Sniper Elite V2 is a tactical third person (first person when shooting through the scope) shooter developed by Rebellion Developments. Rebellion Developments have said this is a remake (not a sequel) to the Sniper Elite game released in 2005.
Story:
You are an OSS Office called Karl Fairburne who has been inserted into Berlin in the final days of World War 2. The USA are trying to capture Nazi scientists who worked on the V2 rocket programme and your job is to assassinate any scientists defecting to the Russians. The story isn't interesting in any way and is quite poorly told. Do not expect some high class story with twists. It is a shame as this is by far the most disappointing part of this game. The protagonist is undeveloped and really lacks any sort of personality. The give the developers some credit he does spend pretty much the whole game by himself and so this comes with its own problems (for instance the story has to be told through narration). The single player mission can be completed in around six hours.
Gameplay:
This is where this game shines but lets start with some negatives. Enemy AI could be a lot better. They do try and flush you out with flanking manoeuvres but most of the time the enemy can be quiet oblivious with their line of sight being a little bit too limiting. Also their seems to be a habit of the "cut and paste" job when it comes to buildings. Far too many times have I entered a building and felt a sense of deja vu. Considering that most levels are small this seems rather lazy. Another flaw is the amount of weapons. There are three sniper rifles, three sub machine guns and three pistols (there are also trip mines, mine and grenades to aid you). Obviously being in a WW2 setting limits the amount of weapons but it does seem odd that every grunt is carrying a rifle or subE machine gun with little variation. It would have been nice to have a larger range of weapons to choose from to really make your load out more personal.
Despite this obvious flaws the gameplay itself is quite solid. At the get go you can individually set the enemy skill level but more importantly ballistic realism and Tactical assistance (this comes in to form of ability to tag enemies and when in slow mo/empty lung mode it shows where to aim). So if you really want you can have a point and shoot game or a more realistic sniper experience. The Bullet Physics are incredible with distance and wind taken into account. But a big plus to this game is the X-Ray Kill cam. When your aim is true you get a nice little reward of watching your bullet leave your rifle and hit your target with a nice X-ray feature which shows how much damage your bullet does to the victim. It never gets tiresome.
There is a lot of replay value in this game. The way the missions are laid out means there isn't one specific way to complete each mission. It is quite enjoyable to just go back and complete missions in different ways. Also, for those budding collectors out there, there are gold bars to collect throughout the campaign and also, more interestingly, wine bottles to shoot which adds to the reply value. Personally I am not really a "completionist" but finding those bottles has kept me coming back for more. But if that didn't tickle your fancy, Sniper Elite V2 does have a sort of horde mode (called Kill Tally). It is your standard horde mode with more enemies and increasingly in difficulty. However, for me, this wasn't executed very well. At the time of review there are only three maps (I assume more will come with DLC as well as more game modes). The mode uses scaled down maps but in doing so removes the key points of being a sniper which is getting the high ground. It feels odd running around with a sniper rifle and doesn't really fit well with the game.
Online:
Sniper Elite V2 does have another feature that makes you come back for more. This is its various online modes (co-op campaign, Kill Tally, Bombing run and Overwatch). These modes are quite refreshing to have compared to other shooters out there. All the modes are limited to two players and rely on team work to work. Kill tally and co-op campaign are self explanatory and Bombing run requires you and your partner to find parts for your escape vehicle before the area is bombed (obviously there are enemy about) but Overwatch is where things get interesting. Overwatch is where one person is in an overwatch position while your team mate is trying to carry out objectives while calling out enemy locations. This is actually quite fun and defiantly the better game mode which require a lot of teamwork. It is with noting about Sniper Elite V2 that I have had zero issues with online connectivity and finding games.
Graphics:
Good but not spectacular. The character models look and move in a realistic manner and the environments look incredible. However this game isn't a graphical marvel. Transition between cut scenes and gameplay could have been improved.
Conclusion:
It may seem this game has some big faults but that doesn't mean this isn't a fun game to play. Sure enemy AI seems a little dumb at times and the story is dull and isn't told very well but what it does right is being fun to play. The X-ray kill cam is unbelievably cool and adds satisfaction to your kill when you see the bullet enter the eye and take out the back of his brain. It never gets old. There is a lot of replay value to this game with the online and collectables.
My advice is this. Play the demo. If you like the demo get the game as you will not be disappointed as I am still having fun with this game.
Gazette gaming columnist Jake Magee writes that “Sniper Elite 4” shone brightest when it allowed him to do what the game handles best: sniping. Unfortunately, most other gameplay fell short.
Rebellion have decided to take us back to Berlin amidst the end of World War II during 1945. Sniper Elite V2 is a modern remake of Rebellion’s original game, and provides the players with a chance to shift the tide of war by covertly disrupting Nazi Germany’s V2 rocket program.
An 8 on other consoles, maybe.
On Wii U, it's missing crucial patch support and the multiplayer mode doesn't exist.
Bump the Wii U version down to a 4. 5 if you're feeling forgiving.
Coulda made a unique exclusive that would have drawn attention instead, but nooooo...
Thanks a lot, Rebellion...-_-;;
GotGame writes: I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life. Few of them have been as regrettable as not playing a Sniper Elite game before last weekend.
"I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life. Few of them have been as regrettable as not playing a Sniper Elite game before last weekend."
I couldn't agree more. I'm very much enjoying Elite 3. It's getting mixed reviews. But it's this years hidden gem for me so far.
Bugs,no scope glitch,bugs,glitchy achievements,dead soldiers with happy feet,bugs.c'mon it's just another bug fest to join a long list.So many unfinished games so far for nxt gen consoles.BF4,Thief,Soul Suspect now Sniper Elite 3 all unfinished.
Very good review. Would you say the game is better than Ghost Warrior?
"Is this game worth scoping out?"
Scoping out? As in studying something from afar? I suppose I might give this game a look from great distance.