Sniper Elite V2 finally makes its debut on console systems after seven long years. The game takes place at the end of the second World War. As Karl Faireborne, your mission is to eliminate scientific personnel to hinder the German V2 rocket program before intel ends up in Russia’s hands. You have the choice of either using brute force or taking a more tactical approach against your enemies.
Sniper Elite V2 starts off strong as you dodge gunfire, track marks, and hide in the shadows. There is a vast assortment of tasks that must be completed per level. These could be simple tasks like traveling from point “A” to point “B” or just planting explosives in key areas.
Exploring almost always leads you to some secret item or weapons cache. This gives gamers an incentive to explore their surroundings. Dead soldiers also carry ammo, weapons, and other gear important to your mission, so it’s imperative to search bodies whenever you can.
Sniper Elite V2 offers a level of realism that is not found in other third-person shooters. You can booby trap dead soldiers after you have performed a stealth kill on them. If you would rather set a trap elsewhere, you can simply carry a dead solider to a different location and then booby trap the body there. The number of ways you can kill your enemies is endless. The player can use a combination of land mines, tripwires, and grenades.
The sniping physicists are very realistic; you must account for the wind, your heart rate and even your breathing. You can’t just use your scope and pull the trigger; it’s not that simple. Taking on the role of a sniper is an art form which is why a sniper scope is such a useful tool (both in gaming and real life!) The game requires patience, skill, and even a bit of luck to pull off the perfect sniper shot.
Gravity also plays an important role while sniping. When sniping from a distance, you must aim above your target to hit it. If you aim too low, you risk the chance of missing the target.
One of the best features in Sniper Elite V2 is the Killcam ability. The Killcam shows the bullet traveling through the air in slow motion as it speeds towards its target. Sometimes you are shown an x-ray of the bullet as it passes through the target’s body, severing arteries and damaging vital organs. This is very entertaining to watch the first time it happens. And no matter how many times you experience it, it never seems to get old.
The game scores you on how many vital organs you hit with a single shot. The further away you are from the enemy when you pull the trigger, the better the score will be. Killing targets without the Killcam will still award you points, but not nearly as much.
You can mark your targets by using a pair of binoculars. This allows you to see your targets even when they disappear behind buildings or when they walk out of view. It’s very important to mark your targets before sniping.
Since sniping relies on environmental sounds like explosions to muffle your shots, missing an enemy or sniping without background noise will alert every solder in the area to your presence. The marking system will help you find the enemy faster when they try to engage you. Once your cover is blown, the combat music will begin to play. The only way to return to stealth mode is to either hide or kill your targets.
Your sniper rifle is not suitable for all situations. When close combat occurs, you can use a silenced pistol or an SMG. If you’re feeling brave, you can sneak up behind a soldier and strangle him. It is possible to use the sniper rifle without the scope, but it’s not recommended.
Sniper Elite V2 comes with a leader board feature that supports both online and offline play. An online multiplayer feature is also available; it offers co-op play, Kill Tally, Bombing Run and Overwatch. Games can be hosted privately or you can join a game already in progress.
The environments depict a city at war. Burned out buildings sit on every corner and the streets are littered with vehicles and other debris. They look like they came straight out of a war documentary from the History Channel. This really sets the atmosphere for the game and immerses you.
Sniper Elite V2 is even better than the first game. The Killcam really adds to the experience and enhances gameplay. It was a long time coming, but it was truly worth the wait.
James ‘Daripp3r’ Pittaro
Platform: Xbox 360 (Also available for Playstation 3)
Developer: 505 Games
Publisher: 505 Games
ESRB: M (Mature)
Price: $49.99
| Review Score | |
|---|---|
| Graphics |  |
| Beautiful and realistic; things don’t get much better than this. | |
| Sound | |
| Heart-pumping music that will keep your blood pumping and your mind alert. | |
| Gameplay | |
| Very accurate depiction of the real thing; it doesn’t get any better. | |
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| A killer experience (literately) and one gorgeous game. The Killcam really sets Sniper Elite V2 apart from other shooters. | |
