One word: Disappointing...very, very Disappointing.
Let me expand:
If you played the first Sniper Elite and you enjoyed then it you might have expected something better from V2 just as I did. However the truth is that V2 fails to deliver on almost every level in respect to sniping.
The game itself could have used a lot more polishing in terms of graphics, sound effects, stealth (don't even get me started),basic sniping, and basically everything else. I'm not saying it's a bad game I'm just saying it's not a good game as it should have been. It's ultimately disappointing on almost every level.
When I started the game I was really excited, I refrained from watching any videos or read any reviews on the game so that I could go into the game with a fresh perspective. The first few minutes were Okay, the tutorial sequences were horrible though. The fact that they completely restrict your movement from the get go (like literally the game stops you from moving even turning which caused some game-breaking glitches during my gameplay) was a real bad omen for things to come. I pushed on hoping to reach the open space I was used to in the first SE. But no, I end up in a destroyed building (which I swear I saw like 5 more times after that tutorial level but in different locations mind you) and then I proceed with the hand holding until...
I finally get to blow some guy's face away.
And it was great!
The tutorial level ends with an assassination, an entertaining one at that. The protagonist aptly describes the conditions surrounding him and how they affect his sniping ability. Before I go on I must stress that this game is easy, very easy in fact even on the highest AI settings (haha...AI...I'll get into it later) and with all the gravity/wind factors turned to max. Now, to the sniping part. I played on the highest difficulty possible so "realistic" in the game's terms. After a few adjustments and gently moving the mouse using the lowest DPI settings to get the shot lined in just perfect, I click.
The game perspective now follows the bullet's trajectory as it closes in on my target's suspicious little square head in awesome slow motion. Then it happens, the best thing in the whole game. The bullet enters the head through the temple region and exits from the right cheek while the brain, jaw, eyes, and everything in the bullet's path is shattered with spectacular detail. I burst into an evil laughter that I only found myself doing during the fatalities in the latest Mortal Kombat game (the camera tricks are similar.) After 10 seconds of pure awe I move on only to find myself having to fight through a few nazi soldiers (read mindless zombies) using typical third person cover style shooting which is extremely disappointing to say the least. You are never really covered when you are in cover. Wait, I have to explain this better. Imagine a wall about half your height and like 1.5 meters wide and you crouch behind it 100% covered, only to find yourself being shot at by a dude you can't even see somewhere in front of you. It's really disappointing (that word again) when that happens. The shooting is Okay at best, it's weird that a "sniper elite" who is supposed to have perfect accuracy can barely hit a guy with a Thompson 2 meters in front of him while burst-firing (insert that word again). I escape the merciless bunch of [zombies] who tried to kill me for killing one of their own. And the level ends.
Ow, I was supposed to talk about the AI right? All you need to know is this: DO NOT-I repeat-DO NOT underestimate these bastards. They can see you from a mile away (or not, depending on their mood.) They have absolutely pin point accuracy on all difficulties. They can never see a trap when it's literally right in their face but they are so merciless that they only care about their dead brother[zombies] for around 30 seconds, after which they go back to patrolling and falling in to the same trap you set not 2 minutes ago. (Pro tip: Plant a mine, throw a rock, and wait)
Now to listing: My favorite part.
The Good:
-Solid sniping in some parts.
-Brutal, Spectacular, Awe-inspiring, bullet time moments.
-Blowing a dude's head off (or shooting him in the crotch with great results) never gets old.
-Multiplayer is intense and well balanced.(I haven't played Co-op but how different can it be from single-player sniping?)
The Bad:
-The gameplay gets boring after a while.
-Sounds are off almost all the time.
-The Artificial Intelligence: Revenge of the Nazi Zombies.
-Story?!
-Confined, boring environments throughout the game.
-Shooting someone in the back of the neck does not cause the head fall off and hang.
The Ugly:
-Graphics look outdated.
-Animations are horrible, except the death animations which are funny at times.
-Enemies don't know more than 50 words in German or Russian.
So yea, Disappointing. The game is worth playing for a few hours but it's not worth the full retail price. I got mine as a present from a dude who knows a dude who worked on the game so I'm not regretting playing this game. I still am playing on and off since I got it.
Final words:
If you ever feel like letting off some steam play this game and enjoy killing dudes in a spectacular fashion.
RyPeR out.