I didn’t get a chance to play too many games at E3 this year, mostly because of all the appointments I made with different companies around the Los Angeles Convention Center. As bold a plan as this was, it didn’t bode well for me when it came to being the geek I am, the gamer half of my personality.
But at the City Interactive appointment in Meeting room 516, West Hall, I had the pleasure to sit down with Anton Ushkin and Lukasz Mach to discuss Sniper: Ghost Recon, the new first person shooter sniper game due out in two weeks for the XBox 360 and PC (sorry PS3 owners, nothing for you to see here). Not only was I treated to an exciting demo as they took me through a level, after they were finished I handled the controller myself and took to the bushes, all Ghost Warrior-like.
The game itself is unlike any FPS you’ve ever played, at least on a console. There have been other sniper games on the PC and perhaps older consoles, but nothing in my experience is as realistic and exhilarating as Sniper: Ghost Warrior. The game puts you and a spotter – represented in single-player mode as your A.I. counterpart; in multiplayer mode, you can partner with a live spotter – in the midst of a fictional setting, though the lush jungles and industrial locations will seem very familiar and not contrived.
The story isn’t deep, but in general it goes like this: the current government of a U.S.-backed small island nation has been overthrown by a hostile military regime and your specialized sniping skills are needed to bring order back to this small island nation. Not a rich storyline, but the focus isn’t on story, the focus is on elite sniping gameplay, and what I’ve experienced so far achieves this goal perfectly.
Jungle screenshot
Oil rig screenshot
Sniper: Ghost Warrior’s slogan is “One Shot…One Kill”, and I was able to pull off such kills in my hands-on demo with ease. On easy difficulty, a red circle near the reticule shows where your bullet will actually land based on wind, heartrate, gravity, and so on. On normal difficulty, this circle is still present, but the enemy A.I. reacts differently. On Hard, the circle is gone, the enemies aren’t glowing red to show their location, and they can move during the shot, causing you to miss…very, very realistic.
Bullet Cam is a feature in the game that adds shock value to the gameplay, and a smile to your face. When you make a perfect headshot on a target far away, when you take the shot the camera switches to a slow-motion “Bullet Cam” that tracks the bullet from the muzzle of your weapon to the target. Upon impact, a bloody spray and realistic crumpling of the enemies’ body ensues. Very cool. So cool, in fact, that I have a couple of screenshots here for you illustrating the Bullet Cam’s final view of your foes!
Head shot!
Head shot in the dark and rain? Elite!
Other features of the game include the ability to defend your perimeter with Claymore mines, demolish enemy outposts with C4, and make epic silent kills with throwing knives. Oh, and you can retrieve your throwing knife from the enemies’ corpses if you so choose.
Realistic ballistics system measures bullet trajectory, drop, and environmental effects such as wind, rain, and fog. On Hard difficulty, even the time between the shot and impact will be taken into account if a target decides to move in that time or was moving prior to the shot. The physics engine built to make this an ultra-realistic sniper game is unparalleled.
Last but not least, a 12-person multiplayer mode comes equipped and features six custom-created maps specifically for this mode. I wasn’t able to demo the multiplayer mode, but I have an embedded video below showing the trailer for multiplayer. In addition, I embedded the Sniper: Ghost Warrior basic training video, courtesy of City Interactive. Enjoy!
Sniper: Ghost Warrior will be released on June 29, 2010 for XBox 360 and PC. Reserve your copy today!
I’m on it the day it arrives!
Well, certainly not through Steam, you’re not.
man what a crap game this is. when you are being fired upon by enemy soldiers they are shooting in the wrong direction and they still kill you lol. the whole game lags in alot of places using a 3ghz core 2 duo, geforce 9800gtx+ 512mb, with 3.25gb ram. anyone that buys this game will no doubt be angered.
@hank: I have a question for you…how do you know that this is crap when it hasn’t been released yet? I played the game extensively at E3, both with the developers and alone, and never once – even on lower difficulty – had soldiers shooting at me in the wrong direction, nor experienced an ounce of lag. I was running the single-player campaign on the XBox 360 version, which I can only assume is inferior to a great PC rig running the game. But if it’s not out yet, how are you able to claim that it’s crap? It’s fine if you think that, but I’m curious to know if you’re thinking of the correct game here.
BT is right. Game hasnt even been released yet. This game looks sick and will be an early bday present to me!
B.T. Robertson and Assassin Games, have you ever heard of the eraly warez releases?
Just a little tip, haha!
Yes, I’ve heard of early illegally obtained code on pirate and/or torrent sites. I work in IT, so I’m well aware of this, but I’m not about to promote such a thing. In real life, the fully released code has yet to be released and I won’t judge a game until such time as the official code is out. You won’t see BSCreview discussing illegally obtained software. As it stands, you are making statements about a game that hasn’t been released yet, so…to me such opinions are pointless.
what the fuck y isnt it being brought out on the ps3 we all know its a better console
The game looks soo sick!! I snipe all the time in COD and finally there is game to meet my wishes!
@Nick no ps3 sucks. Be real and buy urself a 360 kid
this game looks dope! but yeah no ps3 is bad, they’ll probably make it for ps3 if the second comes out won’t they?
Why isnt there coming a version for Ps3??
Now I will never be able to experience the game.
Only when i download it, but then you cant game Online..
Please god let them make a Ps3 version of Sniper Ghost Warrior!!
my dad has a gun
it shoot real boolits
AI FAIL! So you’ve worked your way into firing position – in cover and in a ghille suit… you set up the shot… and fire! However, the moment you fire, enemies have a fix on your position with return fire – often hitting in the first volley. May as well be wearing a fluorescent orange ghille suit. Seems to be the only drawback in an otherwise decent game.
@Cuda, this game AI can see your muzzle flash, that way they can detect your position. Regardless, the AI still feels unfair as they can see FAR BETTER than you with a scope (T_T). I hope for an AI patch…
Dont buy this game its sucks big time everyone has perfect aim but you doing missions over 60 fkn times is not cool I just want a game to play for the fun of it not be frustrated buy dumb ass developers who dont know how to make a good games shit thats all i have to say dont buy big waist of money
played this game sniper goast warrior and found it to b e the worse game i have played in the past 5 years it is abuslote rubbish from beginning to end i had enough by the 3rd act i must have a bright green flashing light on my back because no matter what you do you are spotted, video stateres, game play rubbish, no atomphere, not a stealth game as i was expecting it almost looks like a game from 1990 pure rubbish should get a total refund on my money waste of time waste of money,go back to the drawing board, or get out of ther gameing industry cause this type of rubbish is an insult to gamers all round the world,most of the adverts are glossy / and actualy shows a more 3rd person view game as well but as this game is first person view its almost clear that the whole thing was a con.
I just rented this game for three days – took it back in one. AMAZINGLY crappy game. Horrible. I can’t believe the developers actually thought this game could cut it on the world market. Everything about it is total, utter, complete feces. Terrible graphics, excruciating control, AI can see/hit you with every shot from 100 yards away – with ANY WEAPON. Maps are built by retarded children; you can’t even choose your own route into an area, as all zones are tightly controlled. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME.