original trilogy in an Xbox version. The three sniper video games have also been released on PS2.
Sniper Elite 4: ballistic simulation and fun
With the Sniper Elite series, things get more serious again, as we are faced with a tactical third-person shooter set during the Second World War, which emphasises the concept of camouflage, reasoned action and long-distance. Sniper Elite 4 is set in Italy after the African campaign of the third episode and again sees the special agent Karl Fairburne operating at some Italian locations to recover the plans of a devastating guided missile that the Nazis have developed, which is likely to change the tide of the conflict.
Among the game’s peculiarities is the view that passes in first person when using the sniper rifle and the special shot used to celebrate the best shots. Called killcam, it follows the path of the bullet until the devastating impact with the target, shown with an X-ray technique very similar to those of the bone-breaking blows of Mortal Kombat X, which shows the damage done to the skeleton and organs. Of the various targets: even for this detail alone, Sniper Elite 4 and the entire series deserve to be on the list of the best sniper video games.
Sniper Elite 4 is available on PC, Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and, via backward compatibility, PS5 and Xbox Series X | S. Microsoft also supports FPS Boost on the latest consoles, bringing the frame rate to 60.
Zombie Army 4: zombies and snipers, what’s better?
Let’s talk about Zombie Army, a spin-off of the Sniper, as mentioned earlier, Elite. Even in this case, the setting remains that of the Second World War, only in an alternate reality where Hitler, now realising the imminent defeat, puts in place a secret plan that allows Nazi Germany to bring the dead back to life and hurl them.
Against the Allied forces. Despite the more action-oriented drift of this “variant”, let’s call it this way, of the various Sniper Elite (editions with zombies have come out practically for every episode of the saga, almost a series in the series), there are situations in which you have to aim for the head and eliminate a creature. And then generally, a multiplayer cooperative mode makes the experience a lot of fun, especially because players have to coordinate and act as a team, thus compensating for an underlying repetition that otherwise permeates the whole adventure. It is more action and less “meditative” sniper video game.
Zombie Army 4 is available on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PS4 and, via backward compatibility, on PS5 and Xbox Series X | S.
Star Wars Battlefront 2: Space Snipers
Games is completely dedicated to snipers, especially if you are looking for quality, are not very many, but playing as a sharpshooter is often an option in many shooting games: a great example is Star Wars Battlefront 2, the second chapter of the DICE and EA series. . This game, dedicated to the universe of Star Wars, is the result of continuous support from the developers, always ready to listen to the feedback of the fans. It’s also a great sniper video game if you choose to play that role. Whether playing in a campaign or multiplayer, it will take some practice to become a true sharpshooter, but the satisfaction of hitting an opponent over long range will be worth it.
Star Wars Battlefront 2 is available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One and, via backward compatibility, on PS5 and Xbox Series X | S.
Battlefield 5: snipers and history
If you’re looking for a multiplayer game for your marksman adventures but aren’t big fans of Star Wars science fiction, then you should opt for Battlefield 5. Also developed by DICE, this saga chapter takes players into World War II. The maps are huge, and, as a rule, most players throw themselves into the fray to fight at medium and short distances, but in your case, the strategy will be very different.
You can take your rifle and strike from a distance stealthily. There is also a battle royale mode, Firestorm, and a single-player mode that will allow all types of players to have something to play with. For sure, it’s one of the best sniper video games in recent years.
Battlefield 5 is available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One and, via backward compatibility, on PS5 and Xbox Series X | S.
Goldeneye 007: the nineties strike again
Goldeneye 007 is one of the many masterpieces developed by the former RARE. The game puts us in the shoes of the beloved 007, James Bond, and loosely follows the film’s plot. It was one of the first games that popularised stealth mechanics on modern consoles, along with Metal Gear Solid. A sniper rifle was one of the first weapons in the game that allowed you to efficiently exploit stealth mechanics. It was one of the most satisfying weapons to use and gave just that sense of power and superiority that one of the best sniper video games should make every player feel.
Goldeneye 007 was released on the Nintendo 64.
Far Cry 5: not just snipers, but you won’t want anything else.
Far Cry 5 is, first and foremost, a sandbox game with a free approach. Most missions and activities allow us to decide how to act in combat. While it is true that for many, the best solution is always to have a firearm with a large magazine in hand to load the enemy head down, not it lacks the ability to act more stealthily and exploit sniper rifles.
This is certainly a satisfying way to complete the challenges posed by the game. An excellent weapon to launch into Far Cry 5’s America is the AR-CL: the fact that it can be upgraded with a sight and a silencer makes it the ultimate weapon to play as sharpshooters. While it may seem unexpected, Far Cry 5 is one of the best sniper video games on the market.
Far Cry 5 is available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One and, via backward compatibility, on PS5 and Xbox Series X | S.
Ghost Recon Wildlands
Staying at Ubisoft, it is impossible not to mention Ghost Recon Wildlands. It is also, in this case, a sandbox shooter based on the cooperative. A group of players will have to complete missions within large maps: the best strategy is always to study first the area, and the position of the enemies, decide on an action plan and execute it masterly. Each strategy also needs a sharpshooter ready to take out key targets that other players approaching from below may not see in time.
We
Land is one of the best sniper video games for those seeking a co-op experience.
Ghost Recon Wildlands is available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One and, via backward compatibility, on PS5 and Xbox Series X | S.
Hitman 3: bald Sniper, a lucky Sniper?
Agent 47 continued his kill streak even after the Sniper Challenge. IO Interactive, in January 2021, released Hitman 3, the last (for the moment) chapter of the World of Assassination series that brings our favourite bald killer around the globe. Many of the maps available are mini-sand boxes with multiple places to post. The adaptable strategy is our discretion, and the sniper rifle is not always the fastest and most efficient solution.
Still, nevertheless, Hitman 3 can be extremely satisfying if played as a pure sniper video game. Studying the map, finding the correct point from which to shoot and waiting for the perfect opening to eliminate our goal with a single shot is the dream of many fans. The PS4 version also includes a PS VR mode!
Hitman 3 is available on PC, Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia, PS4, Xbox One, PS5 and Xbox Series X | S.
