The knife, bow and silenced pistol allow for mid-range and close-quarters stealth kills. The range can be determined using binoculars or a figure height depiction through the optics. On the easy setting there’s a red dot to help. The range finder needs to be adjusted to the target distance, with wind and bullet drop factored in to make the shot. Gore aside, the physics of sniping targets is very well done, especially on the high difficulty levels without the aiming assistance. The game makes no judgment nor does it excuse the actions of a hired gun. Shots to arms a leg, depending on the ammo can result in appendages being several and flying off in all directions. Similarly, body shots show bullet entry with the bullet exiting with a wake of blood. Very gross or very satisfying, maybe both.
These animations are not for the faint-hearted, especially the headshots which show skulls shattering and skin flapping as the target’s head explodes. Slow-motion bullet cam animations are triggered for particularly interesting shots, the frequency of which can be adjusted in the options. The game takes a very R-rated path with the depiction of bullets impacting a human body. By adding silencers and muzzle-flare suppressors, and will and choosing from a selection of optics, Raven’s arsenal can be tuned to taste and the mission requirements. Secondary weapons include assault rifles and a cheekily named compound bow called a Ram-Bow, complete with an inscription that’ll be familiar to fans of a certain 1982 movie. Additional weapons can also be bought with in-game currency. It’s an upgradable ability that I think would be better explained as the instinct of an experienced sniper than an implausible hi-tech bit of equipment.Īll the weapons are customisable and can be upgraded using parts purchased with in-game currency. The Raven’s mask view is like a radar system that can be used to better interpret the surroundings. The game does still cling to one the mechanics of its predecessor that really shouldn’t be there. Oh, and some C4 for when being discreet is really off the table.
He can also carry gadgets and equipment such as medkits, a drone, a portable gun turret, and, of course, a selection of grenades. To carry out missions, Raven is equipped with a sniper rifle, a secondary weapon, and a sidearm. Challenges can be completed for extra rewards. As each objective is completed, players have the opportunity to exfiltrate at various locations on the map and upload the mission data.Īs well as the main targets and objectives, some maps have optional bounty missions that involve identifying and dispatching additional targets.
Here, depending on the mission type, players will usually find an overwatch position to scan the site for targets and objectives using binoculars. The target/objective areas are marked on the map. The two Classic missions give players the freedom to take out targets up close, if necessary, and infiltrate deep into enemy territory to complete objectives. The three Long Shot missions require players to reach the sniping point, dispatching or avoiding enemies on the way, and then taking out the targets from an exceptionally long distance. The missions are classified as either Long Shot or Classic.
The game has five huge environments plus one training area.
Some of the objectives are not really what I’d call sniping operations and more like black ops missions, to be honest. Usually, there are multiple targets as well as other multi-part objectives that are a little more complex than just lining up the cross-hairs. Directed by his operator, Raven must infiltrate the mission environments and locate and dispatch his targets. Players take on the role of Raven and contract sniper working for an unknown agency instigating a regime change in the Middle East. The story is as throwaway as they tend to be and not very memorable. Saying that, each of the Ghost Warrior Contracts 2’s mission areas is very large. CI Games tried a huge open-world in Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 with mixed results.
The sequel to the well-received Sniper: Ghost Warrior Contracts, itself a continuation of the Sniper: Ghost Warrior series, sticks with the same format of having a series of open-world mission areas. CI Games invite players, once again, to take potshots at unsuspecting enemies with Sniper: Ghost Warrior Contracts 2.