Rebellion Games announced Sniper Elite 4 earlier this year and we were blow away by the teaser trailer - 1080p full HD and 60fps on Xbox One and PS4, guys. But now we've spent some time with the game, courtesy of Rebellion's Head of Creative Tim Jones, and we've realised there's so much more to Sniper Elite 4 than just its looks.

We were given a hands-off demonstration of the new game and here are the four most important things you need to know:

1. It's the most visually impressive Sniper Elite

We've got to address just how stunning Sniper Elite 4 is. The first part of the demo took us through the second level of the game, an Italian village called Bilanti. It's 1943 and the game's events follow straight on from those of Sniper Elite 3.

Bilanti Village, like a later level we were shown in the Regilino Viaduct, has a wonderful variety of landscapes. The village sits on the edge of the ocean, where the mountains dip into the sea. In the centre are some picturesque houses, which happens to be an area where the Italian Resistance and the Nazis are going head to head.

But the army is also patrolling all over this little fishing town, forcing you to explore its every inch.

The maps have also got even bigger than ever before, with this village area measuring up three times as big as the largest map of Sniper Elite 3.

2. Kill cams have got even better

One of the most celebrated things about the Sniper Elite series is its attention to detail with kill cams. Well, in Sniper Elite 4, those post-mortem X-ray replays are being improved. Previously stealth kills and melee kills weren't treated with the same respect as those super-cool trick shots. Well, now they do.

You can watch all your kills in slow-mo X-ray videos regardless of the way you take them out. And that now includes shrapnel kills, with some of what we've seen involving the entire contents of a tool box being exploded through someone's skull.

It's more brutal than ever – almost Mortal Kombat style – celebrating all your ferocity.

3. The AI isn't as stupid as before

One of the biggest complaints about Sniper Elite 3 was that the AI bad guys didn't react exactly how you'd expect them to. Dead bodies lying about didn't seem to faze them, and they had a habit of being utterly predictable.

Rebellion has heard your complaints and given the AI a grey matter upgrade. So now, not only are they active across the whole map all the time, they're also more reactive than in any past Sniper Elite game.

Take one of them out and you can use it as bait to lure in some of their former buddies. Heck, this time around you can even boobytrap corpses and take that bait to a whole new level.

It's not just about reaction to bodies either. Your binoculars now also show you what your enemies are carrying, and a little bit about their character. But they'll also tell you what rank your enemies are.

Officers are important in terms of gameplay flow as they affect the morale and behaviour of their troops. Take them out and their troops will be more likely to flee, because if you leave him until last, he'll send his army flying towards your last known location.

4. It isn't just about sniping

Rebellion Games

Although the name suggests this is still a sniping game – and it is 99% of the time – there are more ways to take out enemies than ever before.

Ledge grabs are coming, and all your items now have secondary purposes. There are more melee attacks, better takedowns and as we've said before, you can boobytrap enemy corpses.

You will also have to play with light and dark a lot more, a la Thief. Take out lights to hide your advance in the darkness, and take cover in the shadows to protect yourself from those newly free-thinking AI.

Prepare to be utterly creative with all your kills in Sniper Elite 4.

Sniper Elite 4 release date: July 2016

Available on: Xbox One (tested), PS4 and PC

Developer: Rebellion

Publisher: Rebellion

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