Move, Check, Analyze, Aim, then Fire,
This game is not your regular FPS run fire kill and then run some more. This is a pure sniper game. You get spotted and chances are you will get killed because the AI will flank, position, and surround you; just like in real life, the opposing force hates a sniper more than anything else in a battlefield.
Graphics: Excellent. Remember that this game was set during the last days of the Reich (WWII) so expect to see TONS of rubble, bombed out buildings, and roadblocks. Graphics were a bit repetitive but really you don't have time to admire the scenery because chances are the enemy will spot you if you stay too long in one position. One the first map, you'll see allied planes in formation flying over Berlin. It just sets the tone for the whole game.
Gameplay: A nice twist. You are an OSS operative assigned to stop the Russians from stealing/acquiring information to build the A-bomb from the Nazis. So yes, you are an American dressed as a Wehrmacht sniper. Don't worry about the Nazis because they're your friends. It's the Soviet Army you need to worry about. You are inserted in Berlin during the last days of the Reich, Russian tanks rolling across the city and bombing the living daylights out of it. You have contacts that you need to locate, tanks to blow up, and you get to assasinate Martin Bormann. Yes you heard me...assasinate Martin Bormann, and it's probably one of the most difficult missions to complete. As a spoiler...you need to track a contact, get some ammo, and then you have to locate the perfect sniping position to kill Bormann, while making sure you get to that position in time before he drives away. Tried so many times to complete this mission and failed lots. I finally decided to just sneak to where Bormann's car would exit (through the Brandenburg Gate),and then I waited for him. As soon as I saw his car coming, I stepped in the middle of the road, went into a crouching stance, aimed my rifle, took a deep breath (you can clear your lungs by hitting the F key to stabilize your gun hold) then pulled the trigger. I took him out at 123 yards as a moving target. The more difficult the target was presented to you, the more points you get when you take him out. Such is the nature of this game...numerous ways to enter and complete the mission. Hence, this game is not linear.
The nifty thing about taking a shot here in this game is that if you hit a target cleanly on the head, you get to see a slo-mo of the bullet flying towards the target and then actually seeing in slo-mo the head whip back and a chunk of flesh bursting out of where the bullet entered. It's actually a good way of telling whether you're going to hit the target or not. As soon as you pull the trigger and then you immediately see the screen turn into a bullet trajectory slo-mo view, then you know you've taken out your target. Farthest target I've hit was a 125 yard shot from the ground and hitting my target on top of a building. Bullet entered his left cheek. I know because of the slo-mo. Cool huh...
Strategy: Look, crawl, examine, check, then move again. This requires a lot of patience on the player. Again, this is not your standard shoot-em up. You have to consider several factors in this game..windage, bullet drop, distance, clearance, and situational awareness. Firing your gun means you are giving away your position to the enemy so move out of your position as soon as you fire your weapon. Sometimes you'll hit a body shot and the enemy will cry out for help while cringing in pain. Two ways to handle this, let the enemies come towards the injured comrade (they sometimes assist the injured) and then pick them off one by one OR fire another round just to put him out of his misery.
The rule of the game is ONE SHOT ONE KILL. Ammo is limited to about 200 rounds. Waste your rounds and you are forced to forage for ammo that you can use for your rifle. There are tons of weapons, mostly SMGs. The problem is gunning down your target with SMGs is just inviting a whole battalion to come after you.
And now the gripe...enemies are able to hit you from a distance using a submachine gun! How in heavens they can do that is beyond me. I look at it this way...it adds to the challenge.
All in all, this is an awesome game with lots of replay value and strategy. Not suitable for kids because of the slo-mo bullet impact feature. Buy the game.