The Good: The x-ray
cam is gruesomely awesome, customizable realism settings provide
smarter AI and more advanced ballistics, cooperative online play with
multiple modes (supposedly), nice visuals
The Not So Good:
Linear level design is tiresome, checkpoint-only saves, lackluster
AI, painfully boring competitive multiplayer (apparently), not really
ultra realistic
What say you? This
action-oriented score-driven third-person sniping game has a “killer
app” and fast-paced gameplay, but becomes repetitive too quickly:
5/8
MY POORLY WRITTEN INTRODUCTION
Snipers are annoying: hiding in the
shadows, waiting for that perfect shot that seemingly comes out of
nowhere, then running like cowards away from true soldiers. Yes, the
sniper has been the disdain of many online gamers who actually try to
achieve objectives instead of racking up kills from some obscure
corner of the map. Of course, there have been several computer games
that highlight the stealthiest of warriors, most
of which are pretty
terrible. Enter Sniper Elite V2, the second version of
Sniper Elite (so the title says), developed by those fine chaps
behind Alien
versus Predator (and Alien
vs. Predator). This time around, the game comes equipped
with a badass slow motion x-ray view that shows exactly what type of
damage your bullets cause. Is this compelling feature enough to
maintain momentum throughout the title?
GRAPHICS AND SOUND
The graphics of Sniper Elite V2 clearly
exhibit the game’s high production values. The superfluous
third-person view (ostensibly to showcase the main character’s
design) doesn’t become too much of a hindrance during gameplay,
since most of the time you’ll be looking down the scope of your
rifle. The graphics are excellent across the board, starting with the
convincing soldier models and animations. The infamous x-ray cam,
which displays your bullet as it impacts the organs and bones of your
targets, is very satisfying. Levels also include very detailed ruined
buildings (though you can spot some recycled set pieces) placed in a
couple of different environments. The sound design is also very
solid, with dramatic effects when bullets slow down, decent voice
acting, and theatrical music that, unfortunately, makes it obvious
that enemies are around. Still, you certainly get your money’s
worth from the presentation of Sniper Elite V2.
ET AL.
Sniper Elite V2 is set during World War
II, because everyone likes shooting Nazis. The single player campaign
takes place across ten missions (plus a tutorial prologue) with
unskippable movies and cutscenes. Overall, I was disappointed in the
linearity of the level design: there are few alternate paths to
follow and hardly any times where stealth can be used. The game is
clearly oriented towards action, and there isn’t a single level
where you won’t have to engage a large number of enemies (usually
near the end). The game does provide clear objective and route
markers, so I was never at a loss of where to go next. Sniper Elite
V2 really emphasizes scoring (higher points for difficult or painful
shots) and tracks online leaderboards so you can compare your killing
aptitude against others. This is meant to increase the replay value
of the game, but I still found little reason to go back and replay
completed missions (at least in single player) since most of the
enemy soldiers spawn in the same locations, removing a lot of the
suspense. Sniper Elite V2 also doesn’t give you access to quick
saves, or manual saving of any kind: you’re going to save when the
game does it automatically, and you will like it.
This can be a problem if you get stuck halfway through a mission with
a bad save (like right after you did something stupid), and I don’t
like wasting ten minutes of my time on a hard section of a level and
then having to replay it over again when the final enemy gets a lucky
shot.
Sniper Elite V2 also comes with
multiplayer, but I wasn’t able to sample any of it because my press
review copy had it disabled. According to the manual and various
reports across the expansiveness of the Internet, cooperative modes
include the ability to play any of the campaign missions, engaging
waves of enemies, searching for car parts to provide an escape, or
having a spotter tag targets. All of these sound pretty engaging, so
I’m disappointed I wasn’t able to test them out. Competitive
multiplayer sounds much less interesting: can you imaging everyone on
both teams camping for the entire match? No thanks.
While Sniper Elite V2 obviously focuses
on the sniper rifles of the time (Springfield M1903, Mosin Nagant
1891/30), there are other weapons to equip yourself with, including
submachine guns (like the Thompson) and silenced pistols. You can
also bring grenades, land mines, dynamite, trip mines, and rocks (for
distraction) into a mission. I never found too much of an opportunity
to use trip mines, since usually you’ll be firing at enemies
forward of your position, rather than backtracking or defending. You
can also shoot explosives or tank fuel cells for bright, shiny
explosions. Sniper Elite V2 also allows you to tag enemies using the
binoculars and interact with objects (climbing walls, manning
turrets, performing stealth kills, and dragging bodies), although the
action-oriented nature of the game makes the opportunity to use the
latter two stealth options few and far between.
Sniper Elite V2 comes with a range of
realism options that can make the game more difficulty, covering the
enemy skill, bullet ballistics, and availability of help spotting
enemies and placing shots. Personally, I opted for a custom
combination of the best AI, realistic ballistics, and minor shot
assistance, and I thank the game for giving me the opportunity to do
so. Several factors are taken into consideration when the trigger is
pulled: bullet drop, wind, heart rate, and stance are all important.
In addition, you can use “focus time” to slow down the game and
carefully place your shots. Other tools are available as well: a
threat indicator displays where enemies are located, and another
display can inform you of loud noises (during which you can fire
undetected). While Sniper Elite V2 doesn’t offer true realism, it
is accessible to a wide range of skill levels.
Most skirmishes in Sniper Elite V2
involve finding cover or a high vantage point (or both) and staying
behind it. Then, use the third-person view to spot enemies and pop
out from behind cover, delivering the kill shot. Some enemies are
equipped with grenades that can flush you out from behind cover, so
don’t get too comfortable. Because most enemies appear in groups,
you’ll need to move slowly and crouch-walk often: too much noise
and nearby Germans will quickly converge on your position. Cover is
also helpful since your health will regenerate, which is not at all
realistic but makes the game easier to play. Some people won’t like
the more action-packed pace of the game, but it fits well with the
kill cam and pleasingly gory aftermath of your bullets.
The AI isn’t the greatest adversary,
even on the most difficult setting. The level designers have placed
the enemy in some tricky locations (rooftops, high floors in
buildings) that can make finding them (at least until they shoot at
you) difficult. In addition, the lethal enemy snipers only appear
after you have advanced past a trigger on the map, which makes
dealing with them even more bothersome. When on the move, the AI can
run around aimlessly (strafing when there is no need). The AI also
has the tendency to get stuck on objects (low walls, vehicles) and
subsequently run in place. Enemies will head towards cover (even if
there is open ground in between) and flank you if the level layout
allows for it (which isn’t often). The doting AI does make it
easier to line up double kills, however.
IN CLOSING
The x-ray kill cam is a huge draw for
Sniper Elite V2, and if you don’t care for it, it’s very hard to
justify buying the game. However, I do like it, and the game’s
gritty nature and fast paced gameplay can be appealing. The game is
certainly not a simulator, instead opting for lots of targets and
points-based gameplay that emphasize attempting difficult shots. This
is totally fine with me, but people looking for a slower-paced, more
realistic approach to sniping will be disappointed, even on the
highest realism setting. Sniper Elite V2 is certainly not geared
towards stealth: you will be shooting people, and
lots of them. That said, Sniper Elite V2 is a solid arcade-style
shooter, with just enough realistic elements to make it more slightly
difficult than point-and-shoot: bullet drop, heart rate, stance, and
wind are all taken into account. For more novice players, a threat
indicator, enemy tagging, and aim assistance can be used. Typically,
a firefight involves choosing a remote location behind cover and
popping out, taking out opponents one at a time (or two at a time if
they are conveniently standing in front of each other). This can get
a bit tedious at times, though, since you’ll usually be taking on a
large number of enemies. While trying to line up perfect shots that
explode several organs can be fun, the level design becomes tiresome
too quickly, utilizing the same elements (lots of enemies, fixed
sniper locations) over and over again. In addition, your progress is
only saved at checkpoints, which are spaced apart far enough to
become an annoying limitation; the lack of a quick save is truly
irksome. Since the levels are so scripted and enemies spawn in the
same locations, though, you will eventually be able to complete
troublesome missions simply because you know where everyone will be.
The AI benefits from hard-to-reach starting locations, and is not too
smart when on the move. Although my press copy of the game did not
have multiplayer enabled, I would imagine that cooperative play would
be fun with a good partner and that competitive play would involve
tons of annoying camping. The graphics are top-notch, and the
awesomeness of the x-ray view cannot be ignored. I wouldn’t pay the
full $50 price for what amounts to a novelty product, but it does
deliver one unique, very notable feature that may be enough for some.
