Many middle-aged players probably remember being covered in dirt, playing with little green army soldiers, fantasizing about being a strong warrior and chasing their friends in the woods or pretend to fight against enemies. The military has long been a theme in toys and games from the most rudimentary metal vehicles to the extreme playsets of G.I. Joe. Commercials for the US Army, Navy, Marines, and the Air Force often dominated sports advertisements in the 90s and early 2000s, filled with epic scores and strong men and women overlooking their workplace. The same people that feel a sense of excitement at these memories and ads or those with positive military experience or just a general fondness for the military are probably the same people that would thoroughly enjoy the upcoming Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts, the next game in a series that puts players behind the scope of an expert sniper, of which we got to check out at E3.
Contracts is the latest installment to the Sniper Ghost Warrior franchise by CI Games. At E3 2019, we sat down with CI Games’ development team for a 15-minute live demonstration. The demo was played on an Alienware desktop on a 60-inch screen in a private meeting room. The live demonstration featured the developers’ build of the game, enabling the team to activate cheat codes and warp points.
The demo started off with the player being warped to the final contract at the far edge of the map. Before starting the mission, the developer took time to explain new features of the game. The Ghost Warrior will have to strategically place himself in order to utilize the elements, terrain, and avoid enemy snipers’ line of sight. The player is then tasked with devising a strategy to complete the objective while completing bonus contracts. The player must be wary of invading adversaries on top of the enemy AI.
The developer warped outside of the compound and utilized the sonar rounds to expose enemy sniper locations and eliminated them before detection. The developer then went through the bullet types to discuss practicality. The main rounds discussed were standard, sonar, armor-piercing, and electric rounds. After the sniper guards were disposed of, the electrical surveillance system was next on the list. By following the electrical line and using the sonar rounds, he was able to find the fuse box. Although the developer took precautions by disabling enemy surveillance and eliminating the possibility of reinforcements.
Using the guided aim system, the developer was able to exterminate a defecting scientist. Sadly, he missed his nonguided second shot on an enemy soldier and alerted the guards. This alert caused the enemy soldiers to search for him and, despite pulling back to higher terrain, he was discovered and killed.
Following the developer preview of Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts, we tested our skills at the demo level. After a brief explanation of the controls and objectives, we set out to attempt the first contract on the lower right portion of the map. Below is our ten-minute gameplay footage from E3 2019. Sadly, our preview was cut short.
Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts provides a realistic environment. The player’s footprints last and can be potentially tracked by enemies. Although the tactical approach might be the easiest, there is a certain joy to gunning down enemies with rush maneuvers. The aim assisted sniping makes taking out the enemy easier but there is nothing more satisfying than a clean headshot. If the player has cleared a fatal shot, a cinematic will play showing the kill in a brutal spectacle that has become a hallmark of the series.
Overall, the intelligent AI added an additional element that the player has to predict and overcome. The hit detection system could use a little love but the development team stated that the game’s system was not finished. The detail on the character’s models made for a realistic experience and it felt almost like a full-on simulation.
For more information on Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts, check out the official Steam listing. For more previews from the hectic E3 season, check out some of my recent write-ups here on Marooners’ Rock.
