A friend of mine was so kind as to surprise me with a little pack in the mail.. it was this game.
http://sniperghostwarrior.com/
Funny, only two days ago I had watched someone play the demo of it, for those interested, here are the links (2 parts playthrough)
1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BJIyqB1oG0
2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvCcQMNIfNg
Although it definitely isn't open world as you are being guided all the time, it combines very nice graphics (I love jungle) with oh so dearly loved sniping and stealth. I wouldn't have bought it (because of linear game play and because it's again STEAM activated), let's say most probably I wouldn't have, but my mate knew me better and did get the uncut version for me (English language, too).
Now after finishing the tutorial (you can keep your breath to aim better etc) I'm on my first mission. Very nice: I can quicksave and save normally, too. Perhaps because I play on Easy (of course, hehe) and that might help with aiming, too: The game obviously works with ballistics, wind and distance seem to play a role, but on easy you get to see a red dot in the scope where the bullet might hit. I've also got truckloads of rounds for my stealth weapons such as my silenced sniper rifle and pistol (ahhhh yessss) but I've also got a knife (hur hur hur :-* ) and some hand grenades (hehehehehehe ;D). What I don't know is why I'm carrying around a grapple.. and how to use it. JustCause2, someone? :)
The game settings are on ultra and it runs smoothly on my rig. So it is a nice addition, I shall think :-X
Looks like the non-surprising-yet-fit-graphics game. A good mixture of Call of Duty (linearity, missions) and ArmA2 (it's not WWII) and perhaps some faint similarities with JustCause2 (grapple to climb to a higher place, yet only in specifically dedicated locations; Jungle Environment, at least one "clear the oil rig" mission) and some weapons seem familiar, we know for example Dragunov and AS50 from FarCry2.
You don't always snipe, you sometimes have to fight your way out along with some comrades or rescue a PoW etc. Highlight is the "bullet-cam" which gives you a slo-mo view of the bullet from leaving the barrel until going through the target's mind -- or in other words, always when you performed superbly with regards to a headshot. I even managed to sever someone's head with an AS50 ;D
Looks like my kind of game even though it is linear. I've always liked the sniper games.
It is better than the usual CoD kind of games I should think. You get lots of sniping to do, there is some kind of freedom in how you handle certain missions, and it is very corridor-like and linear. Nevertheless, it is definitely a lot better so far than I would have guessed. The graphics are very pleasing and the missions are sometimes a little challenging even on easy difficulty level. However, the fun aspect is strong, and the "bullet-cam" (slow motion camera following your bullet) is addictive as in it makes you want to aim properly and do some heads in ;D
I saw it at the local department store for $30 - almost picked it up, but was unsure of the name and didn't want to get the wrong thing ;D
You go straight back, mate, and get it ;D ;D ;D
Oh one thing I find remarkable about the game:
Loading/Saving time
This game loads and saves so unbelievably quickly it makes me wonder why other games can't do that just half as well as S:GW. Basically the same goes for mission loading times. Just splendid :) :-X
Quote from: Art Blade on July 12, 2010, 06:49:53 PM
You go straight back, mate, and get it ;D ;D ;D
Next time I'm in town or do an Amazon order, I will ;)
:)
Although I reckon that this game isn't something to play over and over again, it sure is some fun to have.
I like those throwing knifes you get by default and you can recollect them from the bodies when someone was so nice as to catch them for you when you threw them into their direction ;D Good for silent kills, of course.
Something I consider "silly" is the accuracy stats you get to see. Why silly? Because some missions don't feature single shot sniper rifles but assault rifles and a hectic assault à la "spray and pray" really doesn't help accuracy stats, now does it. You get one stats for and after a mission which is ok for true sniper missions, but they sum up and get thrown into the same pot for the entire game as global stats, which is silly.
Some missions require you to blow up stuff, so you get to place c-4 on say AA-sites or blow up marijuana fields, some are about "rescue a friend" kind of stuff, and some require a lot of stealth, as in "pass unseen" through an army camp. Unseen still means that you can kill most of the guys but you are not allowed to raise an alarm doing so.
You can see your own legs and feet and you do cast a shadow, something we had a long discussion about in other topics ("I want to... cast a shadow") ;D
The sniper rifles are not always silenced, but for some reason it doesn't really matter. I once kept shooting around in a camp rather noisily and the other guys didn't care much.. nor did I. :) But apparently you've always got your nice silenced pistol which actually is silent. Just a little "ploff" and someone suddenly suffers from a rather acute frontal lobotomy, even if performed through the back of his head. :)
Hand grenades are not very spectacular and not your default loadout. Still, it is ok sometimes to toss a 'nade over to a guard post. Like that you may get to meet a lot of his friends rather quickly, and kill them just as well :)
Oh, forgot to mention: When you hold your breath to aim with a sniper gun, time slows down significantly. Almost like in FO3. You can't do that for very long, though, and if you use that feature you'll pant a little after that which is bad for your consecutive aiming but you'll recover quickly. Also, like the Eagle Vision of AC2, holding your breath changes the colours of the environment when viewed through the scope and enemies usually turn red while sniping (not always, probably to do with being partly visible or distance, not sure yet. That turning-red however is only available on Easy difficulty). Not bad :)
When you're with your spotter reminds me of the passage in CoD:ModernWarfare I think it was, when you were to snipe someone from a hotel room in Pripyat/Chernobyl. The similarity is that your spotter keeps talking and giving tips and commenting (e.g. in Sniper, after you did a well-aimed headshot, he goes "Niiiiiice" etc) and also you always wear that camo suit that makes you looke like a giant vegetarian mop. :)
Funny moments:
1) Didn't aim properly and made his hat jump.
2) Shot off a helmet that went sailing away, leaving the soldier puzzled (before I ventilated his skull).
3) Aimed at a guy in a ditch and fired. That moment another guy popped his head up in front of the first guy, so both met their end with the same bullet at the same time.
3) Killed a cow with a headshot. Nice ragdoll.. ;D
4) Killed a chicken with a stroke of my knife.
5) Shot a head off one's neck (whoa, looks heavy. didn't expect that to happen)
6) Found an eagle sitting on a wooden bridge. Sniped him.
I don't know why, but when playing games that have weapons, I always try to kill all kinds of animals I encounter. Some games allow it, others don't. Those which do allow it not always make it look good. In Sniper:GhostWarrior animals "react" as you expect it. Like, a cow drops dead and may even give a sound, birds kind of explode in a burst of blood and feathers. Haven't found a cat or dog yet (hehe) but I think I'd leave them alone.
Oh, funny moment: Sneaking around very stealthily in a wet environment, I tripped on a fricking crocodile which was about as surprised as I was, and we both ran away in different directions. ;D
OK, I'm through. Already.
Game time: 13h 12min
10 of 30 secrets found (useless crap, they are messages I didn't know what to do with them)
35% overall accuracy (while I had 100% in some pure sniper missions)
510 headshots
1040 kills
Those "secrets" are hidden mostly in huts and rooms, that means they aren't hidden at all as they are right on a desk. All you need to do is go into huts and rooms you wouldn't have to by mission design. The secrets are then available on the main game menu and look like a bread box with a sheet of paper on which some typewriter exercises can be found (ie: "join the army, donate money to the army, send your sons to the army" or some such crap)
The overall accuracy goes down the drain when you have missions going that put you like on the back of a truck with an MG and you need to take out enemies while some guy drives you around on narrow bumpy paths at quite some speed. Impossible to get a good accuracy there, and there are more missions that require you to use automatic weapons while you are on a full-blown panic mission and simply don't have time to aim in peace and quiet.
Very nice environment, day and night, sun and rain, jungle and factory, sniping and assault. I'll replay some of the missions as they are available individually once you've played them. I really liked the massive stealth missions, such as the last one named "seek and destroy" where you had to walk around something like Incan or Aztec temple ruins (a maze, basically) and avoid to be seen by your enemies (which means you had to spot them before they spotted you, and then better kill them rather than getting stabbed in the back if you left them be). Not so good was the AI which sometimes really was inhuman as in they were all of a sudden on high alert and madly accurate and spotted me despite a massive camo suit and like 150m away at night and during a rainfall. It was fun to fight against them, though, they hid well and tried to flank me etc.
The game was fun. Fast food for the First Person Shooter fans with a knack for sniping. :) :-X
Nice reviews Art :-X
I did see that game on STEAM but the title didn`t inspire me much confidence!
A few questions though!
1-) Is it a one-shot-and-YOU-are-dead kind of game or you can stand a few shots before you die?
2-) How does the heal system w@&k? Medkit? Hide-and-restore?
3-) Do you get injured - as if you get shot on the arm, you can`t aim well or start breathing bad and panting?
4-) Are there timed missions?
5-) You mentioned day/night cycles, but is it "real time" i.e. does the sun moves in the sky and if you take too long the night falls or sun rises? That would be nice to have missions where you could wait for dusk or hurry up before dawn!
I know it`s probably not the case, but I really want to see a game where the position you are in relation to the sun would affect your vision... would be nice to assault a camp against the rising sun and have your enemies blinded by it! Some serious sandbox programming here!
My answers in orange:
Quote from: JRD on July 15, 2010, 02:39:06 AM
Nice reviews Art :-X thanks :)
A few questions though!
1-) Is it a one-shot-and-YOU-are-dead kind of game or you can stand a few shots before you die?
I've never been sniped, but pistols and assault weapons did hit me: I survived injured.
2-) How does the heal system w@&k? Medkit? Hide-and-restore?
Medkits. There are first aid lockers filled with "medicine" and they are quite frequent which allow you to refill your supply. It looks like you're using a pressurised injection tube and stick the needle into your stomach.. hehe. Those injections don't always restore health to 100% so you may need more than one. I didn't pay attention if or how much "hide-and-restore" worked, but when I was injured, I never recovered to full health without medicine.
3-) Do you get injured - as if you get shot on the arm, you can`t aim well or start breathing bad and panting?
You do get injured but as such it doesn't affect you. Only while being shot at (and hit) your sights jump which makes aiming nearly impossible (or a matter of luck). Apparently there isn't a sophisticated bodypart injury system, it doesn't matter where bullets hit you or the enemy apart from a headshot of course. I've never been shot in the head, though. Bad breath? Never smelled it, no idea ;) You do pant and aim poorly while and after running around. Three stances: Standing, crouching, prone -- the lower, the better your aim. When you use a scope, you'll see all kinds of info, like your own heart rate. When you're calm you've got 80bpm, when you crouched around it will be like 110bpm and running causes something like 130bpm. You do recover and get your 80bpm quite quickly, amazingly quickly compared to real life, but it still takes time you might not have.
4-) Are there timed missions?
Not the way you think (count down) but some missions require you to for example protect a team which sends you running around, shooting, running to the next spot, shooting, getting shot at and defend yourself while your team wants you to protect them etc.. in other words: hectic.
5-) You mentioned day/night cycles, but is it "real time" i.e. does the sun moves in the sky and if you take too long the night falls or sun rises? That would be nice to have missions where you could wait for dusk or hurry up before dawn!
No, no "real time." The weather is fixed for a mission.
I know it`s probably not the case, but I really want to see a game where the position you are in relation to the sun would affect your vision... would be nice to assault a camp against the rising sun and have your enemies blinded by it! Some serious sandbox programming here!
I didn't notice if you've actually got that kind of advantage. There are either stealth operations with silenced sniper rifles or assault missions with either assault rifles or non-silenced sniper rifles. The real stealth missions are the best ones for my taste because enemies are so extremely alert that you have to pay extra attention. They can literally spot you through a gap in a fence from like 150+m at night during rainfall. One mission was so tough (remember, I played on Easy) I had to aim through and across a tent (through windows) and I could only see a small part of an enemy who on top kept moving around in another tent. It was both stealth and timing which made me take him out nicely.
Great Q&A guys - much appreciated. Here is some more information I saw on Amazon where the game is $29.99 for the PC version and $39.99 for xBox.
Key Game Features
- The most realistic sniping experience in a video game ever, right down to managing your breathing for increased accuracy of sniper shots.
- Enjoy a fully realistic ballistic system that accounts for bullet trajectory, including bullet drop and environmental effects such as wind, fog and rain.
- Pull off the perfect headshot and watch your bullets strike the enemy with pinpoint accuracy in Bullet Cam Mode.
- Cooperate with your spotter for a better performance.
- An arsenal of explosive weaponry is at your disposal. Defend your perimeter with Claymore mines, demolish enemy outposts with C4 charges and make silent kills with throwing knives.
- Four types of sniping rifles: AS50, MSG90, SR25 and SVD Dragunov.
- A variety of mission types ranging from sniper vs. sniper elimination, real-time tactical assault and fixed machine gun combat.
- Built on the Chrome engine which immerses players in lush jungle and detailed industrial environments.
- Non-linear gameplay allows players to decide how they wish to approach a situation. Challenges may be completed in several different sequences, giving players the freedom to explore.
- Multiplayer mode option supporting up to 12 players.
Sniper: Ghost Warrior is a single player first-person tactical shooter that features game mechanics based primarily on realistic covert actions of a military sniper. Combat is mission-based and centers on extended stealth gameplay that challenges players with a variety of strategic and tactical choices that affect how they approach their objectives and eliminate their targets. Sniper gameplay is designed to be realistic, with the player required to cooperate with their AI spotter for pinpointing of targets, maintain heart beat and breathing control—especially after running—for maximum accuracy and performance and develop expertise with four types of sniping rifles: AS50, MSG90, SR25 and SVD Dragunov. Players in sniping situations also must deal with conditions such as wind, fog and rain that will test even the most skilled of shooters. Additional features include multiplayer support, a slow-motion Bullet Cam Mode for viewing kills, an arsenal of explosive weaponry like Claymore mines and C4 explosives to defend your perimeter when and/if your position is discovered or to demolish enemy outposts, melee weapons like throwing knives for close, quiet kills and the additional ability to play as a hard-charging assault team member in up-close and personal firefights.
Thanks for that summary, PZ :)
Now some mild rant ;D
As to "game mechanics based primarily on realistic covert actions of a military sniper" -- I don't believe that. I mean, I was never a soldier in real life, but if that was realistic, I bet no sniper would a) survive a war and b) kill so many people as I did. Anyone out there confirm to know someone with like 1,000+ kills (within a few hours)?! And what I know about real snipers is that they don't just run around in a jungle and try to kill someone they don't know anything about. As far as I know, a sniper needs to know his target, observe every move and learn the patterns (when does he get home, where can he be found at a specific time etc). Also, as far as I know, snipers use little computers that do the maths for them regarding Coriolis force, wind, and whatnot. Not just "guessing." Having said all that, it is a game.. the aspect of your own surprise and panic and stress is more dominant than realistic sniping. At least it's diverse, you play all kinds of roles, like sniper, spotter, assault team member.. you name it. I did like it as a "fast food" FPS game, the graphics were really nice, especially "flora and fauna." Faces and mimic and water however looked like from years ago, technically outdated. Some cockpit views from a chopper were incredible cheap, too. But those moments were brief, the general impression was very good.
I like that rant - very useful information :-X
Hehe, thanks..
I have a visual example of how realistic that game is. We, the sniper, are just as cool and professional as that "ninja" in the following short 18 seconds vid. ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEtIoGQxqQs&NR=1
Nice comments you all...
Here are the first 10 minutes of gameplay to add some colors to the discussion! ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh_btp_HNXc&feature=related
As Art said, graphics, specially flora and fauna looks great - even though I reckon this guy is not playing with visual settings maxed out as some shadows appear quite blocky and yet are great!
Linear gameplay for sure... but should have its moments of fun!
I'd give it a try, but will wait for the discount or STEAM sales to consider purchasing!
I don't know if you can change those graphics settings on a console, that guy didn't play a PC version. Even on full HD the youtube vid didn't look quite as crisp as it does on my monitor when playing the game. The face of the main character (you) is done better than most of the other guys you'll get to see at some point in the game, though. There were at least two faces that made me think "oh dear, looks like back in the day of HalfLife1" :)
You're right.. he is on a console!
So maybe its just crapier quality compared with the PC version I saw on other vids!
I also noticed that when you walk through vegetation you pass through it instead of bending the bushes like in FC2... that was a very cool detail in FC2!
Hmmmm, i could actually buy this game today for $30, and it supports XP, unlike some other game thats popular right now. >:(
Kinda reminds me of Crysis, preumably without the flying aliens, which is a good thing. ;) The only things that concern me are the low ratings ive seen for the game, (5.5/10-5.8/10) Anything to do with Steam, and the linear gameplay. Not sure if i want to spend the cash on a dated game, since if i want a quick and dirty time waster in between playthru's of FC2 and FO3, i can play FEAR, which i just played.
it's not dated, it's brand new. The only thing "dated" is some cut scenes that involve ugly faces and a dashboard of a chopper. Enough to notice, but nothing that really influences the rest of the game much. In general, what you see is people from far enough away you won't have time to look them into their faces. Maybe if you walk over them to collect ammo. Water is something that in comparison with JC2 or CrySys looks.. dated. ;D The general visual impression however is that you're walking around in an almost beautiful environment. :)
Quote from: Art Blade on July 17, 2010, 04:34:43 AM
it's not dated, it's brand new. The only thing "dated" is some cut scenes that involve ugly faces and a dashboard of a chopper. Enough to notice, but nothing that really influences the rest of the game much. In general, what you see is people from far enough away you won't have time to look them into their faces. Maybe if you walk over them to collect ammo. Water is something that in comparison with JC2 or CrySys looks.. dated. ;D The general visual impression however is that you're walking around in an almost beautiful environment. :)
Yep, i know it was just released a couple of weeks ago, but by "Dated" i was referring to the linear style of gameplay, surely easier to program and design than a sandbox style like FC2. I suppose thats why its a mid-priced game. I agree the graphics do look good, from watching the YT vids.
I honestly don't know if I had bought it. But a friend just gave it to me as a gift, so why not play it. Now that I played it, I'd say if you've got a few spare bucks (when it's on discount) or if you want anything FPS-style to fill a gap, then go for it. You can replay specific missions for fun on Easy difficulty, but I don't want to even think about playing that game on hardcore ;D
one of the crits the reviewer mentioned was ridiculously hard missions, even on Easy, and dumb AI, or conversly, AI that can spot you a mile away. I think it was a Gamespot crit BTW.
Indeed, some missions were madness either because of what you just mentioned (AI with incredible eyesight) or because of the sheer masses of enemies with automatic weapons (forget about the few using pistols). What I liked were stealth missions because of the incredible eyesight. You really had to be invisible (noise didn't seem to matter even if you shot) and think a little about cover. During those missions it was especially satisfactory when I managed to kill enemies when I wasn't supposed to ("don't engage!") but sometimes you really shouldn't even think about giving away your position by shooting someone. Well, you can, but you'll most certainly need a savegame to resort to ;) I did that a couple of times because it was so funny to see how an entire camp turned into a hornet's nest; some were running around shooting at you while others were confused etc.. quite fun :)
Well, I couldn't resist and purchased the game online with a few other items - I'll let you know how it goes ;)
Nice :) I think that in general you'll like it and then again, I'm expecting you to tell us how incredibly hard some missions are especially with regards of your aiming skill ;) Should you encounter too many problems, there is a way to
cheat: Create a new text file inside
Steam\SteamApps\Common\sniper ghost warrior\Game\
name it
debugconf.scr and paste the following content (see code below) into the file. Next time you start up the game, there will be two additional options available from the main game menu, allowing you to toggle a lot of parameters. There are only a few that may be of interest, like unlimited ammo and god mode. If you save your game, including autosaves, those cheats will be saved with the current game which means you can save in godmode plus unlimited ammo and will return to exactly that state when you reload that savegame or the next time you start the game with one of those savegames. Even if you deleted or moved that file. I reckon you'd have to use that file to disable the cheats, then save, then remove the file to get rid of cheat savegames. :)
Copy paste the content of the spoiler
Spoiler
// ----- Start----------------------------------------
// ChromeEngine config file
!include("DebugConfig.def")
!SaveGame(s) // SaveGame system logs method: "LogR", "CrashLog", "None"
!Cheats() // enable cheat mode
!MenuEditor(i) // 1 - enable menu editor
!CurveEditor(i) // 1 - enable curve editor
!NoMusic(i) // 1 - disable all sounds
!UseDeveloperKeys() // enable developer keys
!UseFKeysWithCtrl() // force using F keys only with ctrl
!ShowPlayingSounds() // logs sound names
!RenderComments() // enable rendering of comments
!NoLogos() // disables logos at game start
!DebugVisualisation() // enable debug visualisation (waypoints, fightpoints etc.)
!SkipFadeOutIn() // enable fast fade in/out
!SkipPressAnyKeyOnStart() // enable skipping "press any key..." on level start
!SetLogLevel(i) // binary sum of flags _LOG_ERRORS = 0x01,_LOG_WARNINGS = 0x02,
// _LOG_INFOS = 0x04, _LOG_TESTS = 0x08
// (used in ShowInfo methods, debug console)
!ConsoleCommand(s) // Defines console command that will be run at the begging of the game
// or after pressing numpad subtract key. There can be more than one command
// and the order of call is the same as they are defined in script.
!EnableAudioLog() // Enables logging of audio errors/events to file
!ChromeSpyHost(s) // ChromeSpy host machine name (default: localhost)
!ChromeSpyPort(i) // ChromeSpy port (default: 8086)
ConsoleCommand(s)
NoLogos()
Cheats()
UseDeveloperKeys()
//UseFKeysWithCtrl()
//ChromeSpyHost("localhost")
//ChromeSpyPort(8086)
//!AutostartServer()
//AutostartLevel("Woodyard_startprop.scr")
// ----- EndCheatbook--------------------------
You just made my day - God mode it is for me and I'll enjoy the game just fine ;D
I know you well, my friend ;D Have fun :)
PZ, how's it going?
It is due to come to my home today, along with a new home "server" that I've been needing for a couple of years now - to give you an idea of the current "server's" age, it is an old PIII with 256 mb of ram.
cool :-X ;D
2:20 and still no UPS guy even though the tracking ticket claims that it is out for delivery :'(
Oh well - back to Panau ;D
It finally arrived! Now a 3-hour STEAM update and I should be able to play.
I just played 60 minutes of the game and although linear, it is quite good. I've always liked sniper games, and this one seems to have the potential to be lots of fun even though it will have limited numbers of plays through (due to linear nature).
So far so good! :-X
:) Yeah, some missions are worth a re-play. Have fun :-X
I like the missions where the sniper position is high, but the run and gun missions are not so much my cup of tea. I think that overall, I'm happy with the game and am glad that I made the purchase. The controls are very simple - not the like the dozens of commands you have in ARMA2, so the style of playing is well suited to my slow reaction times. ;D
Especially when you are allowed to use a sniper rifle. Then you can take your own time and actually go for a proper headshot. Which will be rewarded with that nice bullet-cam :)
Indeed - I love the bullet cam. :-X When making the shot, I hit the RMB to bring up the scope, but is there a way to steady the shot other than lying down?
Breathing. I think it is LSHIFT, should be easy to check the keymapping in the options to find out. Hold your breath and slow down time, aim, shoot, breathe out and resume normal time. The lower your heart rate, the longer you can hold your breath and by that steady your aim. On top -- what a silly expression here -- you may lay down to add even more steadiness.
Thanks - I thought that there must be some way to hold your breath, but I just couldn't find it. ;)
er, have you found it now?
I actually haven't been on the gaming PC since I wrote last - have been configuring the home network so that all printers and other peripherals are working properly. Unfortunately I have a networked Minolta color laserjet that does not appear to w@&k with W7 - the drivers are not recognized, and of course, the printer is old enough so that Minolta is not planning to write new drivers.
gah. Same old story. Sad, really :(
On topic:
I just read that a patch is out on Steam which solves some issues with rare program crashes, fixes enemy sight (they won't detect you that easily any more) and the knife now deals serious damage (close combat).
Cool - thanks for posting that bit of info - I haven't been on my gaming rig in over a week. :'(
Haha, "same here" - as I'm currently active on my XP partition. That game is on my Win7 partition and I just don't want to do boot orgies shutting down and firing up this PC all the time :)
Quote from: PZ on August 04, 2010, 12:42:39 PM
I haven't been on my gaming rig in over a week. :'(
any luck? :-\\
Unfortunately not - critical issues at w@&k has even prevented me from fully enjoying OWG :'(
You see... that "W" word is always a bearer of trouble... the world would be better off without any of it. >:(
I'm sorry for you PZ... I know how it feels to be away from OWG and some gaming time! :-(
Quote from: PZ on August 11, 2010, 01:38:50 PMUnfortunately not - critical issues at w@&k has even prevented me from fully enjoying OWG :'(
now
that's critical.
Truly - it's funny though - these days with a limited amount of time, I'd rather be visiting OWG than gaming ;)
I know that.. sometimes OWG keeps me from gaming, but it's ok in a nice way :)
I just picked up a used copy and went through the tutorial. Granted, it is awfully early to be making a judgement but from what I have seen so far, it looks like one I am going to enjoy.
The weapons are realistic and the graphics are good.
:) Enjoy :-X
Missed this one the first time through . . .
Too bad, looks like no PS3 version :'(
I just completed it on Normal Difficulty on the Xbox360. The game clock says 12 hours plus but I know I had several more hours than that invested...there were a couple of spots in the game where I kept dying and it took several tries to make it to the next checkpoint.
I'll be brief. I liked it. Thought it was a good game...not a great game. The jungle graphics remind me of Just Cause 2 and Far Cry 2. Very nice looking game. Weapons are good in it -- very realistic.
It is a classic corridor shooter with clearly defined missions [ ie. Chapters ] and that is its greatest weakness, IMO.
Seems a waste of such a beautiful map and this game is without a doubt the most "heavy-handed" I've ever played with respect to keeping you in the corridor and on mission. Heavy reliance on annoying invisible barriers in many spots. Obstacles that should be easily crossed are impassible and you have no idea until you get there. Flanking enemies is virtually impossible -- somewhat ironic given that it is a sniper game. In one segment, if you get too far off the designated path, you start taking silent sniper hits from an invisible shooter -- no sound and no cover possible. I was crouched in a deep ditch with rock walls watching my health decline. There is no way I could be receiving hits from the direction my HUD said they were coming from. The next time I ran to where the game wanted me to go ASAP and only took a couple of hits -- across an open field.
At times in mid mission, the game will deposit you in a different location and with a completely different weapon set...whether you wanted it or not. Some times you get the suppressed M 16. At times you get what I assume is the model 700 sniper rifle or the Barret .50 cal. And sometimes you can grab a Dragunov. Some missions you get grenades...others you don't. There really aren't alot of opportunities to get different weapons in the game. You can swap your sniper rifle for a fallen enemy's assault rifle but since it is a sniper game, you are reluctant to pick one up, concerned that long range shots are required in the near future. You only get the weapons the game thinks you need for a particular mission.
There is a surprising [ to me at least] amount of close quarters battle in the game. Your options are a long gun or a silenced pistol. The typical ranges are a little far for the pistol and the quick aiming of the long guns is a bit wonky. No aim-assisted snap aiming is available and 70% of the time or more, the rifle scope doesn't go where you think it should when you snap aim. Not good in a intermediate range firefight.
The bullet cam that shows a slow motion headshot and splatter is cool but gets old pretty quickly and you will probably turn it off.
At times you have to be stealthy and avoid engaging the enemy. You are warned in advance at times. Other times after dying half a dozen times when being spotted by the usually blind and distracted enemy -- and killed with only a short burst of rifle fire, you figure out that the game demands a stealthy approach. If you don't you die, regardless of what you do. And the enemy goes into a hyper vigilant, almost ESP mode, become crack shots, and will flank you in force.
The AI is pretty predictable. They do the same things from the same locations each time. If you are having trouble with a particular area and die a few times, you'll have the AI's locations committed to memory. However, when they get a bead on you they are surprisingly good shots ...and from a distance.
In a few missions you are accompanied by a couple of of guys who seem determined to pressure you into charging headlong into a meat grinder or are whining about needing support and taking heavy fire when they charge in. I got to where I pretty much ignored them and continued at my pace. You can get away with that on Normal Difficulty as they seem immune to gunfire. Not sure about the Hard Level. I don't think I'll try it. Frankly, I thought it was plenty difficult on Normal and often wished I had started on Easy.
Not a lot of humor in the game...some of the Spanish conversations between enemy soldiers or on cell phones is a little funny -- references to women they've slept with, dumb Yankees, etc. I did hear one break into laughter after his buddy farted.
I didn't figure out until 2/3 of the way through that the laptops scattered throughout contain "secrets" that you can collect. I think I ended up with 6 of 30. I just didn't care that much about collecting them.
Voice acting is okay. Didn't recognize any familiar ones. Can't say about the music, I turned it off...kind of like to hear the enemy's footsteps when I'm sneaking around. Story line a bit cliche'--evil military ruler running a brutal regime and tying to acquire WMD's, etc, etc.
The game was bug free...no crashes nor freezes. Th frame rate dropped a couple of times when there was a huge
firefight involving many enemies.
In spite of the criticisms, this is a good game and well worth the used price I paid for it. If it had been more of an open world type game, it would have been awesome but as you might have picked up, I think it is a poster child for anti-open world gaming.
Excellent review, eor123 - I'd agree with everything you said. A good game, but not great, and I've not yet completed the game because I can't get into the corridor nature of the title. I'm finding that I'd rather play through AC2 or JC2 yet another time because of the open nature of those titles, among other factors.
I guess that for me, the open nature of a game is most important, followed closely by the graphics, and then the music. I can handle a weak story as long as the other elements are satisfactory. :-()
Yes, nice review eor123... now I know for sure I don`t want to play this game! ;)
Thanks for the nice review, Eeyore :-X
Your descriptions made me remember this and that moment when I played it and I agree. You mentioned close quarter combat (I know that's called CQC) but used abbreviations I'm not familiar with, "ESP mode" and "WMDs," please let me know what those are :)
Regarding cqc, did you try those knives? You can stab enemies with them or throw them at someone. I liked to do that occasionally.
Those "secrets," although I collected quite a few of them from start I stopped collecting them because they didn't seem to make any sense nor did they seem to be of any use.
For a sniper game I think it's strange that you have to play different roles, never mind being a spotter, but why the hell do we have to be on an assault team or fire mounted MGs from a moving vehicle.. that didn't quite add up for me.
However, like you I think it was a good game (at least on Easy) but not great. And like you and PZ I would have loved the game had it been open world (and given you free choice of weapons like in FC2).
ESP [extra sensory perception] mode...that's a phrase I invented, meaning that the AI seems almost psychic in their ability to spot and target you -- like on Infamous in Far Cry 2. ???
WMD = weapons of mass destruction, ie the real big bang stuff, ie nukes, dirty bombs, chem or biological weapons.
Those assault team missions were strange... those guys really were trying to get me killed. "Push forward!" "Move up!" Just a personal quirk, but I like to note where the fire is coming from and take cover while advancing whenever possible. I've noted you tend to live longer that way, both in gaming and real life. ;)
Can you imagine what an awesome game it would be if set in an open world venue where you could chose your missions or whether to be the spotter or the sniper and have more control over your weapons load out? Gee that sounds strangely like another game we all enjoy. ;D
yeah, I'd be on it the moment it's on sale :)
WMD oh dear, clear! :D Didn't expect that, then.
Hehe, ESP! Yeah, I noticed that, too. Even on easy. It was particularly nasty when getting close to the end, having to enter a maze of tunnels in a rocky formation, you needed to sneak past a guard post. They massacred me, a couple of times, even almost out of visual range, raining, and crouched: They still spotted and hit (killed) me. Crazy. :)
Quote from: eor123 on September 29, 2010, 01:01:50 PM
ESP [extra sensory perception] mode...that's a phrase I invented, meaning that the AI seems almost psychic in their ability to spot and target you -- like on Infamous in Far Cry 2. ???
lol, even on casual, the mercs in FC2 have ESP :-()
Especially those RPG guys . . . I hate those RPG guys :-[
I have played through this a few times and completed it on Hard Difficulty. It was a quite a challenge. I've been collecting achievements and am trying to locate the last one of 30 secrets before putting it away for a while.
I read an IGN review that pretty hard on the game. Their criticisms were valid but I think their overall rating of 5.0 was unreasonable. I think this game rates a 6.5 or so, but I have enjoyed it. It is a shame...the potential was there for this to be a great game.
Their review also mentioned the multitude of invisible walls that force you to stay on the scripted path and how the AI was either ridiculously inept or easily able to spot you through foliage and hit you at 200-300 yards using iron- sighted assault rifles. Parts of the game are incredibly easy and parts are insanely difficult.
The missions in which you accompany members of a squad and are armed with an assault rifle are both amusing and annoying. The two squad members do nothing but make noise with their rifles and scream at you. One allowed an enemy to flank and kill me while in cover...walking just feet in front of the squad member as he was firing away. ;D
While tracking down a secret, I ran into a funny situation in which I was able to "see" myself through the window of a building I was supposed to enter to complete an objective. ???
Quote from: eor123 on October 04, 2010, 08:36:42 PM
... the AI was either ridiculously inept or easily able to spot you through foliage and hit you at 200-300 yards using iron- sighted assault rifles. Parts of the game are incredibly easy and parts are insanely difficult.
I fired the game up last night (still working through on my first play through) and found it to be fun, but what you mentioned is exactly correct. I recall walking up on a couple of guards that must have been smoking something they were so out of it. On the other hand in a different location, there were guys with assault rifles shooting at me and I hadn't a clue where they were until after I'd died a couple of times and finally managed to ferret them out.
There's one word for all that. "Imbalanced" ;D
Truly - I really like the sniper action though. Loads of fun getting to a good position and then completing the slow motion head shots >:D
After all, I liked the game :)
Indeed - that's why I made the purchase - I hadn't heard of it before you started posting about it. :-X
:)
This game just got my attention because I love sniping and the lush jungle. The Chrome engine (which is also powered Call of Juarez series) is great. But I can't play this game since it's not released for PS3, my only game system, so I have to wait until March 22 when the PS3 version comes out. I think the sequel's graphics will look even more impressive as it's powered by CryEngine 3.
Here are some improvements of the PS3 version:
* Fully upgraded game play and graphics;
* Exclusive single player missions for PS3™ owners;
* Bonus multiplayer maps;
* Exclusive new multiplayer modes including Capture the Flag and Hard Core difficulty mode;
* Exclusive new sniper rifles including the L96 and the M200 Intervention;
* Bonus single-player challenge: Additional mission with Hard Core mode to challenge the very best players.
If the sequel has open world like FC2, that would be perfect. :-X
Quote from: ninzza on January 23, 2011, 01:31:29 PM
...If the sequel has open world like FC2, that would be perfect. :-X
My goodness, that would be outstanding - I finished the game over Christmas, and found it to be great fun for sniper aficionados, but it's linear play has not encouraged me to return.
Excerpts from an article on Internet:
The developer has incorporated feedback from the community by tweaking AI, taking out some assault missions, and adding bolt-action rifles to let you seek out the perfect headshot.
Nice :-X
very good! :-X
By the way, I like the M200.. that's a serious weapon :) :-X I used it only once in a game, I believe it was CoD4.
Now with STEAM's new screenshot feature it is possible to take some, finally :)
One scene from the intro, basically what the SP game looks like, and one MP (me alone, but even if there were peeps in it, you wouldn't see 'em).
Today I created a MP account and tried some.. during perhaps half an hour I got ONE kill. Not due to bad aiming but because I simply couldn't see those camouflaged bastards. A miracle to me how they always found and killed me. Need some practice, I reckon. Good thing about MP is that you can choose from four presets (four different sniper rifles up to AS50 and all got hand grenades and a silenced pistol) and not that silly "who kills first and faster gets better equipment so he stays ahead." However.. I could only see my own team mates because their names hovered over their heads. Enemies I saw, well, only after they had killed me.
[smg id=3299 type=link align=center width=500 caption="SniperGW SP001"]
[smg id=3300 type=link align=center width=500 caption="SniperGW MP001"]
[smg id=3301 type=link align=center width=500 caption="SniperGW SP002"]
Pic above: Just to give you an idea why it is so hard to see opponents.. especially from far away, hehe :-D
Pic below: Actual MP game play. Looking at a team mate.
[smg id=3302 type=link align=center width=500 caption="SniperGW MP002"]
Today I felt like giving MP another try. There are three types of MP games: Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and V.I.P. (no idea what that is, there is a reward for the VIP, looks like that VIP versus the rest of the players, maybe just "stay alive").
The loadouts vary from light reckon to heavy reckon, four types. The snipers are from a Dragunov, then a silenced sniper rifle over to a proper loud sniper rifle to that monster of an AS50. By the way, those rifles do shoot through brick walls ???
All players get three hand grenades and a silenced pistol and plenty of ammunition (you don't have to and cannot pick up ammo or weapons). When you die, you can change your loadout if you think yours wasn't fit for the purpose. So you can change your rifle after each death if you want :) After each respawn you'll have all ammo and hand grenades again. I like that concept :) :-X
When you got shot, you'll heal after a couple of seconds. Not to full health but enough to continue. The next hit on you is more likely to kill you, though. Lighter weapons don't kill instantly, except it is a headshot I suppose. Hand grenade explosions have a vast radius so you better run if you see a symbol indicating one is dropping nearby.. if you're lucky, they only wound you :)
I managed to score a couple of hits with all weapons. Funny thing, only recently I mentioned I'd like to play a game with old-fashioned proper hand grenades again, and here it is ^+-+ Needless to say I killed a few with 'em :-()
To get a hit there are three things to consider.
1) Your radar. It shows red dots for enemies and in case you're playing in a team it shows where the red and blue team members are. No distance but bearing. You may see the outline of an enemy if he sticks out against a wall or the sky but it is likely they'll stick to the shadows or around plants.
2) Sound. Even silenced weapons are loud enough to hear them all across the map. Look at where the shots come from.
3) Movements. Actually that's the best thing combined with the radar. Where is that red spot and does anything move there. Plants don't walk around so shoot them :)
I think this is fun. Better even than the SP experience. People "camp" everywhere as snipers are supposed to, but they also run around and start melees.
By the way, everyone has a knife.. used for hand-to-hand combat, a slash with it and back to your firearm. I killed a couple of guys with my knife in a house, close quarters combat.. and with hand grenades.
I love hand grenades as some of you will remember. Funny thing to do when you see someone is running at you and probably about to kill you: drop a grenade. Either behind him hoping that he will go back to where he came from or ahead assuming he will finish you and continue running past you(r dead body). Or just drop it right where you are so it will bomb him (and you) no matter what. I got a good couple of chuckles out of that, watching my killer blow up next to me: with best regards, this was my legacy >:D Also fun to lob one up into a building where you heard shots coming from. Every kill results in a war cry of sorts so the reward for a hit is one less red dot on the radar and one more yell of a dying enemy >:D
Basically you keep hearing shots of all sorts and explosions and of course, enemies hollering all across the map when getting killed :-()
Still, it is a miracle when you're new to it, to see how some people manage to keep killing quickly and win while newbies like myself are happy when they manage to kill a few, if at all. Worst if you end up with a negative score because you managed to kill yourself in an unfashionable way like falling off a building or tripping over your own grenade the moment it sets off. :-()
Sounds cool - an MP sniper game :-X
Indeed :) Apparently 70,000+ players are on it, small but not too small a number. I always find populated servers which is a good sign :-X
Sniper 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyE7onyAR30#)
Clip from the game
I remember that scene ;D
Have you just started playing the game? :)
Yep just started, some simularity to Alcatraz (same developers), enemies appear out of nowhere..........
The game wasn't exactly brilliant, but still quite alright. I wish it had more sniping and less other stuff in it.
You right about that one, not much sniping for a "sniper" game, oh well keeping me out of mischief for awhile..... :-D
:)