PC Critic Reviews

Sniper Elite VR is an absolutely fantastic transformation of the flat-screen game, trimming the fat to just the parts that’ll be fun in virtual reality. Translating the sniper rifle into a VR medium makes the game immersive in a way we’ve not seen capitalized in many games to date. This one should be in your library, if you can handle the gore, and the occasional braindead AI.

Sniper Elite VR is an immersive FPS VR experience that combines arcade mission types with a simulation level of interactivity. Each mission objective varies, and while the sniper class steals the show, there’s a large variety of weapon types that each feels comfortable and fun to use. Item interaction and limited enemy AI can cause frustration, but after playing, I don’t think I can play this series any other way.

For a VR experience, I have to say Sniper Elite VR is one of the better titles I have played. Part of that is surely from both the familiarity of the FPS genre and even more specifically the series itself. However, the variety of options lends itself well to a comfortable and enjoyable experience. The Aim Controller worked great, and though sure there are some camera/position glitches and some graphical issues from time to time as most any VR experience has, none of these were so off-putting as to keep me from playing. The narrative was interesting and well-told, too. Mission design is balanced well for a VR experience, meaning that it’s much more than ‘tech demo’ or entirely on rains, but, it’s not as wide in scope or sandboxy as a non-VR title either. In sum, for anyone looking for a good sniping experience in VR, this is an easy one to recommend.

Sniper Elite has always been a bit of a b-movie treat by normal gaming standards and, while that’s still true of Sniper Elite VR, some of the series’ staple elements are really enhanced by the platform. Aiming down the scope, steadying your sights and pulling the trigger before readying the next round is a calculated and convincing process with perfectly streamlined authenticity. Throw in a variety of other objective types across a decent-length campaign, including comprehensive stealth segments and brilliantly rustic street shootouts and you’ve got a VR FPS that will tick a lot of boxes for a lot of headset owners. It’s not the platform’s most groundbreaking shooter, but Sniper Elite VR is proof you can teach an old dog new tricks, and that’s more than enough.

So was Sniper Elite VR worth the anticipation and wait? Most definitely. It’s not without issues trying to find that balance between being a fun experience for all whilst giving VR veterans a videogame they can really get stuck into. When you do get into it though, Sniper Elite VR becomes a thoroughly engrossing VR shooter as you read the environment, study enemy movements and take that vital long-range shot. Doing that continually over the 7+ hour campaign seems very repetitive but lining up that perfect shot never is.

Sniper Elite VR has scrunched down everything great about the series and created a near-perfect recreation that players can now experience from the inside.

If in doubt… wait for a sale, but if you are a fan of the series you will have a pretty good idea of what to expect here… but now you can enjoy it in the far more personal VR perspective. I’d recommend it.

Sniper Elite VR offers a hefty experience for a VR game, with up to seven or eight hours of well-designed levels to creep through. The mechanics of the game take some time to get used to, and even after becoming accustomed to the controls, still feel a little awkward — though a nice selection of settings helps alleviate those issues. Some forced repetition pads the game towards the end, but overall Sniper Elite VR is a solid and fun experience.

Sniper Elite VR is a bit of a mixed bag. Hands down, the game offers the best sniping experience you can find in VR. So if you’re an armchair assassin looking to bag some bad guys, this is a game you won’t want to miss. But, on the other hand, it’s just a shame that things start to fall apart whenever you get up close and personal with your enemies...If you’re a fan of the Sniper Elite franchise and are looking for a fresh perspective on its blend of stealth action, Sniper Elite VR delivers the goods. Just don’t expect the same sense of polish and scale as its flat-screen offerings before you undertake this mission. Viva la revolucion!

Sniper Elite VR delivers where it counts the most — great sniping mechanics and a gory X-ray kill cam that looks phenomenal in VR — but the rest of the experience is a mixed bag. There's a forgettable story and mediocre shootouts when you're not handling a sniper rifle, and they both keep the game from standing out among more refined VR shooting offerings. If you are a fan of the franchise or you yearn for a good sniper rifle experience in VR, Sniper Elite VR is worth checking out.