"Sniper Elite 4" Switch Review: The Brutal Romance of a WWII Sniper, Looking Forward to Nintendo Switch 2!

As a seasoned gamer with over a decade of experience, I've played countless shooting games. This time, I'll be taking a first-person perspective to bring you an in-depth review of "Sniper Elite 4" on the Nintendo Switch. At the same time, I will also look forward to the performance of this game on the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, as well as my expectations for the Nintendo Switch 2.

1. "Sniper Elite 4" Game Introduction

"Sniper Elite 4" is a third-person shooter stealth game developed and published by Rebellion Developments, the fourth installment in the "Sniper Elite" series. The game is set in Italy in 1943, where players take on the role of American OSS agent Karl Fairburne, whose mission is to help the Italian Resistance liberate their country and stop the Nazis' secret weapons program.

The game is known for its realistic ballistics, brutal X-ray kill cams, and expansive open-world maps. Players need to use stealth, strategy, and precise shooting skills to complete various missions and gradually uncover the truth of the Nazi conspiracy.

2. "Sniper Elite 4" Switch Review: Gameplay

The core gameplay of "Sniper Elite 4" remains stealth and sniping. The game provides multiple ways to complete missions, and players can choose to silently eliminate enemies or choose to assault head-on. But no matter which way, accurate shooting is key.

The ballistics in the game are very realistic, and players need to consider factors such as wind speed, gravity, and bullet drop to accurately hit the target. This makes every shot full of challenge and fun. In particular, the iconic X-ray kill cam takes the game's violent aesthetics to the extreme. Watching the bullet penetrate the enemy's body, bones shatter, and internal organs burst, the feeling is both cruel and fascinating.

2.1 Open World and Mission Design

"Sniper Elite 4" uses a semi-open-world map design. Each map is very large and full of hidden locations, side missions, and collectibles. Players can freely explore these maps and discover various useful resources and information.

The mission design is also excellent, and each mission has multiple ways to complete it. For example, you can choose to infiltrate the enemy's base and assassinate the target; you can also choose to destroy the enemy's supply lines and weaken their combat effectiveness. This freedom makes the game highly replayable.

2.2 Difficulty and Challenge

The game provides a variety of difficulty options, from easy to difficult, to meet the needs of players of different skill levels. Even at the lowest difficulty, the game requires a certain amount of strategy and skill to successfully complete. At higher difficulties, the enemy's AI will become more intelligent, and the ballistics will be more realistic, which places higher demands on the player's shooting accuracy and stealth skills.

2.3 Optimization for the Switch Version

On the Nintendo Switch, "Sniper Elite 4" performs quite well overall. Although the graphics have been reduced, it can still maintain smooth operation. However, in some complex scenes, the frame rate may drop.

In terms of controls, the Switch version of "Sniper Elite 4" supports motion aiming. Using the Joy-Con controller for motion aiming can improve shooting accuracy and allow players to better experience the fun of sniping. But motion aiming requires a certain amount of adaptation time, and some players may prefer to use traditional stick aiming.

3. "Sniper Elite 4" Switch Review: Graphics and Sound Effects

3.1 Graphics Performance

Undoubtedly, the Switch version of "Sniper Elite 4" has reduced graphics compared to other platform versions. Material details and lighting effects have been significantly reduced. However, considering the hardware performance of the Switch, such graphics performance is acceptable.

The overall visual style of the game still maintains the characteristics of the original work. The sunlight, coastline, ancient buildings, etc. of Italy have been well restored. The details of the X-ray kill cam have also been basically preserved. Although it is not as realistic as other platform versions, it can still bring visual impact to players.

3.2 Sound Effects Performance

The sound effects performance of "Sniper Elite 4" is very outstanding. Gunshots, explosions, ambient sound effects, etc. are very realistic, which can bring players an immersive feeling. Especially the sound of the sniper rifle is even more blood-pumping.

The game's soundtrack is also just right, which can create a tense and exciting atmosphere. When sneaking, the soundtrack will become low and depressing; when fighting, the soundtrack will become passionate and surging.

4. "Sniper Elite 4" Switch Review: Story and Characters

4.1 Story Setting

The story of "Sniper Elite 4" is set in Italy during World War II, telling the story of American OSS agent Karl Fairburne. Karl's mission is to help the Italian Resistance liberate their country and stop the Nazis' secret weapons program.

Although the plot is not very innovative, it can still attract players. The game is interspersed with a large number of historical events and figures, allowing players to learn about the history of World War II while experiencing the game.

4.2 Character Development

Karl Fairburne is an experienced sniper with a calm and composed personality. In the game, players can gradually learn about Karl's background story and why he participated in this war.

The other characters in the game also have their own characteristics, such as the leader of the Italian Resistance and Nazi officers. These characters add more color to the game.

5. "Sniper Elite 4" Switch Review: Handling Feel

The handling feel of "Sniper Elite 4" is very smooth. Players can use the stick to control the character's movement and use the trigger button to shoot. The game also provides a variety of auxiliary aiming functions, such as auto-aiming and bullet time, to help players better hit the target.

The Switch version of "Sniper Elite 4" supports motion aiming. Using the Joy-Con controller for motion aiming can improve shooting accuracy and allow players to better experience the fun of sniping. But motion aiming requires a certain amount of adaptation time, and some players may prefer to use traditional stick aiming.

6. "Sniper Elite 4" Switch Review: Pros and Cons Summary

Pros:

• Realistic ballistics and X-ray kill cam.
• Vast open-world map and diverse mission design.
• Supports motion aiming.
• Excellent sound effects performance.

Cons:

• Graphics have been reduced.
• Frame rate may drop in some complex scenes.
• Motion aiming requires a certain amount of adaptation time.

7. "Sniper Elite 4" Switch Review: Score and Authoritative References

Overall, "Sniper Elite 4" is a game worth playing on the Nintendo Switch. It retains the core gameplay and features of the original and has been optimized for the Switch platform. Although the graphics have been reduced, it can still provide a smooth gaming experience.

Score:

• Gameplay: 8.5/10
• Graphics: 7/10
• Sound Effects: 9/10
• Story: 7.5/10
• Controls: 8/10

Total Score: 8/10

Reasons for the score: "Sniper Elite 4" is an excellent sniper game with realistic ballistics, brutal X-ray kill cams, and vast open-world maps. Although the graphics of the Switch version of "Sniper Elite 4" have been reduced, it can still provide a smooth gaming experience.

Authoritative References:

• IGN: 7.9/10 (https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/02/13/sniper-elite-4-review)
• Metacritic: 77/100 (https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/sniper-elite-4)

8. "Sniper Elite 4" Guide: Beginner's Guide

8.1 Basic Operations

• Movement: Use the left stick to control the character's movement.
• Aiming: Use the right stick to control the scope.
• Shooting: Press the ZR button to shoot.
• Stealth: Press the L button to sneak.
• Binoculars: Press the ↑ button on the D-pad to open the binoculars and observe the enemy's position and actions.
• Map: Press the ↓ button on the D-pad to open the map and view mission objectives and enemy distribution.

8.2 Stealth Skills

• Utilize the environment: Hide in grass, shadows, and other places to avoid being discovered by enemies.
• Make noise: You can attract the enemy's attention by throwing stones, detonating explosives, etc.
• Assassination: Approach the enemy from behind and press the B button to assassinate.
• Maintain distance: Maintain a certain distance from the enemy to avoid being discovered.

8.3 Sniping Skills

• Consider wind speed and gravity: When shooting, consider the impact of wind speed and gravity on the bullet and adjust the aiming point.
• Use bullet time: Press the R button to activate bullet time, which can slow down time and make it easier to aim at the target.
• Choose the right sniping position: Choose a position with a wide field of vision and good concealment for sniping.
• Utilize the environment: Use terrain and features as cover to avoid being discovered by enemies.

9. "Sniper Elite 4" Speedrun Tips and Hidden Elements

9.1 Speedrun Tips

• Choose the right difficulty: To pursue speed, you can choose a lower difficulty.
• Prioritize main missions: Ignore side missions and directly complete the main missions to save time.
• Utilize fast travel: Familiarize yourself with the map and use fast travel points to quickly reach your destination.
• Choose the right equipment: Choose a sniper rifle with high power and long range to improve efficiency.

9.2 Hidden Elements

• Collectibles: A large number of collectibles are hidden in the game, such as documents and cards. Collecting these collectibles can unlock additional rewards.
• Challenges: The game provides various challenges, such as killing enemies with specific weapons and completing missions within a certain time. Completing these challenges can earn rewards.
• Hidden Missions: Some secret missions are hidden in the game and require players to explore carefully to discover them. Completing these missions can earn generous rewards.

10. "Sniper Elite 4" Compared with Similar Games

Compared with similar sniper games, the advantages of "Sniper Elite 4" lie in its realistic ballistics, brutal X-ray kill cams, and vast open-world maps. The disadvantages are that the plot is relatively bland and the character development is not deep enough.

Compared with other works in the "Sniper Elite" series, "Sniper Elite 4" has greatly improved in gameplay and graphics. It adopts a semi-open-world map design, allowing players to explore freely and provides multiple ways to complete missions.

11. Prospects for "Sniper Elite 4" on the Nintendo Switch 2

As a veteran player, I am full of expectations for the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2. If "Sniper Elite 4" can be ported to the Nintendo Switch 2, I believe it can unleash even greater potential.

First of all, the hardware performance of the Nintendo Switch 2 will be significantly improved, which will greatly improve the graphics performance of "Sniper Elite 4". Material details and lighting effects will be more realistic, bringing players a better visual experience.

Secondly, the performance improvement of the Nintendo Switch 2 will also make the game run more smoothly. At high resolution, it can still maintain a stable frame rate, allowing players to better experience the fun of the game.

In addition, if the Nintendo Switch 2 can support more features, such as ray tracing and DLSS, this will make the graphics performance of "Sniper Elite 4" even better.

I am very much looking forward to playing a better "Sniper Elite 4" on the Nintendo Switch 2. At the same time, I also look forward to more shooting games landing on the Nintendo Switch 2, bringing players more choices. Regarding nintendo switch2 price, we still need to wait for the official release from Nintendo. Similarly, nintendo switch2 first look is also something we are looking forward to. Regarding nintendo switch2 compatibility, it is also something we are looking forward to. Nintendo should consider the games players already own and try to achieve compatibility between old and new games in the design. Considering that the Nintendo Switch 2 is expected to be released in April, let us wait patiently together!

12. Conclusion

All in all, "Sniper Elite 4" is a shooting game worth recommending on the Nintendo Switch. It has unique game mechanics and addictive gameplay, and can bring a good gaming experience in portable mode. For players who love sniper themes, this game is not to be missed. Let us look forward to the "Sniper Elite" series continuing to shine on the future Nintendo Switch 2!