Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 Review – All Ghillied Up
The Sniper Ghost Warrior series has undergone a few transformations over the course of its life. When Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 went down the open world road, it turned out to be too ambitious for its own good. With 2019's Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts, CI Games recalibrated, delivering a mission-based game that put the focus on sniping and surveying and exploring large open sandboxes. It was a successful switch, if not one completely without issues, and building on that success, CI Games have made a sequel that does more of the same. Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 is still not a perfect game, but it shows, just like its immediate predecessor did, that the series can deliver great content when it sticks to what it's good at.
Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 is set in a fictional Middle-Eastern city being run by a couple of despotic rulers. When one of them dies, his wife takes over, but now, the region is caught in turmoil, which threatens to have an impact on the rest of the world as well, mostly because the conflict might inflate oil prices around the globe. You play as elite sniper Raven, who is sent in to dismantle the tyrannical regime by taking out its most high profile players one after the other. If that all sounds utterly boring and generic- well, that's because it is. Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2's story feels like it was written by an AI bot that was designed to craft generic plot setups for modern military shooters and keep pumping them out by the hundreds on a conveyor belt. The plot is boring, the characters are dull, and writing is passable at best, and laughably bad at worst.
"Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 is still not a perfect game, but it shows, just like its immediate predecessor did, that the series can deliver great content when it sticks to what it's good at."
But you're not here for the story. You're here for the sniping. Luckily enough, Contracts 2 knows that, and that's the part the game is best at. Like its direct predecessor, Contracts 2 is mission based. There are areas, each one a large sandbox, and each populated with targets to kill and objectives to complete, while each area also has optional challenges and contracts to take on. But most of that is broth- the meat and potatoes of this dish is the sniping, and the missions where you'll be taking out targets by firing off shots from distances that are even longer than the game's name.
Sniping in Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 feels empowering and nuanced. Wind, gravity, things in the environment, whether or not a target is moving- all of these and more are things that you have to consider as you're making shots, and the further away you are from your target, the trickier things get. Often, you'll be sniping enemies from a distance of over 1 kilometer, and adjusting your scope in a number of ways to ensure that you've got the target lined up perfectly. What's laudable is that not only does Contracts 2 have this level of complexity and nuance, it also manages to do all of that without becoming opaque or inaccessible.
On easier difficulties, the game has handy assists to help you even with the trickiest of shots, but even on harder difficulties, overcoming all of these obstacles doesn't feel like a chore, but a challenge to be smartly tackled. And once you do fire off a shot, watching it fly for seconds through the air and then causing a morbidly beautiful explosion of blood and chunks is oh-so-satisfying. It makes you feel like an absolute badass to think that you've taken out a target from such an impossible distance, and that's no coincidence- Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 has ways of making you feel really clever.
"Sniping in Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 feels empowering and nuanced."
That's because of how well designed its main missions and objectives are. Like a cross between Sniper Elite and Hitman, with a little bit of Splinter Cell thrown in for good measure, Contracts 2 places its target in reactive, dynamic sandboxes. Each of these presents you with a variety of things to interact with, a number of ways to take out your targets, and gives you the freedom to proceed however you please. Your target might be constantly moving, might be indoors and blocked from view. You could distract enemies by creating a ruckus, you could shoot a container and make it drop right on a target's head. You could shoot a fuse box to open a door a target is standing behind, you could find ways to make a target get close to an explosive barrel and then snipe that for a fiery victory. Hell, you can find ways to line up your shot so that you can take out two targets with a single bullet.
Surveying these dense and dynamic killboxes from a distance with your binoculars, spotting important details, and puzzling out how to make them work to your advantage. Executing on your plan and killing off perfectly strategized and perfectly timed kills feels even better. And adapting on the fly when things go wrong and managing to find a way to still succeed? That's just fun. Completing objectives – optional and otherwise – also lets you upgrade weapons and purchase new skills, and though the progression mechanics aren't anything to write home about, they're decent enough investments.
As I mentioned earlier though, Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 is not a perfect game. Visually, this is a pretty solid looking game, and audio design is also quite impressive, especially for percussive sniper shots that echo loudly in large, open space. That said, there are some technical issues and animation bugs- not major ones, thankfully, but enough that they couldn't be ignored. But Contracts 2's biggest issues are with the close range combat. Sniping is what this game is best at, but every so often, it forces you into up-close encounters and shootouts. Close-range shooting in Contracts 2 is quite lackluster, and the weapons don't feel nearly as good to shoot as the sniper rifles do, so these sections are, without fail, slogs to get through. Meanwhile, stealth is also pretty basic in the game, and it doesn't help that enemy AI can be incompetently dumb. Given how important a role stealth players in Contracts 2, that feels like a particularly glaring flaw.
"All in all, Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 is, by and large, a solid game. Purely as a sniping game, it's perhaps one of the better ones of its kind, at least in recent memory, and it builds on the strengths of the first Contracts in smart ways."
All in all, Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 is, by and large, a solid game. Purely as a sniping game, it's perhaps one of the better ones of its kind, at least in recent memory, and it builds on the strengths of the first Contracts in smart ways. A dull story, bland close-range combat, and disappointing stealth sections bring down the experience in some ways, but for the most part, Contracts 2 knows what it's good at, and in those areas, it almost always flies high.
This game was reviewed on the Xbox Series X.
Tribes of Midgard Releases on July 27th; New Trailer Showcases the Giants
If you've exhausted the content currently in Valheim, then there's good news – Norsfell's Tribes of Midgard may scratch that base-building survival RPG itch. A new trailer was revealed at the Summer Game Fest Kickoff Live show which offered a look at all the different Giants. Check it out below.
The story focuses on a Viking clan that must protect the Seed of Yggdrasil from all manner of evil. Venture out during the day to gather resources, craft or discover new weapons and locate Artifacts to gain an edge. Outfit your settlement with walls and other defenses because at night, Hel's forces will eventually attack. It also won't be long before the Giants arrive to trigger Ragnarok.
Of course, you can either go it solo or team with up to ten other players in co-op. Tribes of Midgard will release on July 27th and is coming to PS4, PS5 and PC. Pre-orders are currently available and net some free cosmetics.
Ikai, First-person Psychological Horror Game, Announced
Developer Endflame and publisher PM Studios announced Ikai, a first-person psychological horror game, today. The game will draw inspiration from traditional Japanese folklore. It is schedule to launch this October.
According to the publisher, "Ikai embodies the spirit of the classical psychological horror genre with a defenseless main character incapable of attacking the evil creatures. However, it explores a new sense of horror by making the player face the threats directly neither fleeing nor attacking."
Every mechanic in Ikai is designed to make the player feel helpless and create tension. Players take on the role of Naoko, a priestess trying to make it from her shrine to the river before dark. Unfortunately, strange occurrences have been happening in the village as of late, and while Naoko doesn't believe the rumors of demons and spirits, she's about to find out she's wrong firsthand. The game will task players with exploring, drawing protective seals, solving puzzles, and running or hiding to try and stay alive.
You can watch a trailer for Ikai below:
Jurassic World Evolution 2 Will Have New Modes, New Biomes, and Over 75 Dinosaur Species
Frontier Developments have announced Jurassic World Evolution 2, and while the game's reveal trailer didn't have a lot of gameplay footage, new details on the dinosaur park management game have been shared by executive producer Adam Woods in a newly published post on the PlayStation Blog.
Jurassic World Evolution 2 will take place after the events of the film Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Dinosaurs are out in the world now, and you will be leading the efforts to "control, conserve, and contain" them in the wild. Throughout all of it, you'll be working with characters such as Dr. Ian Malcolm and Claire Dearing, voiced by Jeff Goldblum and Bryce Dallas Howard respectively, reprising their roles from the films (and the first game).
In addition to the campaign, the Challenge and Sandbox modes are also returning. Meanwhile, Jurassic World Evolution 2 will also have a new Chaos Theory mode, in which you will get to "relive iconic film moments from across the Jurassic World and Jurassic Park films in 'what-if' scenarios."
"Immerse yourself at the heart of the Jurassic World franchise and see how things turn out when you are put at the helm of managing new challenges with unpredictable outcomes," Woods explains.
And what about the dinosaurs? Jurassic World Evolution will have over 75 species of dinos, and these will include flying and aquatic animals as well, fans of the first game should be glad to know. There will be a mix of new and familiar species, including some that have been made for this game entirely from scratch and haven't been featured in the movies either. One such dino is the Amargasaurus, which is "a smaller sauropod featuring twin rows of distinctive parallel spines down its back."
Other improvements include being able to deploy park teams, the ability to customize guest buildings, and several new biomes, each of which will have "their own unique set of conditions, terrain and environmental challenges, ranging from dense forests to rocky deserts."
Jurassic World Evolution 2 will launch later this year on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC. A specific release date hasn't yet been announced.
Axiom Verge 2 Will Also Launch for PS5 and PS4
Axiom Verge 2 was initially announced as a Nintendo Switch console exclusive, and though developer Thomas Happ said he wanted to eventually bring the game to all platforms, he chose to focus his efforts on a smaller selection of them at launch. That's changing, though. In an update recently published on the PlayStation Blog, Happ has confirmed that at launch, Axiom Verge 2 will also be available on PS5 and PS4.
"As I was working on Axiom Verge 2, I felt I owed it both to Sony and all of the earliest fans of Axiom Verge to bring it to PS4 and PS5," Happ wrote. "I can't imagine launching any other way. I am excited to confirm here and now that the PS4 version will be available on day one. I am going to try my best to get the PS5 version ready for launch, but that might take a bit longer since I really want to take advantage of that in-game hints system!"
In the same update, Happ also provided new details on the game- more specifically, it's difficulty, and how he has attempted to address some issues with the upcoming sequel. "Although I try to put on my blinders with respect to other people's opinions about my games and stay true to my original vision, one common theme came up when I watched people play," Happ wrote. "here were some people who wished the game were a lot harder, and there were those who wanted it to be easier. Some loved the exploration but just got to a boss they couldn't get past. That's happened to me. I can't tell you how many times I've had to stop playing a game because of a choke point."
For starters, Axiom Verge 2 is going to have customizable difficulty options. Rather than choosing specific difficulty options, players will instead be able to decide how much damage they will do, and how much damage they will incur. Interestingly enough, Happ also confirms that all bosses are going to be optional in the game- though players will be rewarded for beating bosses, that will no longer be required to progress the story. It's an interesting choice, and I'm curious to see how it will work out in a Metroidvania game, which is a genre that traditionally places so much emphasis on boss fights as progression gates.
Finally, Happ also gave brief details on weapons, and how protagonist Indra's weaponry is going to differ from what fans of the first game will remember, owing to its more close-range nature. "She starts off with a pickaxe and does a lot of her fighting up close and personal," Happ explained. "Fortunately for her, it's a question of brains over brawn, and she can use her technical skills as a tech genius to hack her enemies."
Axiom Verge 2, which was recently delayed, is due out this Summer for PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC. On PC, it will launch as an Epic Games Store exclusive.
Elden Ring Offers Wide Variety of Weapons and Skills, Online Play Confirmed
Following its gameplay trailer and release date reveal, FromSoftware's Elden Ring has received numerous new details courtesy of Bandai Namco's official site. It notes the "fantastical landscapes" that players will explore and that connect seamlessly with the "shadowy, complex dungeons." Though one could travel on foot, they'll also have the benefit of horseback as they venture across "grassy plains, suffocating swamps, spiraling mountains, foreboding castles and other sites of grandeur."
Most notable is the confirmation of online play, allowing players to venture the world with their friends much like Dark Souls and Bloodborne. Those bummed by the options in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice can also rejoice – Elden Ring will provide a "wide variety of weapons, magical abilities, and skills." These can be found as players journey throughout The Lands Between. If you're keen on charging headfirst or using stealth to fight foes, the gameplay promises plenty of options for both exploration and combat.
Elden Ring is set to release on January 21st 2022 for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5 and PC. Those purchasing the game on previous-gen platforms can avail of free upgrades to the Xbox Series X/S (via Smart Delivery) and PS5 versions. For more details on the story, head here.
Elden Ring – The Lands Between, The Great Runes, and More Story Details Revealed
FromSoftware's Elden Ring received its long-awaited gameplay trailer and release date at the recent Summer Game Fest Kickoff Live. For those confused by what they were witnessing, the official site has been updated with new details on the story. Set in The Lands Between ruled by Queen Marika the Eternal, the Elden Ring has been shattered into pieces.
Since this is the source of the Erdtree, various entities – demigods, Marika's offspring, and so on – have laid claim to the Elden Ring's shards. Referred to as the Great Runes, these shards would trigger a war called The Shattering. This also led to "abandonment by the Greater Will" which could be a higher power that players will encounter at some point. As the Tarnished, one must stand before the Elden Ring, become the Elden Lord and ideally, put an end to the conflict.
As the "dead who yet live", it seems that the protagonist will have much in common with Dark Souls' Undead. Along with learning more about the Elden Ring's power, players will also come across "characters with their own unique motivations" that can either help or hinder you, overwhelming creatures and "adversaries with profound backgrounds." Elden Ring is slated to release on January 21st 2022 for Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC and Xbox One. Stay tuned for more details in the meantime.
Elden Ring Will Support Free Next-Gen Upgrades
At long last, the long-awaited gameplay reveal for Elden Ring finally arrived at Summer Game Fest's kickoff stream, and it looks exactly like the sort of grueling dark fantasy adventure that you'd expect, complete with the style that is so strongly associated with FromSoftware. Information on the game is likely to keep flooding in ahead of its launch early next year, but with it having been confirmed as a cross-gen game, what does that mean for whether or not next-gen upgrades will be supported?
Well, they will be. Publisher Bandai Namco has confirmed that those who purchase Elden Ring on PS4 will have the option to upgrade to the game's PS5 version at no additional cost. Meanwhile, Smart Delivery will be supported on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S as well, so you're not going to have to buy the game twice there either.
Elden Ring launches on January 21, 2022 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Stay tuned to GamingBolt for more details on the game in the meantime.
Planet of Lana Announced for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC
One of the many new indie titles revealed at the Summer Game Fest Kickoff Live was Planet of Lana. Developed by Wishfully and published by Thunderful, it takes place on an alien world with Lana and her companion Mui being the main characters. As a side-scrolling adventure, the title promises a cinematic approach with gorgeous environments and strange creatures to encounter.
Along with platforming and puzzle solving, Lana and Mui will also be doing some sneaking. The two can also use their abilities together which should open up some interesting new gameplay avenues. Those on Xbox Series X and PC can also bask in the game's visuals at 4K with 60 FPS support.
Planet of Lana will be releasing in 2022 and is also coming to Xbox One along with Xbox Series X/S and PC. More details on how it plays on other Xbox platforms along with its story – which apparently stretches across "galaxies and centuries – and gameplay will be coming later. Stay tuned in the meantime.
Evil Dead: The Game Receives Gameplay Overview Trailer
As promised, Saber Interactive debuted a new gameplay trailer for Evil Dead: The Game at Summer Game Fest Kickoff Live, and it's looking brutal in all the ways you'd expect. Plenty of gameplay is shown off in the over 2-minute long trailer, with commentary from none other than Bruce Campbell (Ash Williams) himself. Take a look below.
In Evil Dead: The Game, every match will see players teaming up and playing as classic Evil Dead heroes, each with their own unique weapon and attributes. On the opposing side, players will play as the Kandarian Demon, and with the powers of possession, can take control of all sorts of monstrosities and horrors. There's plenty of brutality, several weapons to us, vehicles to drive, collect artifacts and tapes, and all of it on maps based on locations that Evil Dead fans will recognize. It's looking quite interesting, to say the least.
Evil Dead: The Game launches some time in 2021 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.