Anatomy of a Sniper... SE III

[AstaLaVista]

Work in progress, I am on the first pass on Marksman (normal?) and this is what I can remember so far.

Things I like:

• Nice quality graphics
• Nice texture and weapons ergos
• Easy on the rig as far as requirements go
• Control as very good, efective, easily bound and plenty of options
• Awesome Toggle keys options
• Big maps, although a bit linear, you still can choose many paths to do your thing
• Lots and lots of Loadout options but I am not too meticulous so I stick to one only, perhaps others will chime in and give us a better view of it

Things I dislike:

• 3rd person view... it seems I will never be able to get use to it
• Pistol might as well give you a piece of gum to throw at them, if you don't hit him smack dab in the head, the guy only gets pissed off and screams. the recoil of both suppressed pistols is horrific... that or my G9 and I suck at close range kills
• Camera movements while prone or kneeling... randomly it jerks up and it is usually when you least expect it or mostly just about you are ready to fire. I thought it was my rig but I have seen some video where it happens to them as well.
• Camera while moving slow sometimes it fights you to move where you want and all of a sudden, you find yourself looking at opposite directions and lost for a second or two... extremely bad when bolting out of a tense situation
• Sniper Nests... most are ok, some are just purely for XP benefit as when you get there you can't even fire a shot w/o having to move out rapidly or can barely take a shot. The Generators or Noise options are usually some where's else.
• It seems there are more chances for takedowns or pistol kills than sniping shots, since on your way to the nest you most do all the killing.
• I know we are trying to simulate real here but I would love to be able to fire more frequently and not every 30 secs or so... perhaps I am just a costumed to the new gun and run shooters
• AI is a bit stupid, perhaps in hardest levels this will change but something tells me all will change is the ability to die quicker.

I am sure by now you are wondering why, if I hate the game so much I am playing it, right?... well, you would be wrong. I am enjoying the hell out of it, taking my time as much as I can and sometimes even starting over if I happen to find a path I enjoy more taking. I just wish this little annoying things (ok, at least for me ) would not be there to totally kick some ass the way I would like is all.


I love to check the map at the beginning of each session, head over to the Snipers Nest and take cover, from here tag all the baddies and start capping heads one by one then continue to the target. I am not much for exploring but I am trying to do that as well, although, that would probably be done on the second pass. At least for now, I don't want to leave a baddie standing up, otherwise, why pay for a shooter game if I just want to get the XP right? I do love that there are plenty of high up places to rest, take a shot and bolt but I just hate to have them chase me around



Perhaps you have other ways to play the game? tells us about it... I am hoping that my second pass I learn stuff and I get to enjoy the game even more!

 

[Phill3990]

I'm currently debating whether or not to get this. I wasn't a great fan of SE2 but loved SE1 (cant beat the classics) I have heard both good and bad things about this one though. I like to play super stealthy like playing Splinter cell and in SE2 you took one shot and bam the whole zone was on top of you. Is this one like that or do you still have a chance of going a whole level using the sniper rifle without being detected?

 

[GothicCrow]

I got the game when it was released, It's very good and about going a whole level without being detected (no) unless you kill the enemy and no one is near them it might work, I have found it dosen't you will be detected and it can get freaky with enemies everywhere

 

[Dude]

Good review, I will look into the game.

 

[AstaLaVista]

I'm currently debating whether or not to get this. I wasn't a great fan of SE2 but loved SE1 (cant beat the classics) I have heard both good and bad things about this one though. I like to play super stealthy like playing Splinter cell and in SE2 you took one shot and bam the whole zone was on top of you. Is this one like that or do you still have a chance of going a whole level using the sniper rifle without being detected?

SE1 was great indeed, SE2 got away a bit from it and in some places you just had 1 way to go and not quiet indeed.

I don't really know why one would want to go the whole level w/o killing a baddie, that is just wrong! and I have not done it but I do believe is possible if you use your suppressed pistol to do away with those pesky ones that persist on not doing what you want but you will be hard pressed to finished the level w/o a single shot I could imagine

The game is forgiven because if you kill him (loudly that is) you can bolt and get away until all is clear and they go back about their business.

I got the game when it was released, It's very good and about going a whole level without being detected (no) unless you kill the enemy and no one is near them it might work, I have found it dosen't you will be detected and it can get freaky with enemies everywhere

I have come to learn that if you don't move away when the alarms go away, then you will get swamped with enemies.

Good review, I will look into the game.

If you are the kind to go for all the collectibles, then you will enjoy it even more. I am more the killing and forget them kinda guy



Spoiler Alert... FORT FUGIO... Do not look unless you like to shoot lots and lots






This mission is very cool since you do get to snipe people quicker w/o waiting an eternity (or what seem like it) for something to muffle your shot, plenty of incursions, at night and at the end of the mission, before you didi out of there, you get a no holds barred sniper fest killing spree that can really raise your blood pressure if you are not careful ... I just came back from the Doctors office

 

[smarteyeball]

Lots and lots of Loadout options but I am not too meticulous so I stick to one only, perhaps others will chime in and give us a better view of it

I tend to stick to one rifle too. At first it was the Carcano, but then it became the mosin-nagant.

3rd person view... it seems I will never be able to get use to it

Personally, I'm used to it and it can be useful in surround. But the camera can indeed be quirky.

Pistol might as well give you a piece of gum to throw at them, if you don't hit him smack dab in the head, the guy only gets pissed off and screams. the recoil of both suppressed pistols is horrific... that or my G9 and I suck at close range kills

They aren't really meant to be offensive weapons. They're intentionally meant to be "one shot kill" guns. The Semi suppressed pistol does have a longer range compared to the welrod. Same goes for your other guns. They're meant as last resort "oh shit" weapons.

Sniper Nests... most are ok, some are just purely for XP benefit as when you get there you can't even fire a shot w/o having to move out rapidly or can barely take a shot. The Generators or Noise options are usually some where's else. :

yeah, a lot force you to rely on occasional sound distraction (ie planes) if you don't want to move. In a way they're more for collectibles and achieving the long shot rewards.

It seems there are more chances for takedowns or pistol kills than sniping shots, since on your way to the nest you most do all the killing.

It depends on the path you take too. But there are some areas that by the time you get to a good sniping spot, you've already killed most of them.

AI is a bit stupid, perhaps in hardest levels this will change but something tells me all will change is the ability to die quicker.

The more I played, the more I noticed the AI shortcomings. And no, they don't change much on the harder levels

Perhaps you have other ways to play the game? tells us about it... I am hoping that my second pass I learn stuff and I get to enjoy the game even more!

Forget the nests for the most part once you've unlocked the rewards - find generators etc for quicker sniping/less running. Plus once you've been discovered, all you have to do is move away, lose the wanted/spotted level and head back to the original spot.

Amuse yourself by booby trapping bodies. A land mine or S_Mine is quite amusing when investigators go snooping and then boom!

Tanks are also real easy to destroy. One land mine and one dynamite in the same spot of the vehicles path is enough to finish them off if you don't feel like sniping. other wise use the AP rounds to take out half tracks/armoured cars in single shots.

On further play throughs - use no assists. It makes sniping harder, but more rewarding.

 

[AstaLaVista]

Ahhhh, I was wondering when you were going to chime in... been busy camping out in the desert perhaps?

Well, that pesky long shot has evade me for most of the maps, not that I try hard to check every little nook and cranny spot of the map and I guess using logic has not help me much... perhaps in my second pass I can find it as I am about to destroy that Ratte Facility

The game is good, it has its quirks and stupidities but what game doesn't now a days when all they are looking for and using is that quick bucks mentality and purpose. Nevertheless, I often wonder why no one has been able to come out with a decent sim of a sniper game, you know? One that would allow you to really climb up, set up traps along the way, choose a good sniper's nest and start taking pot shot from a good distance... I would not mind, walking a bit of a distance to make this happen every now and again.

Again, the game is good, awesome at times but it seems you do most of the killing on the ground or on some tower a few feet above the ground. I would love to setup shop and wait for a baddie, cap him off and continue to the next bad guy instead of looking for jewels, and playcards but, alas, I doubt they would sell more than 10 copies

 

[smarteyeball]

Ahhhh, I was wondering when you were going to chime in... been busy camping out in the desert perhaps?

Ding! lol

Well, that pesky long shot has evade me for most of the maps, not that I try hard to check every little nook and cranny spot of the map and I guess using logic has not help me much... perhaps in my second pass I can find it as I am about to destroy that Ratte Facility

In the end I had to google some of the locations because it was doing my head in. They can only be seen from and awarded from certain sniper nests. Without giving too much away - when in you're in a nest, keep your rifle level and look far into the distance. At least they're "easier' to spot than those bloody bottles from V2...

The game is good, it has its quirks and stupidities but what game doesn't now a days when all they are looking for and using is that quick bucks mentality and purpose. Nevertheless, I often wonder why no one has been able to come out with a decent sim of a sniper game, you know? One that would allow you to really climb up, set up traps along the way, choose a good sniper's nest and start taking pot shot from a good distance... I would not mind, walking a bit of a distance to make this happen every now and again.

Unfortunately most games these days do indeed miss the complete mark for different reasons. This one is no different.

A "true" sniper sim would probably get blasted for being 'boring". Not enough action.

One thing I would have loved to see in SE3 would be that once enemies know there is a sniper about - they don't stop looking after you've moved/after X amount of time. At least on the harder levels. let them look in the wrong places by all means, but don't suddenly go "ah, well he's gone now, all good" back to normal.

Again, the game is good, awesome at times but it seems you do most of the killing on the ground or on some tower a few feet above the ground. I would love to setup shop and wait for a baddie, cap him off and continue to the next bad guy instead of looking for jewels, and playcards but, alas, I doubt they would sell more than 10 copies

yeah, I know what you mean. I still maintain that without the x-ray cam, this game would not be as fun as it is and i'd love to snipe from a "sniper" position more than you can.

Once I finish with all the collectibles, my next task will be to try and get through an level without being seen, killing only when necessary.

 

[AstaLaVista]

So, the hunt for the Grey Wolfe... anybody find it a bit over the top and a little bit less snippie? Not that I won't do it when I get there, just saying!

 

[Victor S]

As long as you clear a 30-40 yard retreat space you can still snipe. Pretty boring waiting for the all clear though.
Once inside I used the Welrod or takedowns and stayed stealthy. Until the money shot.
So many ways to play it. I'm on my fourth or fifth trip through, about lvl 34 1/2.
Only did Grey Wolf once though.