We’d begun skipping the X-ray kill sequences, and our patience for waiting for clear shots was starting to become thin. Handguns and machine guns feature also – it’s possible to take down two or maybe three enemies with the latter when making a swift getaway but due to range and spread they can’t be relied on too heavily, thus keeping the emphasis on sniping.Īs engaging as the sniping mechanic is, with its realistic ballistics and all, by the time the final mission rolled around our interest had started to wane. They’re alerted by both movement and sound – gunfire, especially – but in most locations there are objects nearby that can be used to mask the sound of the protagonist’s trusty rifle. Once alerted to your presence they’ll head towards your last known location, climbing ladders and even jumping across rooftops if need be. Using binoculars to tag foes can reveal if somebody is carrying something of use, as well as assist in keeping track of their location.ĪI routines do get a little predictable, but regardless the German adversaries put up a remarkably good fight. Weapon upgrades, incidentally, are not simply found lying around but are instead carried by certain enemies. The loadout screen gives the chance to take as many explosives into battle as you deem necessary. Rocks can also be thrown to cause a distraction, giving the chance to sneak behind enemies to perform a stealth kill. Trip wires and landmines can be placed for enemies to blindly walk into, while starting a small fire on top of a block of dynamite, and then observing enemies cautiously approach, is another constant source of amusement. Stray from the beaten path and you may come across a sniper nest, or a supply of invaluable explosives. As such, this is a game that both encourages and rewards exploration. Due to the sheer size of the environments, almost every objective can be reached in numerous ways. After the brief, explosion heavy, tutorial mission is out of the way the first main mission – centred around a large oasis – does a superb job of drawing you in. Set in 1942, the war-torn city streets have been left behind in favour of dusty African plains. They’ve been designed with replay value in mind too, frequently taking the focus away from sniping with optional side missions such as destroying ammo dumps and locating weapon blueprints. The fact that there are only eight missions shouldn’t cause concern, as each takes a good two or three hours to bring to a close. The sniping mechanics have been honed and tinkered with and the environments are now larger and more open. Of the two though, this is the far superior game. With a relatively short 18 month turnaround, Sniper Elite 3 does bare quite a resemblance to its predecessor.
The thinking man’s third-person shooter, it rewarded patience like no other. As well as an X-ray kill cam, showcasing the entry and exit of every bullet in grizzly detail, it was also vital to both plan ahead and cover your tracks. In reality, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Those who never played Sniper Elite V2 may be under the impression that it was just another shooter.