The most satisfying thing you can get out of an action game is a headshot, and sniper rifles make that easy. The modern video game sniper rifle first appeared in Team Fortress — not the one fans are constantly trying to save — but the original Quake mod in 1996. Holding down a button to aim down the scope, lining up your shot, and pulling that trigger is a thrill all of its own.
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But much like shotguns in FPS games, sniper rifles are only satisfying if the developer gets them right. If it has realistic viewfinding, punchy sound effects, and exhilarating headshots, it’s a keeper. Here are some of our favourite sniper rifles in video games.
8
PSG1
Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid
- Released
-
October 20, 1998
- ESRB
-
M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
-
Konami Computer Entertainment Japan
- Engine
-
Fox Engine
Though primitive by today’s standards, the PSG1 in Metal Gear Solid had a thrilling gameplay segment designed around it and had Hideo Kojima’s trademark attention to detail: the smallest tremor can make a huge difference in the rifle’s small scope, and Snake has to use diazepam to settle his hands.
Both Snake and his dueling opponent, Sniper Wolf, are armed with this rifle when they fight over a wounded Meryl. The PlayStation version required a fair bit of backtracking to acquire the rifle, but the GameCube remake allowed you to simply get one from the armory. Sniper battles would go on to become a trademark of the series.
7
MB-150
Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror
Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror
- Released
-
March 14, 2006
- ESRB
-
M For Mature: Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
-
Bend Studio
- Publisher(s)
-
Sony Computer Entertainment
- Multiplayer
-
Local Multiplayer
- PS5 Release Date
-
March 21, 2023
Commercially, Syphon Filter was well past its glory days on the PlayStation when the series debuted on the PSP. As sales plummeted, however, the games themselves became much more high-quality. Dark Mirror is the best game in the series, not least due to its excellent gunplay.
The MB-150 is a fictional rifle based on the Heckler and Koch MSG90. It can fire four types of rounds: regular 6mm bullets, poison gas darts, explosive darts, and taser ones that can shock an enemy to death. It serves as Gabe Logan’s trademark weapon in Dark Mirror and Logan’s Shadow, and is a central plot point in the former.
6
SR M1903
Resident Evil 4
4.5/5
- Released
-
January 11, 2005
- ESRB
-
M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language
- Engine
-
RE Engine
Sure, there are more powerful variants of sniper rifles in Resident Evil 4; the very next rifle you acquire, the semi-automatic, doesn’t require you to manually eject each cartridge after firing. But as the merchant so wisely tells Leon, guns aren’t just about shooting, they’re about reloading.
In both the 2005 original and the 2023 remake, the SR M1903 is the first sniper rifle you acquire. It’s primitive; probably an early 20th-century weapon that the villagers had kept. The merchant gives you a good deal on it, and bless him for it. This rifle has great sound effects and fun reload animations. Its ammo is a bit sparse compared to the handgun and TMP, but its explosive power makes up for it.
5
LF-ASR
Valkyria Chronicles 4
As the Valkyria Chronicles series progressed, it began to lay more emphasis on long-range units, culminating in Valkyria Chronicles 4, where grenadiers and snipers will be your main combatants. Engineers only exist to heal grenadiers and snipers and refill their ammo; shocktroopers are meant to protect grenadiers and snipers. And while grenadiers suffer from limited mobility and defence, snipers are a force to be reckoned with once you level them up to Sniper Elite.
This is because they can now equip the LF-ASR rifle, a deadly weapon that fires three shots at a time instead of one, while only costing one round of ammo in the game’s hybrid RPG mechanics. Though it has lower accuracy than other in-game models, its interception fire capabilities and hail of high-caliber rounds will get the job done.
4
Anti-Materiel Rifle
Fallout: New Vegas
Fallout: New Vegas
- Released
-
October 19, 2010
- ESRB
-
M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Engine
-
Gamebryo
Fallout: New Vegas balances its tone between gritty and cartoonish, but its weapons are decidedly brutal, especially the anti-materiel rifle. This high-caliber weapon is designed to shoot through armour. Its low spread and high power give it incredible piercing damage.
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As if characterizing the weapon’s high power, its ammo is extremely expensive and heavy. The recoil from this weapon can knock your character back a little if it’s fired without using the scope.
3
Intervention
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)
- Released
-
November 10, 2009
- ESRB
-
M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs
- Multiplayer
-
Local Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer
The Intervention is a respectable weapon in the Modern Warfare 2 campaign, but where it really excels is in the multiplayer. Capable of a one-shot kill if it hits the head, neck, or chest of an enemy, this sniper’s cool design and high penetration power made it instantly catch on.
Sniper supercuts were popular in the early days of YouTube, and the Intervention was front and center of that burgeoning esports culture. This weapon has appeared in all the Modern Warfare remakes for good reason.
2
Lee NO.4
Sniper Elite: Resistance
- Released
-
January 30, 2025
- ESRB
-
M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language
- Publisher(s)
-
Rebellion Entertainment
- Engine
-
Asura
- Multiplayer
-
Online Co-Op, Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
-
Yes, all platforms
Pound-for-pound, the Lee NO.4 is the best sniper rifle in Sniper Elite: Resistance. It has a good firing rate and range potential; it can also equip a plethora of attachments to make it better: hold more rounds, make less noise, and keep you from getting spotted.
Sniper Elite: Resistance demands thoughtful gunplay, and the Lee NO.4 is a trusty weapon to have if you want to go long-range. In closer ranges, it’s basically unstoppable. You need this weapon if you’re looking to clear Authentic mode.
1
W2000 Sniper
Hitman: Blood Money
Hitman: Blood Money
- Released
-
May 30, 2006
- ESRB
-
m
- Publisher(s)
-
Eidos Interactive
- Engine
-
Glacier engine
The only weapon more satisfying than a BFG 9000-esque overkill one is a weapon that represents your investment. The W2000 Sniper in Hitman: Blood Money is available to you from the start of the game, but only with consistent upgrades does it become truly unstoppable.
The W2000 Sniper can also be disassembled and carried around in a briefcase, making it ideal for infiltrations. You can walk into a building discreetly, unpack and assemble your W2000 Sniper, shoot the target from a window, and leave without anyone ever finding out. Just don’t go through a metal detector with it.
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