Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 takes the series into open-world territory, but at this time, the technical issues of the game put a damper on an intriguing, if even fairly standard, experience. Many of the technical issues with SGW3 on the PS4 can likely be fixed with patches, and while a smaller developer, CI Games likely does have the resources and time to keep applying fixes. Very long load times (into the multiple minutes when changing between the main three regions), random crashes, AI issues, and my launch PS4 sounding like its going to hover with the fans at full RPM are all likely patchable problems; but the somewhat dated visuals despite CryEngine being used and lighting issues could be much harder to correct.
Underneath the significant technical problems however is a game that was developed with passion and ambition. Players take the role of Jon North a skilled military sniper with a lot of work to do. Optional side missions are blended in with more than a dozen story mode missions that see Jon traverse open, large terrain, wielding a variety of weapons and gadgets to get the job done. There seems to be no shortage of weaponry and gadgets at your disposal with different types of sniper rifles, assault rifles, pistols, grenades, and other goodies like mines, thermal and night vision goggles, and drones on the menu as well. These devices can be upgraded in all of the usual ways to increase clip size, reduce recoil, extend battery life, and so forth. In more than one way, SGW3 reminds me of Ghost Recon: Wildlands (which also has had a lot of gigabytes of post-release patching). Besides some similarities in the story, setting, and open world design, the reliance on the drone in both games is worth mentioning. This isn’t to say either game borrowed from the other or that drone use is a bad thing, but be prepared to launch that drone a lot to help you scout out an area before approaching. It’s ability to tag enemies like in Wildlands and even discover mine fields makes a huge difference in your survivability and tactical approach.
SGW3’s story and characters are pretty cookie-cutter, as what you have is a fairly textbook modern military shooter in that regard. That shouldn’t be too surprising, and most people that go to play this are not going in for compelling story, but instead the thrill of that long range sniper shot or just the ability to use all the weapons and gadgets. Interesting mission design is also desirable, and I thought SGW3 did a good job there with its variety and making good use of the level design and arsenal at Jon’s disposal.
Other than the technical issues, SGW3 is probably exactly what you expected and even hoped for — a AA modern military shooter with a focus on sniping that evolves the franchise into open world. If you can wait for additional patching or don’t mind some of the stout bugs, SGW3 offers an enjoyable experience.
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