Sniper Elite 3

A few days ago I was delighted to discover that Steam had Sniper Elite 3 (SE3) on a 70% discount. Being a huge fan of Sniper Elite v2, I had wanted this game since it's release. Naturally I snatched it up immediately. Although I haven't quite finished it yet, I feel comfortable talking about it. Mind you, this is not really a “proper” review, just an impression based on having played six missions out of eight.

My first reaction when I heard that SE3 is set in North Africa was “why?”. Then I quickly realized the genius of it. The African part of WWII is pretty underrepresented in gaming. And since SE1 and 2 are firmly placed in the European theater, this brings a welcome change of scenery.

And what a scenery it is. Lush oases, and cliffs worn down by millennia of wind and sun baked sand, create a gorgeous backdrop for the intense mayhem this game provides.

The night time levels are equally atmospheric with the added pleasure of hearing the jackals baying and howling in the distance as you're sneaking up on an unsuspecting guard.

The game play is solid, much like the earlier iterations of the franchise. Basically my one complaint is that large parts of the game seems to be designed for stealth play with silent take-downs instead of, you know, sniping. Like the title suggests. But it's really a miniscule complaint to be honest. You don't have to be all sneaky if you don't want to. But if you do go in loud and proud, you'd better be prepared to handle a complete bullet storm. There are lots of enemies in each level and they can reduce you to a bloody mess in seconds if they get the drop on you. The AI is competent enough to make you careful, and they have no qualms about flanking you. But sometimes it's just so satisfying to take up an elevated position and rain bloody death on you enemies.

In several places you have to fight vehicles, from half-tracks to tanks, and it can be a truly heart pounding experience to sneak up on a tank that can kill you in one shot. Like wise enemy snipers are well hidden and I for one really enjoy a good sniper fight.

So, if you liked Sniper Elite v2 or you're just looking for a fun action filled game, you can certainly do worse than Sniper Elite 3. In fact, if you like shooters, you probably want to check this out.

That's it for me for this week, check in again next Monday for more Eccentric Spheres. Until then, have a great week!