Playing Sniper Elite III was a bit like finding the missing link in human evolution as far as it's own series goes. I had previously played 4 with it's huge open maps, followed by V2 with it's incredibly linear level structure. Sniper Elite III hits somewhere in the middle and feels like the worst game of the 3 for it. It doesn't have the tight design of 2 or the absolute freedom of exploration of 4. It should be in the goldilocks zone but actually ends as the worst of both. The game's setting also doesn't do it huge favors with lighting and level design. It feels like a huge amount of bloom, often limited fov when zooming in on the distance which is pretty awful for a sniper title.

The biggest offence though is the lack of slow motion cams of bullets x-ray smashing Nazi fascists in the face. It pulls a bit of a switcharoo anyway, I play these games co-op with a friend and the first level on the first 3 enemies we get the cam, one of the best parts of the series. We're laughing, excited. Then not another one for the rest of the game learning it's removed in co-op except those first 3 enemies.

Our disappointment was palpable.

All that said the game is still pretty fun overall. planning attacks with a friend in co-op to try and be stealthy as possible, the ability to customize load outs, and the excellent performance. It was a cross gen PS3, PS4 title yet runs incredibly smooth 60fps which their later game Strange Brigade couldn't match at all is an odd one.

All in all this game is fine. it's the start or prototype for what the series will become. It almost never goes on sale however and when you can get Sniper Elite 4 ultimate edition with all DLC in sales for £7-8 all the time? It's not really worth going back to this except for curiosity.

+ Relatively fun to play over a few evenings.
+ Excellent feeling performance on PS5.

- No X-ray kills in co-op.
- Level design and visuals feel a bit meh.
- Can get better games in the series much cheaper.