TOP 6 Pro Tips to Know Before You Play Sniper Elite 5

by Mike Alexander / Game Guides, Tips & Tricks / 28 Apr 2023

With the release of Sniper Elite 5 upon us, Karl Fairburne’s latest adventure is almost ready for primetime. This new entry to the Sniper Elite series boasts a number of gameplay enhancements and improvements over its predecessor, and fans all over the world couldn’t be more excited. The huge open sandbox maps that allow for freeform, non-linear gameplay are larger than ever in Sniper Elite 5, and new mechanics like weapon customization and the Invasion Mode should provide plenty of excitement for players new and old.

However, if you’re new to the Sniper Elite series, there are a few things you should know before you dive in. I have a few of those suggestions on this list of the Top 6 Pro Tips to Know Before You Play Sniper Elite 5. If you’re ready to become the best World War II sniper there ever was, then polish your scope, and let’s get going!

Use Booby Traps

As you sneak through the huge Italian locations of Sniper Elite 5, you will have plenty of opportunities to take down enemies creatively. One of the easiest, sneakiest ways to drop an extra enemy is to booby trap the corpse of one of their fellow soldiers. You can do this by following the “Booby Trap” prompt when you are standing next to a corpse. A short animation will play, then when an enemy comes by to check on their fallen comrade, the booby trap will go off and kill them without you having to expose yourself.

Sneak Through Tall Grass

The Italian countryside has plenty of beautiful, tall grass. It is pretty to look at, but Karl can also use it to stealth his way closer to locations and enemies. In the tall grass, he is entirely invisible to enemies and only needs to worry about making noise like gunshots. From tall grass, you can get closer to objectives and even kill a few enemies if you can mask the sound of your weapons.

Vantage Points are Critical

As you make your way through levels, you will occasionally see a blue “eye” icon on your map and minimap. If you’re playing the game how it was meant to be played, you’re going to want to use those icons as often as possible. Those icons are Vantage Points, and they will allow you to get an incredible perspective on entire maps. From Vantage Points, you can snipe enemies from far away, without being seen or heard. If you want to get some really spectacular kill cams, this will be the way to do it.

Get Around Quickly

Sniper Elite 4 introduced a traversal system that allowed Karl to climb and mantle his way up to high places, making it easier for him to get a good view of the map. In Sniper Elite 5, that system has been further expanded to include new ways of getting around quickly. Each level will have options for you like zip lines and slopes to slide down when you need to get out of an area quickly or there is a timed objective that requires your attention. Don’t ignore these new features, as they are great additions that make getting around the massive maps much more quick and simple.

Surprise Kills

If you’re hiding behind a wall or a shoulder-level cover object like a barrel, you can get quick surprise kills on enemies who come within range of you without ever being seen until it’s too late. This can also get you out of trouble if you have been seen and enemy scouts are pursuing you, as surprise kills aren’t tied to being in stealth and can be used at any time. All you have to do is take cover, wait for an enemy to come within range, and press the melee button when it is presented to you. Karl will use his knife to quickly and silently kill the opponent. At that point, you can hide the body or make a quick getaway, depending on the situation you’re in.

Change Shoulders While Aiming

As a third-person shooter, you’ll be doing a lot of aiming in Sniper Elite 5. Sometimes, aiming over the default shoulder will not give you a good view of the action, or put your whole body in danger by being out of cover. When this happens, you can press the melee button while aiming to change the shoulder you are aiming over. This will allow you to take safer shots from cover and give you a better perspective of your target without being blocked by level geometry or obstacles.

Mike Alexander

Mike has been playing video games since he was able to hold a controller, having been fascinated by Sonic 2 on his mom’s Sega Genesis. That fascination and passion for the art form has grown exponentially nearly 30 years later, and he doesn’t see that fading away anytime soon.
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