Sniper Elite 5 - coming May 25/26th, 2022

AWS260 · Post by **AWS260** » Tue May 31, 2022 10:36 am

coopasonic wrote: Tue May 31, 2022 10:33 am
AWS260 wrote: Tue May 31, 2022 10:25 am It's Sniper Elite, alright. I skipped 4, but this strongly reminds me of 3: a carefully planned, brilliantly executed long-range shot, followed by an extended stretch of utter chaos as the enemy hunts me down. It's a simple recipe that I enjoy.
Just for the record, brilliantly executed long range shots aren't followed by enemies hunting you down because they never heard or saw a shot, they just saw a body with most of the skull missing.

Fair point! This is how it works for me:

[pull trigger]
"That was brilliantly executed, if I do say so myself."
[notice a bunch of yellow spots heading my way]
"Well, crap."

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue May 31, 2022 10:46 am

They will go into investigating mode though if they see a body.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Tue May 31, 2022 11:02 am

hepcat wrote: Tue May 31, 2022 10:46 am They will go into investigating mode though if they see a body.

Yes, but if you are 200m+ away and don't shoot repeatedly from the same spot, they will never go into hunting mode or even have an idea where to look. If you see the yellow triangle under you in the mini-map it's time to get outta dodge because they are coming... or get behind some cover and knock down the dominoes as they arrive.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Tue May 31, 2022 11:04 am

And if your gun noise range isn't silenced and you're within earshot for them.

Blackhawk's tips are excellent - it's exactly how I play. I think if you want to go true stealth you really can't be killing Nazis, which is unfortunate - for the reasons that Hepcat mentioned. You can pick them off at a distance but unless you can get to corpse before a patrolling Nazi finds that body (and there's always patrolling Nazis), things will escalate quickly.

I only had one weird interaction yesterday where I shot at the hook holding supply crates over a kneeling enemy. I used a silenced gun (because I'm a professional) but after the netting fell, the nearby enemies started investigating and working their way towards me. Why didn't they notify a safety inspector? Why didn't they immediately start looking at the dangerous working conditions? Always with these guys assuming I'm trying to creatively kill them.

What's weird is I've tried to get into the Hitman games like 4 different times and I never can. Maybe I'm just playing them wrong?

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue May 31, 2022 11:14 am

I want to inform everyone that firing at someone's head when they've bent over and are facing your direction is a very disturbing kill cam show.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Tue May 31, 2022 11:16 am

If you invade others, does it drop you into maps from the campaign you haven't played yet? IE - give spoilers?

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue May 31, 2022 11:18 am

Yes, but you can choose which campaign mission you want to be dropped into. So just finish the first mission and then choose that for your invasion.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Tue May 31, 2022 11:24 am

Smoove_B wrote: Tue May 31, 2022 11:04 am What's weird is I've tried to get into the Hitman games like 4 different times and I never can. Maybe I'm just playing them wrong?

Hitman is really a puzzle game more than a stealth game or a shooter. It's about experimentation with different approaches and costumes to find an optimal path for the different kill methods.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Tue May 31, 2022 11:29 am

Blackhawk wrote: Tue May 31, 2022 11:16 am If you invade others, does it drop you into maps from the campaign you haven't played yet? IE - give spoilers?

I know we think differently about this kind of thing, but I have a hard time seeing anything in this game as a spoiler. The story barely exists to start with and the invader sees none of it. I mean yes, you might see things in different levels that would be a spoiler if you had any idea whatsoever what is going, but you get no context at all as the invader.

Being completely honest, I had no idea you were selecting missions when invading, I just selected Axis Invasion and hit the go button. I guess now I know why I am also always invading on the first map.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Tue May 31, 2022 12:43 pm

In games like this, I look forward to accessing a new area and seeing what it has to offer. I enjoy the reveal as I go. Dropping into the middle of the area takes away from that (for me.)

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue May 31, 2022 12:49 pm

I think all of that is offset by getting to wear a different hat though.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Tue May 31, 2022 1:38 pm

Blackhawk wrote: Tue May 31, 2022 11:16 am If you invade others, does it drop you into maps from the campaign you haven't played yet? IE - give spoilers?

OK, now I have played the game after seeing Hep's response and can tell you for certain that you don't pick the mission for invasion (as the invader) and it definitely can drop you into maps you haven't seen before. Twice at lunch I got mission 10 which I *think* is a DLC/pre-order mission and I have only completed up to mission 7 in the campaign. I got missions 1,2,4 and 10 all without changing anything on my end.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Tue May 31, 2022 1:39 pm

Blackhawk wrote: Tue May 31, 2022 12:43 pm In games like this, I look forward to accessing a new area and seeing what it has to offer. I enjoy the reveal as I go. Dropping into the middle of the area takes away from that (for me.)

Playing as an invader doesn't give you anything that affects the campaign so it should be totally fine to play through the campaign before doing any invading so you don't risk spoiling anything.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue May 31, 2022 1:44 pm

Odd, I could have sworn I was given the option to choose a mission for my invasion.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Tue May 31, 2022 2:39 pm

hepcat wrote: Tue May 31, 2022 1:44 pm Odd, I could have sworn I was given the option to choose a mission for my invasion.

I'm playing on PC on Steam. I suppose it could be different on different platforms.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue May 31, 2022 3:00 pm

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Tue May 31, 2022 3:05 pm

Isgrimnur wrote: Tue May 31, 2022 3:00 pm

Hmmm, I think I have been killed 3 times by invaders, coincidence?

On a related note, I managed to take out two players in one invasion. They were playing co-op and after I downed the first player the other had a 3 minute timer to hunt me down or lose automatically. It was a bit of a firefight, but I got him. I think I have 8 kills in invasions now. A couple I have won but not gotten kill credit as the AI took the host out before I could get a shot.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Tue May 31, 2022 3:15 pm

While I can appreciate the appeal of playing SE5 as a stealth puzzle game, there's also some satisfaction when you find yourself at the top of the bell tower of the cathedral with all the alarms going off and every bad guy on the island hunting you down and you manage to escape

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue May 31, 2022 3:16 pm

Huh, guess I'm wrong. So I take it back. You're stuck with not knowing which mission you'll be invading. If that's a concern, I'd finish the campaign before hitting up invasion mode.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Tue May 31, 2022 4:09 pm

I gave it a whirl anyway. I killed the host in 1 minute, 11 seconds.

He tried to hide in the most unlikely manner - standing in the middle of the road. If I can find him, I'm going to recommend this training film:

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Tue May 31, 2022 6:21 pm

I love that Python skit

I replayed Mission 3 again, this time to find the other two work benches. I finally had to go to the internet to find the locations, apparently they were in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard'

I really, really tried to be all stealthy this time. Seriously. However, I started on the alternate location towards the northeast, got spotted, ran to the beach, ran into land mines and finally had to kill the zillions of bugs, err, Nazis that came raining down on me. Once I got back into the village I did go all stealthy for awhile, trying to find the damn work bench, but then I couldn't exfiltrate till I completed the main objective. That set off all of them looking for me again, with the usual result

So now that I've played this mission three times, I still get totally lost in the cathedral. And yes, this game really reminds me of the Hitman series as well.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Tue May 31, 2022 6:24 pm

The closest analog that I'm coming up with is Splinter Cell. And I'm finding that there is remarkably little sniping compared to previous entries. Anyway, I turned invasion on and it took almost two hours before someone showed up. They were in for about ten seconds and quit. Then another joined, and...

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Tue May 31, 2022 6:31 pm

Did you shoot the truck? Or did the guy just walk in front of it?

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue May 31, 2022 6:54 pm

Blackhawk wrote: Tue May 31, 2022 6:24 pm The closest analog that I'm coming up with is Splinter Cell. And I'm finding that there is remarkably little sniping compared to previous entries.

Really? I’m sniping constantly when I’m outdoors. When I’m indoors, obviously there’s more edge kills and hilarious mine mishaps. Until I find an open window, then I’m sniping people outdoors again.

Mission 3 I just sat up on a hill and took out about a fifth of the troops in that area long range. It was great fun.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Tue May 31, 2022 7:28 pm

Ok, let me put it a different way: there seem to be a lot fewer sound masking options than in the past. Admittedly, I'm still on the first map, but as someone who tries to play stealthily, I'm not finding a lot of options.

Also, the battery in the first map does not make any sound on my system. The sound indicator comes up when it fires, but no sound plays. Artillery silencer?

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Tue May 31, 2022 7:53 pm

I would agree - the environmental options for sound masking don't feel as plentiful, but the levels are so gigantic you can shoot and run and they'll never find you..

I enjoyed the second map in a big, big way. Still creeping around and TCOB

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue May 31, 2022 8:36 pm

Blackhawk wrote: Tue May 31, 2022 7:28 pm Ok, let me put it a different way: there seem to be a lot fewer sound masking options than in the past. Admittedly, I'm still on the first map, but as someone who tries to play stealthily, I'm not finding a lot of options.

Generators, cars and motorcycles can all be sabotaged to create noise masks. They’re plentiful in most missions.

Smoove_B wrote: Tue May 31, 2022 7:53 pm
I enjoyed the second map in a big, big way. Still creeping around and TCOB

The third map is going to make you pass out from glee then.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Tue May 31, 2022 8:47 pm

hepcat wrote: Tue May 31, 2022 8:36 pm The third map is going to make you pass out from glee then.

I came around the first corner and spent 10 minutes (no joke) crouched behind a log spotting enemies. I think I found ~30 and I found every minute enjoyable.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue May 31, 2022 10:02 pm

I practiced my long shot on that one. I think I took out about 15 soldiers from that perch. Then, when I thought I was ready, I promptly walked in front of a motorcycle.

Earlier I threw a dead body on a poor infantryman who just happened to be patrolling below the bridge I was on. That’s a trauma that can’t quite heal on its own, I believe.

You think that maps crazy now? Go BEHIND the castle. I’ve been on this one for 3 hours and I still haven’t made it to the main objective. Everything you see you can get to, it appears.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Wed Jun 01, 2022 10:05 am

hepcat wrote: Tue May 31, 2022 11:14 am I want to inform everyone that firing at someone's head when they've bent over and are facing your direction is a very disturbing kill cam show.

Today's Penny Arcade is just for you.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Wed Jun 01, 2022 10:11 am

The kill cam makes for some awkward moments, that's for sure.

Last night I was perched atop a church tower on map 3 and happily sniping away. One of my shots was quite far and I couldn't quite get centered on the head (or the neck, as most of my shots seem to gravitate towards after I pull the trigger), so I put the aiming reticle square on his body and tried to lead the shot as he was walking during his patrol.

When I pulled the trigger though, the kill cam CLEARLY showed me shooting his ass off...after which he died. It was just so comically overwrought that I had to laugh.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Wed Jun 01, 2022 10:24 am

I finished the campaign this morning. 19.5 hours played per steam. Some of that was replaying maps in co-op, invading and defending invasions which all stretched the playtime a bit. I still have the DLC/preorder mission to do and missed a couple optional objectives along the way, plus I may do more invading just for grins. I also want to check out survival and multiplayer. The Do Not Cross mode sounds worth a... uhhh... shot.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Wed Jun 01, 2022 10:27 am

I swear to God, I don't know how you do it. You finish games like 12 minutes after they're released.

I can't wait until you break the space time continuum and start finishing games BEFORE they're released.

$iljanus · Post by **$iljanus** » Wed Jun 01, 2022 11:23 am

It’s been a long time since I played multiplayer on any of my games but with the magic of cross playing I’d be tempted on doing some co op with some OO folks perhaps in the future…or even some deathmatches.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Wed Jun 01, 2022 2:36 pm

I finally finished the first map. It took absurdly long, mostly because I took the time to find every single collectible. I will not be doing that for the rest of the playthrough. The 'custom' difficulty is Normal, plus the setting to lose extra rounds if you eject a partially full magazine.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Wed Jun 01, 2022 2:47 pm

hepcat wrote: Tue May 31, 2022 8:36 pm The third map is going to make you pass out from glee then.

Oh yeah, it's official. That opening area might be in my Top 10 favorite areas for gaming. I had to move because eventually I ran out of bullets, but just sitting in cover to spot and ventilate Nazis over and over again...so much fun. I just started moving forward into the streets in front of the castle - absolutely awesome level design.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Wed Jun 01, 2022 2:59 pm

What's I found most interesting about it is

Spoiler:

Blackhawk wrote: Wed Jun 01, 2022 2:36 pm I finally finished the first map. It took absurdly long, mostly because I took the time to find every single collectible. I will not be doing that for the rest of the playthrough. The 'custom' difficulty is Normal, plus the setting to lose extra rounds if you eject a partially full magazine.

I think I took about the same amount of time and didn't even get all the collectibles. That first one is a bit longer than the next. Especially after you open up the extra goals as you go.

But that third map? It's going to take a while.

Edit: I was doing a little research on how to play this game on authentic mode and I came across this informative article. They suggest playing on hard for a while to level up and unlock some things first. Then play on authentic. I like that authentic factors in wind and other things. I'm going to unlock some more skills/weapons, then head back and try map 1 on authentic to see what it's like.

Update: Finished map 3 after a little over 4 hours of playtime. Then started a replay of the first map using Authentic mode. It essentially removes all the training wheels. Holding your breath does very little when aiming a shot, focus is gone and tagging enemies seems to do nothing as well. So it's quite hard. I may fiddle with the advanced difficulty setting just to get rid of the aim assist (the one that makes your reticle turn red when your shot is going to hit) and to let wind make a difference in bullet paths. Tagging and focus I'm torn on. While they makes things pretty easy overall, without it my odds of surviving are drastically reduced...especially without focus when indoors.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Fri Jun 03, 2022 3:22 pm

I'm taking a break from Hardspace: Shipbreaker (nice to have the problem of being interested in playing more than one game!) and I'm back into SE5. After the claustrophobic Mission 3 map I'm happy that Mission 4 War Factory is a more wide open map. And I did really, really try to stay all stealth and did so for about fifteen minutes, but in my first building I kept getting caught by a second or third guard after I had killed the first or second

. After reloading saves about four times I gave up and just mowed down a dozen bad guys. At least I'm back into stealth mode again.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Fri Jun 03, 2022 5:35 pm

Finished Mission 4, War Factory. And stealthily too!

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Fri Jun 03, 2022 9:16 pm

I think I'm nearing the end of the 3rd map and if the game ended 30 seconds after I finish it, I feel like I would have been given an A+ gaming experience. This third level is easily going down as one of my most favorite maps in an entire game. I don't even know how many hours (3+?) I've spent now creeping around and finding new and creative ways to spot and shoot Nazis.

Still trying to figure out the one elusive organ I haven't hit. Maybe spleen? I'll keep trying!