Different postures, including crouching or lying down on the front, can also steady a shot, and the player character also has the ability to take a deep breath which from their perspective appears to slow down time.

Bullets can ricochet off surfaces or targets and strike others. When using the sniper rifle, certain elements can determine the outcome of a shot, taking realistic ballistics into consideration such as wind direction and strength and bullet drop potentially altering the shot through the scope.

Binoculars can be used to tag enemies in view, displaying their position and movements to the player. In addition to hand grenades, the player can deploy tripwire booby traps, anti-infantry land mines, and dynamite. The sniper rifle is the primary weapon throughout the game, with a variety of submachine guns and pistols available as side arms. Set in World War II, the player character utilises appropriate weapons for the era. Most of the single player campaign missions provide multiple routes for the player to take, including multi-story buildings and side streets, to get vantage points and to hide from pursuing enemies. Sniper Elite V2 is a third-person tactical shooter that emphasizes a less direct approach to combat, encouraging the player to use stealth and keep their distance from enemy soldiers. If a successful sniper kill shot is made, the 'Kill-Cam' shows the camera following the bullet from the rifle to the target, with its entry and exit in X-Ray vision.

Sniper elite 3 vs 4