SNIPER GHOST WARRIOR CONTRACTS 2

With several years under its belt, CI Games' Sniper Ghost Warrior series doesn't need much introduction. After the admittedly not-so-strong first trilogy, the Poles took a turn leaving the open worlds behind and started creating specific missions with some depth. This model seemed to work and so after the success of Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts, they decided that it was time for its successor, in a release model very reminiscent of that of Hitman. As before, the missions we are called upon to complete make up an overall story.

This story, as even the most uninitiated person can understand, is just a series of text to fill the dead time between missions. The basic idea for so many years has been that through our well-aimed and admittedly long-range shots, we will change the geopolitical events of a region. This is usually placed on the eastern side of the globe in order to bring about political instability for the benefit of our employers. At the same time, other smaller-scale events are taking place that are trying to colour history in vain. So we stick to the idea that we must go unnoticed and continue to adjust our telescope.

Leaving behind the cliché Hollywood scenarios, what remains is the action and more specifically the attempt to avoid it. That's because in Ghost Warrior our primary goal is to have any movement characterized by surgical-precision hits through our scope. And while there are always the alternatives of heroic assault after gunfire and shouting, nevertheless the game pushes us to choose the route that will arouse the least suspicion, thus trying to emphasize its rudimentary scenario. It achieves this either through various challenges which reward us with warm bloody dollars, or through restrictions such as the number of bullets we have as well as the morphology of the terrain. The latter, not so well designed that where it can be an excellent ally, such as on an elevated hill, within a few seconds it can be fatal, such as when we get trapped on a slope with mortars bursting all around us. So here too, it is moderation that will bring us the greatest results.

Our ally, as in most modern FPSs, we have an overflowing warehouse of various gadgets. The most classic and useful one is none other than the drone, whose functions are numerous. These conveniences combined with the ability we have, if we play our cards right, to literally wipe out entire armies, gives our protagonist a predator-like feel. Especially once one begins to understand the mechanics of the game, the poor soldiers end up prey to the appetites of the exterminator Raven.

Even on the highest difficulty with a little practice our bullets will start to hit the target more and more often. Which mechanisms I don't know if they are 100% correct, however they take into account almost every possible parameter that is valid in reality. Of course it goes without saying that we should not make on-the-spot calculations as is done in reality, but in any case, we should learn to calculate the curve of each projectile.

This is also where Ghost Warrior wins hands down in terms of its overall entertainment offering. Its creators have managed to strike the perfect balance between the casual Sunday pastime and that of the realistic gamer fanatic. In addition to the fact that the various difficulty levels can bring the game to the individual player's liking, the unique paths that open up before us are capable of giving an almost different insight into the mission we just completed.

For example, invading a fortress from its basement versus approaching the always-open doorway will not only trigger different behaviors in our opponents, but will probably require different skills from the corresponding talent tree. This not only blasts the quality of mission design, but also makes every single thing we carry useful rather than an unnecessary burden. Plus it can cater to any taste, though as is obvious, the scales tip more towards stealth culture. But I can't hide the fact that after I learned how to calculate the course of my bullets, I went back to the first mission only to relive it again without any extra help.

The only flaw that was found in more than 30 hours of playing the title, was the existence of memory leaks after repeated reloads, which ruined, among other things, the wonderful graphics of SGWC. And it's worth pointing out how well and accurately designed the game's models are due to the game's style. In these demanding conditions where we have to camel through a needle hole, it's important that bullets don't fall onto invisible obstacles. But even beyond that, a well-designed mountainous region in the Middle East with the appropriate photorealistic effects can be the icing on the cake for the ultimate digital escape. The only thing that might have needed a little more attention are the weapon models, which most of the time look like plastic. But small harm.

The number of missions in the game may be only 5, but it will take around 30 hours to see all the possible paths to complete them. On the one hand, this marginally covers the release price of the title. On the other hand, the excellence of the title is such that it can satisfy a large enough portion of its audience.

Putting the above two in the balance, the final assessment is at least positive. If one desperately seeks a title of such realism, the investment of time and money will leave one fully satisfied. For the rest of us, waiting and perhaps buying it, possibly as part of a bundle, with its main ornamental DLCs, is probably the more prudent choice. In any case, it's a release that deserves the attention of all gamers, especially FPS fans.

We would like to thank CD Media for providing the review code.