Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 was released by CI Games on June 4, 2021, making it the sixth entry in the Sniper Ghost Warrior series. The game keeps its core gameplay very similar to the previous entry in the franchise, Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts, with the series' trademark emphasis on stealth and long-ranged sniping remaining throughout.
The series has historically struggled to impress critics but has recently been hitting greater heights with a Metascore of 80 on Xbox Series X. Although this is a great improvement and a very positive sign for the series' future, there are still some issues with the latest game that are tough to ignore on any given playthrough.
7 Improved Enemy A.I. & Variety
In any first-person shooter, enemy A.I. is one of the most important factors to get right. Poor enemy A.I. can be a complete deal-breaker in a shooter and could turn classics like GoldenEye 007 and BioShock into lackluster experiences.
The enemy A.I. in Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 certainly isn't terrible; it's just very average for a game released in 2021. Considering that the enemies are trained soldiers, it's odd that many of them deem the best strategy upon spotting the player is to simply charge straight at them.
There are a few other enemy types to add a different dimension to levels, such as snipers and heavy armor units, though there's only a handful in each area. Enemies that are more tactical in their attempts to take down the player and a great variety in units would go a long way to improving the gameplay experience and making it feel far more engaging.
6 Enhanced Story
Modern storytelling in games has divided many players. Some love the cinematic story-heavy experiences of games like God of War (2018) and The Last of Us, while others prefer when a game predominantly focuses on gameplay, with a story that is a secondary, optional aspect to simply enhance the experience. Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 falls into the second category, which isn't an issue, though the thoroughly lacking story is certainly a problem.
For those who take the time to watch the game's cutscenes, they're offered a very surface-level story of little substance. Again, the game doesn't need a long narrative with plot twists and parallel universes, it just would've been nice to have a supplementary story worth listening to and making the game's ending more satisfying.
5 Increased Weapon Variety
Similar to the enemy A.I., the variety of weapons in Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 isn't terrible, but it does feel limited for a first-person shooter where weapons are a key focus. The game offers all of the weapons that one would expect in a shooter, with a few interesting extras like the Falcon and RWS turret, though it's always nice to have variety, and a wider range of weapons and gadgets would have gone a long way to improving replayability.
Moreover, the game may have benefited from having some Hitman-like comical weapons to unlock. Granted, one could argue that the game is serious in tone, so bizarre Hitman weapons like the unicorn horn and banana may seem out of place. However, as mentioned before, the game's story isn't too in-depth, so there likely wouldn't have been too many complaints from fans of the series if some more absurd weapons were offered to add extra replayability and enjoyment.
4 Optional Mission Objectives
Some extra optional missions would go a long way to adding replayability to levels. There are already bounties, challenges, and collectibles, which may sound like a solid amount of extra content, though it still feels as though some of the levels, particularly the Classic Contracts, could benefit from some more optional objectives.
In fact, it may be beneficial to add optional tasks that aren't specified at the start of the missions and need to be found, which would encourage players to fully explore the game's large, well-designed levels.
3 Improved Frame Rate & Performance
One issue of Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 that is hard for even the most die-hard fan to argue against is the frequent frame rate drops. The game's frame rate occasionally drops to unplayable levels for extended periods, which is particularly frustrating for those with high-end PCs or an Xbox Series X.
Hopefully, the game's performance issues aren't too difficult to solve and will be fixed in the near future. However, the PlayStation 5 iteration's delay due to "unforeseen technical issues" isn't a great sign and implies that the problems may be more complicated than even the developers had first anticipated.
2 Longer Final Level
The final mission of a campaign is often treated as the game's grand finale, the time for a game to throw the toughest challenge at the player in spectacular fashion, creating a memorable moment, wrapping up the story, and ending the journey on a high note. Unfortunately, the final mission of Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 feels like it was rushed to ensure that the game could be sold with five levels instead of four.
The final level, Maladh Wadi, is significantly shorter than any of the game's other areas, which is exemplified by how quick and easy it is to collect all five collectibles. Consequently, the game falls rather flat in the end, with a final level that will make some players feel short-changed.
1 Better Level Variety In Long Shot Contracts
The aforementioned final level is a Long Shot Contract, which makes up three of the game's five missions. The first of these is great, offering a great combination of what's to come for the player with enemy camps to wipe out or sneak past, incredibly long-ranged sniper shots to pull off, and a well-designed level to traverse.
Unfortunately, the two Long Shot Contracts that follow don't evolve from this point, and in some ways, drop in quality. This is a great shame as the first level feels like a taster for some incredible missions that are to follow but ends up being one of the game's highest points in quality.