Sniper Elite V2 is quite possibly the most violent
game that will be released this year. Usually that sort of
thing turns me away from liking a game but in Sniper's
case, it's got me, hook line and sinker.
Sniper Elite V2
From: Rebellion
For: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Sniper Elite V2 comes from British studio Rebellion,
whose previous (and also incredibly violent) game was the
PS3/360 version of Aliens vs Predator. That game was
an under-appreciated classic, and the same applies here.
You play the role of Karl Fairburne, a lone sniper behind
enemy lines in Berlin in 1945, tasked to take out a few
high-value targets in the German V-2 mission programme. But
the story is not why this game has endeared itself to me (and
to many others); it's the accurate simulation of ballistics
and the glorious Kill-cam.
The ballistics is what adds all the depth and challenge to
this game.
On the highest difficulty (which everyone should play it
on), players have to take into account the wind, the distance
and the accompanying bullet drop. While this may turn casual
gamers away, those that do persevere will find that correctly
judging a shot is very rewarding.
Sniper Elite's other point of difference is the
Kill-cam.
Correctly lining up a shot and firing leads to a slow-motion
view of the bullet as it flies through the air, and then you
get to see in gory detail the bullet hitting the target, and
the damage it causes. They'll make you wince and laugh in
equal measures, especially the fabled testicle shot.
However, there are a few things that stop me from giving this
game full marks.
First off, there is the enemy AI. In most cases, enemies will
see you from miles away and any attempts to be stealthy will
be fruitless. This means that instead of carefully lining up
shots as the game intended, you are desperately trying to
survive waves of Germans running at you, which is nowhere
near as enjoyable.
On top of that is the difficulty level. Sniper Elite
V2 is one of the most difficult games released in this
generation.
The enemy AI may be poor but it's a very good shot, and this,
coupled with long checkpoints, means a very high likelihood
of frustration setting in.
Sniper Elite V2 could quite possibly be one of my
favourite games released this year. It's extremely violent
Kill-cam may not be to everyone's tastes, but it's definitely
worth a rent, at the very least.
- Simon Bishop
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