Game: Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3
Developer: CI Games
Genre: First-person Tactical Shooter,
Format: XBO, PS4, PC
Release: April 4
While the first-person shooter experience has exploded over the last few decades on the back of faster action, bigger guns and more damaging perks, then is one variant of the experience that has also grown in popularity. The Sniper. The players who get more of a thrill from exploring the levels, finding the best kill channels and honing their aiming and patience to become a lethal killing force. Being a sniper, is like being a goalkeeper: a unique class of player who looks at the world in a different way.
The Sniper: Ghost Warrior series has been buzzing away in the background for years, looking to create a pitch-perfect sniper experience that makes these backseat hangers the focus of play. After a couple of solidentries that picked up a significant number of fans, developer CI Interactive has gone out with this third release, giving the title the full, triple-A blockbuster budget. Now we have a proper sandbox playground to jump into where you — the sniper — will decide the fate of the world.
You play as US Marine Captain, plunged behind enemy lines in Georgia, looking to prevent a Cold War II by eliminating the leader of an invading force. Unlike the previous games, this time you are dropped into a fully open-world. This makes a huge difference, as you can engage in missions at your will, but also from any direction. This greatly increases the tactical options, as you approach by stealth, looking to get the lay of the land, execute your target and escape back to a safe houses.
The open-world brings the true sniper experience to life in a number of other ways, too. On a more mechanical level, you have new parkour-like climbing skills to help you get up and around the environment. There is also a day/night cycle and dynamic weather than can sweep through your area. This is critical to play, as distance, wind speed, gravity, weather, breathing rate and more all must be judged ahead of any shot. Plus, weather can cloud enemy line-of-sight and give you an opportunity to improve your position.
Looking purely at the gameplay, you can engage in plenty of off-mission tasks. There are sidequests, citizen NPCs and patrolling forces to navigate, animals to hunt, resources to find and — at the aforementioned safe houses — item and weapon crafting. There are a range of high tech gadgets on hand to help you out, too, including drones and driveable vehicles.
Life as a sniper would mean living undercover behind enemy lines and relying on stealth, survival skills and cunning. Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 captures that around an immersive, modern storyline. Plus it still allows for more run-and-gun gameplay when things get hairy, or in the multiplayer modes, to ensure an impressive, diverse package.
