Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3
Developer: CI Games
Platform: [PS4] Xbox One, Windows PC
Release Date: April 25th, 2017
[dropcap size=small]C[/dropcap]I Game’s Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 is the third open world shooter installment within the Sniper Ghost Warrior series which unlike its predecessor is produced with a high-class budget in a attempt to mark a higher standard for the game’s series. This game is my first introduction to the series as I have never played any of the previous Sniper Ghost Warrior game, so keep that in mind for the rest of the review, but let’s jump in and give you my overall experience and view on Sniper : Ghost Warrior 3.
Graphics
Before my first minutes of gameplay we are introduced to an atrocious long load which I had first thought this would have been alleviated of as the installation of the game however I had come to the proper comprehension that it was indeed the default load time of the game on my second start up of the game. Any small excitement I have for the game during my each round of the game is quickly spoiled by the long load-times. Now in first minutes of gameplay I noticed even more moderate technical difficulties that heavily affected both immersion and gameplay of the game. In comparison, the pre-alpha of the game which looked far more polished and graphically astonishing than the final build. The first graphical problems I noticed in the game was the lack of sharpness and many smeared textures throughout the terrain of the game. This is also explicitly noticeable as you scope out environments in the game that also shows the lack of visual sharpness in draw distance. A problem such as this is entirely not acceptable especially in a game based on distant combat where visual fidelity at a distance is of all paramount. Another noticeable problem is the constant frame-rate drop and stutters when scoping that generally happens among heavy ambient elements of the terrain. Characters facial animations are moderately dated when compared to other first person shooters such as Battlefield 1 or Call of Duty Infinite Warfare and if not for the games heavy open world level designs it would pass in my eyes for a last-gen game like Far Cry 3.
Combat Mechanics /Gameplay.
Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 introduces a tactical/survival type of gameplay system where being stealthy and resourceful of your equipment is highly rewarded in the long run. It is best to keep in mind that this game isn’t your typical fast pace AAA first person military shooter, where running and gunning rambo style doesn’t have its consequences. Health regeneration is absent and five bullets can be the beginning of the end for your character as you can only hold a limited amount of Medic Kits. Also suppressors on weapons wear out overtime specifically quickly upon automatic firing rifles. This does a great job of reminding players why the game’s title starts with word “sniper”, as it is an imperative method of the game to progress more fluidly.
Sniping mechanics in this game is quite fun in the first minutes of the game as it showcases a realistic system of incorporation of range, wind, and scope elevation. Depending on the distance of a target your range finder displayed on the sniper scope will notify you of how many millimeters your target is. You are required to use your scope elevation to match the distance range as close as possible however it doesn’t end there, wind speed must also be taken into account by the red arrow above your scope cursor. The direction of where the pointer is will show you wind currents directions. This is most noticeable when using Adrenaline mode, which briefly slows down time but pops a small red dot showing you where to aim in coordination of all elemental aspects previously mentioned. This feature however can be removed for a more challenging players which I completely acknowledge on CI Games part as it may take away from the point of putting in effort to each such on differentiating terrains. So far sniping in the game is fun especially with slowly seeing your bullet hit the target many distances away despite the graphical complications shown throughout.
This game features an upgradable skill trees which consist of three different branches – Sniper, Ghost, and Warrior hence at the title of the game. Sniper is based more on your ranged combat/mechanics such as “Zen Master” which increases the holding of breath during sniping or upgraded scouting abilities that “Predatory Focus” applies by seeing enemies through walls. Ghost is based on close combat but with a stealthy fast moving approach with upgrades increased quietness and becoming a melee monster with the serial killer upgrade which gives a melee chain system of attacking enemies consistently. this upgrade i have yet to obtain but can’t wait. and last Warrior skill tree based upon players who are more aggressive in combat with the help of upgrades that increase damage absorption, stamina capacity, magazine of assault rifles, and reload speed to keep the aggression against enemies. The Warrior tree however is least of the tree in my opinion as being aggressive in this game is not wise at all but serves as a plan b in the middle of a stealth approach gone wrong with at least half the enemy outpost eliminated as opponents can quickly eliminate you especially when your getting “jumped.”
Enemies or enemy A.I. of the game is sometimes very awkward especially when you take notice of small enemy presence in enormous military bases. to make matters worse the way enemies react to dead bodies of their fellow comrades is illogical in terms of base alert protocol. Enemies decide to radio in that they found a body which causes them to be on suspenseful watch of the area but do not put the base on alert. I have sniped multiple enemies in front of them only to causal go into a slightly more bodyguard mode with only the hidden enemy snipers being more of a challenge on my Normal Mode play-through. This also make the moving of bodies in the game kinda pointless as long as you are at a distance. Something else to note is that each completion of a mission shows your statistics of how well you accomplished your mission and you get bonuses for not alerting the base which is somewhat easy to accomplished by this awkwardness of enemy approach previously mentioned. Among other topics of complications is the buggy tagging of enemies with the aerial drone. I can point my cursor of the drone at enemies for a long time with it being sometimes unresponsive and not tagging them. This causes frustration throughout my gameplay as enemies can easily see your drone if you approach it within medium range of them thus suspecting the your presence.
Story/Characters
The game opens up with the introductory cut scene of a young protagonists named Jonathan North or Jon practicing sniping. In the distance are empty bottled targets. Jon takes his time in aiming as we slowly see him go for the kill only to be interrupted humorously by his brother Robert. Throughout the scene we get an understanding of the brotherly/rivalry between the two which is still remains as seen in the next segment. The story then does a sudden time jump on the Russian-Ukrainian Border with the brothers Jon and Robert now adults on a secret mission in a chopper. Here we’re also introduced to our Intel Operator Frank Simms as he tries to explain what our top secret mission is about as we navigate the jungle terrain of the bordered countries. We are to destroy an objective with C4 and rendezvous back to an landing zone without detection. I’d like to note that the graphics with in this cut-scene is explicitly better than the prologue of them being kids all around but its still dated when compared to current shooters. I also noticed that these cut-scenes throughout the game are likely not done in real-time but clipped footage which is a minor disappointment as it slightly staggers fluid immersion into the games play-through. After the cut-scene is finished we are finally delved into the gameplay of the game.
The first mission is more of a tutorial that does a great job of letting you understand the mechanics of the game properly with also alluding to wildlife dangers being present in the future of the game. Once we successfully invade the interior base undetected from the outside we are than quickly detected by a surveillance camera on the wall putting the base on alert. this forces are to use more aggressive measures in combat which is also to keep in mind that your brother Robert can die in combat resulting in the failure of your mission. After the base is clear we successfully plant the C4 to destroy the the artillery and swiftly head out the exit door near with his brother Robert only to be ambushed outside. We are forced to lower our weapons and are met by want I assume to be the antagonist whose unknown. he plays a game of roulette on Jon who survives and strangely decides Jon be freed and keep Robert in captivity. Next there is yet another time jump nearly two years. This is where the story begins to make absolutely no sense especially with the decision of playing a game of roulette specifically on Jon but not Robert ? Also the fact of even letting Jon live I hope is elaborated on quickly as it seems to be the main/secondary tie in plot of the game. So far am at the end of the first act of the game which features little character interaction and more of the protagonist constantly requesting intel about the whereabouts of his brother.