In Sniper Elite 4, you can do the unthinkable

<i>Sniper Elite 4</i> is a third-person action stealth game set in World War II.

Though my first attempts at infiltrating a picturesque Italian island occupied by Nazi forces did result in many bullets through brains, bodies and, yes, balls, I can't label my solitary invasion entirely successful.

Largely because the bullets weren't mine and the brain, bodies and yes, balls, - well, what was left of them - were.

Sniper Elite 4 is a third-person action stealth game set in World War II. Each level or mission takes place in a giant, yet intricate, sandbox you can attack in a manner of your own choosing.

As you progress, diversions and extra side missions pop up for you to complete if you want. It feels like Hitman crossed with Grand Theft Auto.

My initial approach had been all wrong. I'd been hasty, quickly discovered and resorted to going in all guns blazing. This only resulted in a hail of bullets greeting various parts of my body. I quickly learned I needed to slow down, hide, plan and execute. Patience is key.

Soo I was nesting in deserted towers or mountain tops and picking off guards. Setting up devious traps to lure enemies to their death, taking adantage of the environment by, say, shooting a truck's fuel tank as it passed through a heavily fortified checkpoint and causing an explosion that took out every enemy in the vicinity.

Watching a plan come together was massively rewarding and left me feeling like a sneaky, unstoppable Rambo - although I still spent a lot of time fleeing and hiding, waiting for the heat to pass before emerging from the shrubbery and trying again.

There's a lot of game here and a lot of gory fun to be had courtesy of the bloody and graphic X-ray Kill Cam.

Sniper Elite 4's emphasis on stealth and murderous planning offers a unique spin on the typical sandbox gameplay. It's less run and gun, more hide and shoot.

So if that sounds a bit of you, this game will hit the target.

Rating: R16 (Violence)
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Verdict: Less run and gun, more hide and shoot.