Sniper Dan [REVIEW] – A Satisfying Shot at Problem-Solving

Let’s talk about Sniper Dan. I mean, it almost sounds like the name of a gritty action shooter, but in reality, it couldn’t be further from it. You play as Dan, a friendly guy who uses his trusty sniper rifle to fix everyday problems from a massive distance. There’s no dark narrative here… just a guy and his gun, trying to help out his local community by tightening bolts, fixing a lighthouse, helping chickens cross the road, or even helping find missing pet alligators, just to name a few of the zany tasks you’ll get up to. Yes, it’s a bizarre concept that completely flips the usual sniper video game trope on its head, but it’s also a whole ton of fun.

Check out some screenshots down below:

The best way I can describe the core gameplay of Sniper Dan is that it’s basically Where’s Wally, but with a gun. Ok, you’re not just hunting for a stripy-dressed gent hidden amongst people (although there is one guy I kept seeing time and time again who fitted the bill) – instead, you’re presented with these bustling, chaotic 3D environments, and your job is to scan the area through your scope to find the specific problem you’ve been hired to sort out. It is entirely non-violent, which the game takes very seriously: if you do take a potshot at a person or an animal, you’ll be punished and can even instantly fail the job.

These tasks are generally quite straightforward, with the game giving a list of instructions on what you need to do… simple. However, actually finding the object or person that you need to interact with can be tricky. Sometimes it’s obvious, such as destroying specific items in the environment like missing pet posters or buried bones, but other times, the description simply hints at the task, meaning you have to figure it out yourself – I don’t want to give any of these away, because that’s part of the fun of the experience. Add to that some fun target-based mini-games, time-sensitive high-pressure tasks, and cheeky boss fights, and you’ll find there really is a lot going on. And believe me, it is fun and stupidly addictive. The blend of shooting and problem-solving was genuinely absorbing, whilst the fact that it’s all presented in a charming manner just adds to the joy of playing.

“Sniper Dan is an absolute treat, taking a mechanic usually reserved for shooters and flipping it into a charming puzzle experience.”

At the end of each job, you get graded on your performance. The game ranks you based on how fast you completed the job and whether you relied on any hints, with the criteria not overly complex in fairness. Still, a stray shot or a moment of hesitation can definitely catch you out here and there, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have to re-play a couple of levels to get that S-rank. You can use hints to highlight exactly where your target is hiding for a task if needed, but honestly, it makes the whole thing feel way less rewarding. It’s there if required though, and will help make the whole experience a lot more accessible for younger players who might need a helping hand here or there.

Earning high ranks nets you coins (as well as shooting specific collectibles in levels), which you can pump into a variety of gun upgrades, cosmetic items, and even mini-games. Every gun upgrade is genuinely useful, but I found boosting the reload speed and expanding the clip size made a big difference when playing. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not challenging, but waiting to reload when dealing with multiple targets in quick succession was noticeable prior to having these upgrades.

Check out some screenshots down below:

The cute cosmetics for Dan and fun bits of decor for your home base add to the personality, whilst the mini-games are… okay. They’re a bit of a mixed bag: the bowling and tennis are oddly satisfying, for example, but I found the air hockey incredibly frustrating to play. There are also optional collectibles to hunt down across the various maps, but personally, I didn’t enjoy these as much as the main jobs. Trudging back through levels just to find a random item didn’t have the same appeal when it lacked the fun context and problem-solving charm of the actual sniper jobs, and whilst it does allow you to spend more time with the game, I’d have wished they were a bit more interesting. The robot you get to build from the optional collectibles is cool, though.

One of the things I loved the most about Sniper Dan was the game’s cheeky sense of humour. Whenever you successfully shoot a target, you’re treated to little cutaway scenes showing the aftermath – and yes, it’s totally silly and childish, but I couldn’t stop laughing when a woman trying to pick apples got blasted in the face by the fruit I’d just shot, when a character stepped in dog poo only for my bullet to blast it all over them, or when a revitalised lighthouse beam proves disastrous for a flock of birds. It’s slapstick stuff that would suggest I’ve got the sense of humour of a five-year-old, but the game always kept a smile on my face.

Developer: Denki
Publisher: PQube
Platform(s): PC (Reviewed), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch
Website: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2841650/Sniper_Dan/