Co-op Adds To The Playtime
Sniper Elite V2 offers a variety of different options when it comes to wanting to play this game with a friend. You can choose from 3 different modes plus the campaign to play that each has its own unique play style and provide a nice diversion from the regular campaign. The first of these modes is Kill Tally, which has you facing waves of enemies with the goal of surviving as long as you possibly can. The next mode is Bombing Run, which has you and your partner scrambling to pick up parts to repair a vehicle before bombs drop in your area. The final mode that you can play is Overwatch. Overwatch is probably the best of the three modes because it sets one player as a sniper and the other as an operative. The sniper is given the task of covering the operative as he completes his various objectives. This mode requires coordination and is a blast to play.
Not
AI Is Spotty
The AI in Sniper Elite has a tendency to be on the slow side one moment and expert snipers with any weapon the next. More often than not you will find that the game is more like a shooting gallery rather than a back and forth firefight. Enemies will sometimes be unable to find where the shot came from for a while, other times they will spot you right away as if they had the eyes of a hawk. It takes all of you preparation and lobs it out the window.
The AI also makes it near impossible to be even remotely stealthy. You can be prone on the ground about to line up a shot and they will turn around and spot you down the street. Other times they will randomly spaz out as you are sneaking up behind them and turn around and catch you. It can get a bit frustrating at times.
Action Sequences Don’t Belong
The levels in Sniper Elite tend to start out with you making an attempt at taking the first part in a stealthy manner. After you achieve the main objective, the game tries to pull off “action” sequences during your escape. These have no place in this game. Attempting to use a sniper rifle during these sequences is challenging while using an smg or pistol is completely useless. I have no idea why the developers thought that putting these in there would be a bright idea because it goes against everything that the game tries to portray. These sequences end up being nothing more than a pain in the ass rather than a fun experience.
Story Is Weak
Sniper Elite V2 puts you in the shoes of American sniper Karl Fairburne as he attempts to capture key German scientists working on the V2 Rocket Program. The game references Operation Paperclip, the plan to recruit German scientists to the United States, as the basis of its story and takes place during the final days of WWII during the invasion of Berlin by Russian forces. Beyond that there really isn’t much in the way of a strong plot or shocking twist although the campaign clocks in at around 10 hours. Thankfully the story isn’t the focus of the game.
Conclusion
Sniper Elite V2 is a solid shooter that allows players to step into the shoes of an expert sniper and have fun while doing it. The AI can be a bit spotty at times and the story is bland, but the core mechanics of the game work and it is a game that you can play with a friend. It is definitely worth renting but only purchase it if you are dying for a sniping simulator on consoles.
[Editor’s Note: Sniper Elite V2 was reviewed on the Playstation 3 system. The game was provided to us by the publisher for review purposes.]
