Thinking back to its predecessor, "Sniper Ghost Warrior 3," many probably shudder at the memory of a more or less unsuccessful open-world title that tried hard but unfortunately didn't execute well enough. With "Sniper Ghost Warrior: Contracts"Therefore, they're trying again with more or less linear sections, various mission objectives, and plenty of long-range shooting. We'll find out in our review whether this new approach appeals to fans."
Why are you wearing a mask?
Right from the start, we're introduced to the rather simple story: We're an exceptional sniper, known for precisely eliminating our targets without asking questions. So it was only a matter of time before we got a special client. His mission: to take out various targets, secure information, or destroy evidence. We hunt down terrorists with bioweapons, corrupt politicians, or any kind of despicable person imaginable. As a small bonus, we receive a genuine high-tech mask that provides us with many useful features, from binoculars to enemy marking and highlighting points of interest. While the mask strongly resembles that of Marvel's villain Dr. Doom, this time we're hunting the bad guys.
In five different regions, such as a port or the Siberian forests, we hunt down our targets. Naturally, we also encounter many other troops whom we must eliminate along the way. We have various options at our disposal, including sniper rifles, pistols, submachine guns, grenades, (gas) mines, and a knife. With the latter, we can even restrain enemies in close combat and extract information from them, such as the location of other troops or one of the numerous side objectives. And there are plenty of these, just as there are plenty of the main missions.
So, you certainly won't get bored anytime soon. On top of that, we collect money and experience during our mission runs, which we can exchange for new gadgets like a drone or a turret, new weapons and attachments, as well as new abilities – all with the goal of becoming the ultimate weapon. There are a truly numerous upgrades and unlockable items, which means you can easily complete a level multiple times, always exploring new paths and possibilities. Overall, "Sniper Ghost Warrior: Contracts" is very flexible in how we approach a level, giving us a lot of freedom to decide which path we take and how we want to achieve our objectives.
A significant drawback is the AI's lack of balance. At times, they are practically blind, only noticing us if we're standing conspicuously in the area. Even then, their slow attention meter gives us ample time to take cover. The enemies react much more critically when they spot a corpse, immediately hunting us down and remaining incredibly accurate even at hundreds of meters away. A more consistent AI approach would have been preferable to such inconsistencies. Unfortunately, the AI is also sometimes unintelligent. For example, one of our primary targets wandered into a poisoned area and killed himself without any input from us. While our mission was accomplished, the outcome was far from satisfying.
We find the calculation of our projectiles' trajectory much more appealing. Once we've marked a target, the distance to it is displayed. Using this information, we have to adjust our scope and factor in not only gravity but also wind speed and direction to achieve a deadly direct hit. While this works relatively well with stationary targets, moving targets require a considerable amount of finesse to be successful.
Overall, the gameplay of "Sniper Ghost Warrior: Contracts" is solid, but by no means groundbreaking or a "new benchmark." The AI is far too unbalanced, and the controls and movement are also significant drawbacks. On the plus side, in addition to the accurate trajectory calculations, the relatively free approach allows for numerous ways to achieve objectives. The leveling system and its many unlockables are also very appealing and ensure high replay value, even if the menu navigation is somewhat cumbersome. Furthermore, the stealth mechanics are quite enjoyable, with the only real challenge being the lack of precision when it comes to hiding bodies.
I can't see the texture for all the mud, am I bleeding?
Tragic! That's where "Sniper Ghost Warrior: Contracts"To create a somewhat appealing gameplay experience, they ruin everything with a muddy texture. We repeatedly encounter poorly programmed areas, which do improve over time, but in the snow-covered level, it becomes quite unsightly here and there. Furthermore, the PS4 version doesn't support 4K resolution or HDR. This is almost a rarity for modern, current titles. At least the lighting and shadow effects, as well as the various weather conditions, provide a somewhat pleasing visual atmosphere. Presumably, all the energy was poured into the bullet camera, a feature that's practically ubiquitous in sniper games these days. They've come up with a variety of animations for tracking the bullet's trajectory – but when it hits its target, the result is usually just an over-the-top splatter effect, where enemies' skulls explode, along with their contents. It's almost astonishing that the USK (German ratings board) isn't having a fit."
While snipers should generally avoid direct conflict to minimize damage, they should at least feel it, or in our case, see it. "Sniper Ghost Warrior: Contracts" seems to disregard this, as the damage/health bar is very subtly displayed, and damage is only faintly represented. At times, we didn't even realize we were on the verge of digital death and only survived by sheer luck. Generally, some aspects of the HUD could have been presented more elegantly. The same applies to the exfiltration process. Although the short, rather dull dialogues between us and our client reveal that he's constantly watching us via camera, we have to upload completed mission objectives at specific points. This could definitely have been handled differently.
Nevertheless, we are treated to a generally pleasant atmosphere, which thrives on stealth, reconnaissance, and elimination. The almost complete absence of background music complements this, allowing us to fully concentrate on our mission. The way the sniper mechanics are handled, such as calculating trajectories and finding the optimal route, proves to be well-executed and engaging. However, the graphical shortcomings somewhat detract from the overall impression, especially since other titles in the same genre are far superior in this regard, and the game doesn't even begin to utilize the full potential of the CryEngine. A real shame!
