The single-player options in military shooters like Call of Duty and Battlefield offer fun and cinematic run and gun experiences. However, these games are fast-twitch high octane and Michael Bay-like games that don’t require much thought or patience. The stealth shooter genre is the perfect antithesis for cinematic shooters and run and gun blasters like Doom.
Not only are these games that reward patience, timing, and stealth but the mission design can often provide gamers with more varied experiences. Taking out opponents from an unseen location and slipping away unnoticed is an empowering experience for those that love the genre. So let’s take a look at ten of the best games that offer the most rewarding sniping experience.
Updated by Michael Llewellyn on January 31st 2021: As the implementation of stealth in several kinds of videogames seems to be making a comeback, so does the use of a sniper rifle. Whether it’s in a massive open-world RPG like the recent Cyberpunk 2077 or multiplayer games like Battlefield V, using a sniper rifle in combat remains one of the most satisfying and fun ways to take down enemies.
15 Cyberpunk 2077
Released in December 2020 for all major systems, Cyberpunk 2077 has been subject to quite a bit of criticism for its complicated launch issues. However, those with enough patience to endure the bugs will find a very good combat system with some amazingly unique weapons.
Some of the best weapons in the game are the sniper rifles which offer players a great way through the game if they prefer a more stealthy approach. The Breakthrough sniper rifle, for example, can shoot through concrete walls and the Ashura Smart sniper even fires guided missiles that can seek out headshots automatically.
14 Star Wars: Battlefront II
Star Wars: Battlefront II is a testament to how great a game can be when the developers support it and listen to fan feedback after its initial launch issues. It’s now a game that fans of the Star Wars franchise keep coming back to with the multiplayer, but its surprisingly good single-player mode is also worth playing too.
Some of the coolest weapons in Battlefront II are the sniper rifles, and they feel totally unique to the Star Wars universe. Whether one is playing the campaign or the multiplayer, getting good with a sniper rifle will make them a force to be reckoned with.
13 Battlefield V
Developed by the same team behind the Star Wars: Battlefront series and released in 2018, Battlefield V is a stunning first-person shooter set during the Second World War. The single-player mode is one of the best in the series. But as always, the true meat of the game is found in the multiplayer.
The maps are huge and there are usually a lot of other players fighting it out, so using a sniper rifle to take them is a lot of fun for sneaky and stealthy types. Using a sniper rifle in combat takes a lot of practice but when mastered, it can make any player a huge threat — especially in Battlefield V’s battle royale mode, Firestorm.
12 Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes
Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes was released in 2015 on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. It acted as a stand-alone prologue to The Phantom Pain and as a result, was significantly shorter than the main release.
However, for many fans of the series the focused missions and replay value provided by Ground Zeroes is considered a superior stealth experience. This is further echoed in the sniping mechanics in-game and watching enemies down the sight of the scope in the torrential rain. Watching the enemy soldiers go about their business and engage in conversations only added to the richness of the game’s story and mechanics.
11 Sniper Ghost Warrior 3
Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 was released on the Xbox One, PC, and PlayStation 4 in 2017. It is an open-world game that struggled at launch due to several bugs and glitches that plagued the game. However, once these issues were addressed by the developers at CI Games and Ghost Warrior 3 is a much more solid experience as a result.
The game’s story feels like its another straight to DVD sequel to Tom Berenger and Billy Zane’s Sniper film series. It is the sniping mechanics that save the game above all else and it’s set in a visually impressive modern-day backdrop of the jungle using the powerful CryEngine.
10 Goldeneye 007
Goldeneye 007 was developed by Rare and released exclusively on the Nintendo 64 in 1997. The game puts players in the shoes of 007 James Bond and loosely follows the plot of the film. It was one of the first games to popularise stealth mechanics on modern consoles next to Metal Gear Solid.
One of the first weapons that makes use of the game’s very solid stealth mechanics was the sniper rifle. It was one of the most satisfying weapons in the game and gave players the exact feeling of empowerment that one should feel when sniping enemies from a hidden location.
9 Far Cry 5
Far Cry 5 was released on the PlayStation, Xbox One, and PC in 2018. The series has always supported all styles of gameplay from running and gunning to silent and stealthy. However, it is the stealth approach that is by far the most satisfying and rewarding experience.
Of course, the sniping experience in Far Cry 5 is one of the most expertly implemented in a Ubisoft title. Using the AR-CL is one of the best all-round sniper rifles and indeed weapons in the game. When equipped with a scope and silencer the AR-CL will be a mainstay in the player’s arsenal.
8 Sniper Elite V2: Remastered
The original Sniper Elite V2 was released in 2012 by Rebellion Developments and was a direct sequel to the World War 2 set Sniper Elite. The sequel takes place during the 1945 Battle of Berlin and the player takes on the role of an American Sniper. The remaster, which features updated visuals, framerates, and additional characters from the Nazi Zombie Army DLC was released in 2019.
The Sniper Elite games are notably budget titles in comparison to AAA military stealth games like Metal Gear Solid V. However, the stealth and sniping mechanics are up there with the best in the genre. The major difference being that the player is limited to using antiquated weaponry compared to the high tech hardware that Solid Snake or Sam Fisher would use. Instead of silenced weapons, players need to mask their gunshots by timing their shots with the environmental distractions and noises.
7 Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands
Ghost Recon: Wildlands was released in 2017 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and the PC. It developed by Ubisoft who also created the Far Cry, Splinter Cell, and Rainbow Six series. Their experience with open-world games that feature stealth and sniping is on full display with this title.
Wildlands feels like Ubisoft’s greatest hits by features elements from all of their other games and thrown them together in one title. Not everything clicks together perfectly, but the sniping and stealth elements work very well, and picking off enemy soldiers from a distance is very satisfying.
6 Sniper Ghost Warrior: Contracts
Released in 2019, Sniper Ghost Warrior: Contracts is the fourth entry in the series. It was released on the PlayStation 4, Xbox, and PC and instead of using the open-world structure of its predecessors, the game opts for mission-based scenarios.
Despite the more focused structure the missions are still designed to be semi-open and provide players with a lot of freedom to approach targets. The realistic bullet physics and the need for precision and timing make Contracts one of the most hardcore sniper experiences available.
5 Ghost Recon: Breakpoint
Released in 2019, Ghost Recon: Breakpoint received some heavy criticism at launch for its bugs and a lack of features compared to its predecessors. However, as a game, it has continued to improve with updates, patches, and story-based DLC.
The game’s massive and open landscapes provide players with amazing opportunities to take down opponents with sniper rifles. There’s a good variety of sniper rifles, scopes, and other modifications to satisfy fans of using such hardware.
4 Sniper Elite III
Sniper Elite III was released in 2012 on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and the PC. A prequel to Sniper Elite V2, the story is once again set during World War 2 but three years before the events of its predecessor.
The game’s story is set during the North African conflict and features much less linear environments than its predecessors. This means that there is more variety in which players can approach their targets. The slow-motion Kill Cam is even more graphic with its Mortal Kombat-like X-Rays showing bones breaking and internal organs getting decimated.
3 Hitman 2
Released in 2018 for all major consoles and the PC, Hitman 2 is the direct sequel to the episodic original that released in 2016. Owners of the original game will gain access to the Legacy pack which includes updated versions of the first game’s missions and side content.
In addition to the base game which has some fantastic sniping opportunities for players, there are dedicated Sniper Assassin missions that play out like a separate game of its own. In these missions, there are lots of creative ways for Agent 47 to eliminate his targets, create distractions and openings. It isn’t a hardcore sniping experience like the Ghost Warrior series but it is a lot of fun with a surprising amount of replay value and depth.
2 Sniper Elite 4
Sniper Elite 4 was released on the PlayStation 4, PC, and the Xbox One in 2017. Once again set in the backdrop of World War 2 this entry finally took the series to march larger open-world environments that were full of creative and fun opportunities to snipe targets.
While the budget is still very much in the AA region when compared to Metal Gear Solid, Sniper Elite 4 is the most ambitious game in the series. Visually, it is the best the series has ever looked but the clever open-ended mission design and sniping mechanics are up there with the Hitman series.
1 Hitman 3
As with the previous entries in the Hitman World of Assassination series, the maps in Hitman 3 provide Agent 47 with a murderous playground are huge sandboxes. This means that players have a seemingly endless amount of choices and opportunities to eliminate their targets.
This also includes the use of a sniper rifle in a variety of maps which often have perfect vantage points that need to be found and exploited. The best way to approach the intended target with a sniper rifle is to observe them and use the right opportunities to create openings and distractions.
Hitman 3: 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Agent 47’s Backstory
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