Playtime: 2h20m

Played: 2025

Intro

SGWC is an FPS in which you are dropped into a sizeable map and have to find items and kill enemies. Obviously, the game expects you to snipe some of those and it features range-finding, wind and bullet drop mechanics.

Review

I love Sniper Elite and Hitman (and Fallout, in which you can also snipe a lot), i enjoy sneaking around in big maps with various ways to get to targets, and i like the sniping mechanics. They've even managed to put in a good tutorial this time. So this game is perfect for me right?

Well, no. It has some minor flaws like enemies moving around too quietly (IMO), the annoying weather and the overly restrictive climbing. I can live with that, and maybe even with the weird respawning enemies and bounty areas. But no manual saves? In a game where you can easily spend 1-3 hours on a map? Not knowing which enemies you've taken out before or after the checkpoint is awful. Having to repeat your steps is worse, it's also why i don't like soulslikes.

Conclusion

Checkpoints are bad enough in smaller, simpler games - they definitely don't belong in sprawling games with lengthy missions. Such a shame, the game was quite good aside from that.

As my first foray into the franchise, Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts lets me dive in on what it means being a covert operative in the modern era; set amidst the backdrop of a conflicted Siberian nation.

One of the game's strengths is its ability to introduce fresh challenges in each level. Whether I am tasked with eliminating targets from a distance (with a satisfying slo-mo camera angle to boot) or navigating close-quarters combat situations, Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts does a good job keeping me on my toes. The constant need to adapt myself in large maps keeps the gameplay engaging.

The inclusion of unlockable traits is a welcome addition. These traits allows me to customize my character's abilities and approach missions in different ways. Normally I thrive in going the stealthy path and taking out my targets from a safe distance (for the namesake of the franchise) but it does open for players preferring a more aggressive playstyle. That's thanks to the ability to tailor your skills, which adds depth to the game.

The game excels as well at providing a sense of accomplishment through its mission structure. Completing objectives and missions yields points for you to spend on your personal upgrades and inventory, adding replay value to the mission for players to unlock further or playing through missions through a different angle. However, as much as story intrigue goes, the overarching plot of fighting against a separatist nation in Siberia lacks the memorability for me after a while.

On a side-note, Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts suffers from an occasional issue where movement can become stuck during gameplay. This recurring glitch is rather counter-productive when you try to find a different path through the terrain, making it a drawback for the flow.

Overall, the game's varied challenges, customizable traits, and rewarding mission structure contribute to its appeal for stealth and sniping game fans. Movement issues and shallow story aside, I hope to see with the sequel, being up in my backlog, the improvements to enhance and add further stability and substance into it.