Sniper Elite V2 review

Sniper Elite V2

This review is based on the demo, NOT the full game.

“Sniper Elite V2 is an upcoming 2012 tactical shooter video game by Rebellion Developments for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is a remake of Rebellion's 2005 game Sniper Elite. The game takes place in the same timeframe and location - the Battle of Berlin in April 1945 - but now the main character, an American Office of Strategic Services officer, must either kill or capture scientists involved in the German V-2 rocket programme. It was named by IGN as one of the 'biggest shooters' of the year” –Wikipedia.

I really don’t know about this one, there are a couple of things in the game I didn’t really enjoy. Read on to find out.

Gameplay

Gameplay wise the game is really nice, it’s pretty obvious  that in development the aspect that they most focused on was the game while looking at it through the sniper’s scope and not so much being out of the aimed down sight. However, the game in 3^rd person is one of the things I didn’t like, it doesn’t feel quite right –not on pc at least- it’s rather stiff, and moving out of cover is a bit stiff as well, imagine the Gears of War moving and taking cover mechanics but without the rolls and less natural.

Another thing I found it lacked was a basic tutorial on how to switch between the guns and the mines/rocks. If it wasn’t because a friend of mine asked me what the rock with the symbol beside the ammo bar I would’ve probably not noticed that at all.

On the other hand though, while you’re scoped it’s really well done. The movement of the rifle with the breath is well synchronized. I’m no real life shooter, but I think the gravity and wind aspects that affect bullet trajectory seem pretty legitimate, it makes It really hard to shoot people in the head –which I like, I mean I never liked picking up a gun in a game and magically shooting people 100s of meters away without having to think the shot through-

The ‘Bullet Cam’ is sexy as hell; it reminds me of 50 Cent Bulletproof, except with better graphics and the x-ray view of the damage done by the bullet as it rams through your victim.

Graphics

Graphic wise it didn’t really impress me, it’s got really nice graphics and all, but it lacks. I mean, for a game designed to release on 2012 I would expect it to look more like a Battlefield/MW type rather than a game with the graphics of a PS2 Medal of Honor. The faces lack expression and emotion, they’re pretty blank. The lighting through the scope isn’t affected by the sun for example.

On the good side, the graphics aren’t horrible. It’s got enough to make it look good and the Bullet Cam excitement that runs through you when you achieve them is very rewarding; I guess gameplay makes up for graphics.

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I won’t bother writing about sound under a heading because there isn’t much to it other than the dramatic music that plays while you’re in danger. Other than that I’m pleased with the environment sounds and other things, they play really well.

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Overall I think Sniper Elite V2 is a game worth buying, it’s not the best game ever but it’s still fun to play, and if you like mastering hard games I recommend buying it, it will definitely give you hours of you sitting own trying to figure out the best way to get through scenarios and killing people as well as figuring out the best ways to deal with gravity and wind.

Hopefully with the full game a lot of these things will get worked on and improved, I'm just giving you guys my opinion on what i saw from the game demo.

Overall score: 8.8