Sniper Elite III is the third main game in the tactical shooter series based around a sniper. Karl Fairburne, an Office of Strategic Services officer, is once again the protagonist, but this title is set before the events of the previous game Sniper Elite V2 . He is part of the North Africa campaign sent behind enemy lines during World War II to target a secret weapons programme of the Nazi troops. The bright and colourful African environments are very different from the dark Berlin ruins in the previous game. The basic gameplay is similar, with Fairburne needing to complete objectives in eight extensive levels using melee weapons, pistols, (sub)machine guns, his sniper rifle, booby traps, land mines and explosives. Direct action is possible, but not encouraged to complete levels entirely. The typical X-ray kill cam impact of sniper bullets is still present, and it has been expanded to cover vehicles that can be taken apart piece by piece until they explode. The biggest difference in design is the amount of freedom, with the game moving away from narrow corridors to a nonlinear approach in a more open environment with different options to progress.
Exploration is encouraged to discover secondary objectives, and because of the environment, there are more elements such as foliage that can be used to remain hidden. During missions, Fairburne gains experience for completing objectives, the circumstances of shots and collecting secrets. Experience is used to customize the character, acquire better weapons and other improvements. It is gained through all available game modes. A loadout can be defined, and additional weapons are picked up from defeated enemies.
The game's stealth system has been reworked. There is now an eye icon that shows whether the enemy can detect Fairburne. A circle meter over the heads of enemies shows their alertness. Various statutes, such as when they have heard a shot or discovered a body, but are unsure about the exact location of Fairburne, are used to track his presence. A noise meter shows when a silent shot is possible through sound masking, for instance due to a passing plane. Regular multiplayer games are supported in Sniper Elite III , including deathmatch and team deathmatch. The Distant King mode awards players for the cumulative distance of shots instead of the number of kills. The No Cross mode puts players on opposite sides of the map, focusing more on sniping rather than regular combat. The cooperative Overwatch mode returns, where a sniper and a spotter work together in two missions. Players can also work together in Survival mode, and the entire campaign can be played cooperatively.