March Reviews
The marksman has always held a unique place in the annals of video gaming.
From Silent Scope to Call of Duty, there is something special about winning battles one round at a time. Arguably, no title has delivered this experience with more confidence than Sniper Elite.
The series has – for the past two decades – seen players place their crosshairs on Axis oppressors through various theatres of the Second World War, while delivering slow-motion replays of accurate shooting in wincingly graphic detail.
Now the latest instalment – Resistance – puts digital sharpshooters on the European battlefield once again as they fight for supremacy against the cream of the German Wehrmacht.
This time players are cast in the boots of British Special Operations Executive agent Harry Hawker.
Set in the run-up to Operation Overlord, the game offers single-player action plus multiplayer options.
And it does not disappoint in its delivery – with a thrilling experience that builds on established features of the franchise while introducing plenty of fresh elements as well.
Focused on seven missions – which all play out in France but across varied locations from vineyards to complex urban environments – the atmosphere of the era is captured well.
Weapons, vehicles and equipment of the 1939-45 period have been meticulously rendered and the action is slick throughout.
Pushing back the opposing force, however, is no easy task, with success usually hinging on the ability to size up situations quickly.
The multiplayer action is especially worthy of note, with the standout feature being the Axis Invasion mode.
This effectively gives players the chance to become a sniper killer, wrecking somebody’s day by crashing their game.
There’s something truly satisfying about dropping into an enemy fighter’s mission, unexpectedly turning the tide, and sending them packing back to their main menu in disgrace.
It’s a brilliant addition, adding a layer of unpredictability and tension that really keeps you on your toes.
Every shot feels more impactful, knowing that your opposite number could be lurking in the shadows, waiting for you to make a mistake.
Soldier sampled the PC and PS5 builds of the game and both worked well.
The combat throughout is exhilarating with pace aplenty and a palpable sense of suspense.
The visuals are impressive too, with beautifully crafted environments that make it feel like you’re in the middle of a Europe in the depths of conflict.
From the scenery of the rooftop vistas to atmospheric dark alleyways, the developers’ attention to detail is commendable.
Gripes are few and far between, but the voice acting from the central character is one I cannot easily ignore coming from cockney territory myself.
While I appreciate any effort at authenticity, Harry Hawker’s in-game patter sounds more like a dodgy impersonation of Dick Van Dyke.
It’s a minor gripe, but one that, unfortunately, stuck out like a sore thumb.
The game otherwise impresses on pretty much every front.
It looks the part and digital snipers of all skill levels will find themselves fully tested.
Resistance is a must-play for fans of the series and anyone who enjoys a bit of chaotic multiplayer fun.
Review: LSgt Ashley Ryan, IG
Sniper Elite Resistance by Rebellion
This simple but emotional tale follows Mike Flanagan, a former boxer and product of an abusive upbringing whose compulsive drinking leads him to kill a nine-year-old boy in a car crash.
Now released from prison, penniless and bearing a potentially fatal brain aneurism, he uses his one final day before his last fight to right his wrongs, seek redemption for his past and beg forgiveness from those he hurt.
Michael Pitt – looking like a cross between Paul Newman and Tom Berenger – is perfectly cast as the rough and ready “fighting Irish” boxer, backed up by a supporting cast of big names (Steve Buscemi, Ron Perlman, Joe Pesci among them).
The resulting action combines Hollywood-scale drama and gritty realism, coupled with minimal yet elegant cinematography, a resonant piano score and effective visual storytelling.
Jack Huston’s directorial debut is a superb example of doing more with less. Stripped down to a colourless filter, with many a pregnant silence, the film takes you on a journey and the pay-off, while predictable, is ultimately a knockout blow.
Review: Tpr Luke Maxwell-Libby, HAC
Day of the Fight
Told from both the Somali and American perspectives, this Ridley Scott-produced documentary reveals the true personal stories behind the 1993 “Black Hawk Down” mission when 18 US troops were killed in Mogadishu.
Fans of the film – this reviewer included – will be fascinated by the first-hand accounts from those who were on the ground. However, the three-part series somehow fails to fully clarify the confusing sequence of events.
Capturing a rounded picture of the brutal, fast-moving engagement was always going to be a challenge but it feels like there are some major elements missing – for example, the role of the other UN peacekeepers and the fact that Delta Force snipers Randy Shughart and Gary Gordon received posthumous Medals of Honor for their heroic defence of injured pilot Mike Durant.
What does stand out is the utter chaos of the battle and its long-term impact on combatants and civilians alike as well as, unfortunately, how America’s misconceived approach lit the flame.
Review: Capt Mike Owens, RE
Surviving Black Hawk Down
A reservist and academic has published what he believes is a blueprint for ending animal poaching worldwide.
In Killing the Trade, Richard Milburn, a lecturer at King’s College London and an acting corporal in the Intelligence Corps, argues that a combination of local and strategic measures could break the business model underpinning the entire industry.
The book is based on 12 years of research and field work, both in the Army and with civilian initiatives in Africa.
In fact, it was an article in Soldier that first drew his attention to the Service’s efforts to tackle poaching.
“I was finishing my trade training while coming to the end of my PhD, and there was a report about a deployment to Malawi,” the 36-year-old explains.
“I got in touch with the commander and about six months later we went to Zambia, where I got to see the whole ranger training piece for the first time.
“It got me thinking in more depth about the parallels between counter-insurgency ops and the illegal wildlife trade.”
Much like poor Afghans who are forced to fight to feed their families, Milburn says impoverished poachers face a similarly stark choice.
“When people are desperate, they choose that option,” he continues. “In Zambia, a guy was pulled into camp as part of a bush meat capture.
“He was dirt poor, not some organised crime gangster, and every single soldier on that deployment felt sympathy for him.
“So in some ways it’s simple – provide alternative jobs so people can put food on the table.
“That could wipe out 80-90 per cent of poaching.”
Army activities at the tactical level are currently on hold due to a freeze in funding. But Milburn hopes they will resume in the not-too-distant future, not least because of the benefits such taskings bring to troops.
“There’s value in terms of innovation, training and development,” he concludes.
“It’s a good space to bring in new medical stuff or drones too.
“Small teams with a relatively small budget can have a big impact. This is an eminently solvable problem.”
Interview: Becky Clark, Soldier
Killing the Trade by Richard Milburn
With the 80th anniversary of the Second World War’s end approaching, this timely analysis of 12 tactics used by Hitler’s regime to attain and hold onto power makes for sobering reading.
Charting the Nazi’s use of the mass media to spread conspiracy theories, through to the creation of industrial death factories, the author looks at the dark psychology that allowed them to prevail for so long.
Rees – whose stunning back-catalogue includes the BBC documentaries The Nazis: A Warning form History and Auschwitz – avoids any direct comparison with the world today.
But any reader will be hard-pressed not to think about the current state of global politics, the rhetoric coming from the personalities involved and the potential trajectory of future events.
Review: Cliff Caswell, Soldier
The Nazi Mind by Laurence Rees
