Sniper Elite III Review.

By Sam Coles:

Sniper Elite has always been a mixed opinion type of game some people love it some people hate it, the second instalment had some great ideas but it was marred with a linear structure. Has Sniper Elite III solved its many problems? Let’s find out.

Right off the bat the game catches your eye with its visuals purely from the point that the game is colourful and not the standard greyish brown that bogs down most of the military shooters or all shooters for that matter. The change in setting is nice instead of it being set in the present day it’s in World War 2 but not in the standard European front but during the North African occupation that doesn’t get enough attention in WW II games. This means you’ll be going through some big wide open spaces in the sandy deserts to the tranquil, but dangerous oasis.

Story wise there isn’t much of a story because the main character is a walking bag of clichés and gravel, but the main overarching theme is that you have to stop the Nazis developing a new super tank.

The change in setting is instantly refreshing when you start the game and suits the role of a sniper having all these ways to tackle a challenge in the high quarries and wide open savannah. Unlike the second game Sniper Elite III is very open towards what approach you want to take, the maps are like mini sands boxes for you to explore finding different ways to dispatch your targets kind of like Hitman Blood Money.

Throughout the campaign you’ll gain experience and that will contribute towards your overall level and what this does is that you’ll unlock more ways to tackle each level to encourage replay value in this game.

You’ll gain access to new sniper rifles with multiple attachments, new pistols (stick to the Welrod the only silence pistol), different SMGs from the era and even rocket launchers which will come in handy taking out vehicles. It’s a great way to go back and replay levels with different equipment and higher difficulty levels which you can compeletly customise to you gaming skills.  

The AI can be very good but at the same time very stupid, for starters they are clever and they will hear you if you start to run etc. But when you kill one of their comrades they will search for you for a little bit, but when you relocate they completely forget about you and the dead body which kind sucks the tension out of the game. Vehicles will spot you straight away even when you are concealed within in the local flora when you let of one shot on the gas tank grill.

The reason why most of us play Sniper Elite is for the insanely detailed and graphic slow-motion cameras when you fire a well-placed bullet at a Nazi, you hear the bullet roar through the air. It intensifies when it creeps ever so closer towards the target then BANG! You hear the bones crunch coupled with a gargling choking noise with the bullet coming out the other side as it explodes the victim’s eyeballs. It never gets boring seeing a Nazi’s jaw explode in five different directions when you fire a high power sniper rifle at them.

There is multiplayer but it’s not too exciting it’s your standard fare of Team Deathmatch with Snipers. The highlight of the multiplayer is the co-op which really gets you and your friend to work together because one of you is armed with a sniper rifle while the other only has a sub machine gun. This encourages communication because your friend will have scout ahead for enemies or Intel, while you watch their back from a vantage point and taking care of the Nazis that they don’t see.

Sniper Elite III is an entertaining and great stealth game with a few graphical issues such as pop in and shadow flickering, but bear in mind I did play this on the Xbox 360 although considering the hardware it still looked very good . So if you are looking for a game where you want to slow down and take your time and kill Nazis in a sneaky and gory way then this game is for you. The game is available on PS3, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC so you have no excuse not to play it.

10 New GTA Online Rockstar Verified Jobs: Drift Paradise, Hipster Rage and More

By Sam Coles:

With emergence of the “I’m not a hipster” update comes a flurry of new jobs and game modes from the GTA Online community. Jobs that you’ll be partaking in with your band new weapons, cars and hipster scarfs in the middle of Southern California include:

Holy Drift Mountain - created by Heavy Magic
This Lap Race for Sports cars takes us along a picturesque route from downtown Vinewood, through Vinewood Hills and back again. Ambient traffic is disabled by default so that you can really carve up the winding, high speed corners in search of perfect lines - just don't get too distracted by the stunning view on the way down. Before getting Verified, Holy Drift Mountain had been played nearly 6,000 times and its popularity is entirely justified.

Far Out LOOP - created by Pakelikea
This technical road Race twists around the vineyards of Grapeseed and has Supercars as its default class. Several tight turns and hazards such as farm equipment and drainage ditches create plenty of opportunities to tangle with the opposition, and a looping section maximizes the chances for collisions as the pack spreads out. A great spectacle, don't be surprised to see this one in our live streamed Crew Battles soon.

The Maze Bank Fight - created by N7 - Devestator
A Contend Capture of epic proportions, this Job sees two teams battle it out in Buzzards over a single Capture Object on top of the Maze Bank Tower. As if that weren't a tall order in itself, RPG wielding goons on the helipad won’t make it any easier. Once players have collected the package, they can either get back in their helicopter and fly back to their base, or parachute off and race back at ground level.

Hipster Happy Hour - created by Foghat1977
A shining example of quality over quantity, Hipster Happy Hour is only the second Job Foghat1977 has published, but this exciting Sports Race through Downtown and Vinewood shows considerable talent. Bearing some similarity to the popular Rockstar Created Race “Downtown Underground”, it works well with Traffic off and features excellent Prop placement to form a couple of unexpected corners.

Hold: Shopping Spree - created by Skilledscout
Skilledscout, the leader of the Sir In A Suit Crew, gets down to business with this sprawling Hold Capture set around the beachfront villas of Chumash. The coastal town is really brought to life by dangerous Actors occupying shops and protecting the Capture Objects at all costs. Once you've managed to elude them, the escape path to each Capture Point is a breezy dash along the Great Ocean Highway. Just hope an opponent isn't waiting for you when you get there.

Marios Race - created by Fifides
Set in downtown Los Santos this short Lap Race sends Sports cars weaving through highway and street-level traffic, and features a solid mix of sharp turns and wide straights for overtaking. It's also well suited to Compacts. A savvy racer might want to hang back in second place going into the final straight and use slipstream to power over the small ramp just before the finish line.

Quarantine - created by Raymond Calitri
"The bridge is dead. Fight to survive." reads the description for this Deathmatch set on a section of the Elysian Fields Freeway that comes from a regular on GTAForums’ content subforum. Fitting the ‘quarantine’ theme quite nicely, weapons and ammo are limited and the road is littered with wrecked vehicles so tactical play and ammo scavenging are crucial.

Obstacle What? - created by GSXR01570
GSXR's motto is "Work Hard, Play Hard, Game Harder" and it's clearly paying off judging by this challenging obstacle Motorbike Race. You start out in downtown Los Santos, and race to the edge of the Grand Senora Desert and back. Along the way you’ll have to deal with high speed chicanes, obstacle jumps and up to 15 other players vying for position.

Rattlesnake Run - created by a_smitty56
Nonchalant Dominance Crew member a_smitty56's Supercar Race takes place on the road section around the El Burro Heights oil field. We used part of this route in Rockstar Created Race “Dock Ring” but it's a surprisingly underused location among the Creator community. Lots of twists, turns and wooden fences that you can push other players through make for a competitive Race where aggression is a virtue.

Sonuva Beach - created by Handcuff Charlie
Handcuff_charlie's first Verified Job Pier Pressure II has already seen plenty of play time in our Rockstar live-streams. Sonuva Beach is another creation showcased on GTAForums - a tight little Deathmatch that’s been marked out entirely with user-placed Props on the Palomino Highlands Beach. Clearly a lot of thought has gone into Prop placement to give this DM a central ‘focus’, choke points and alternate routes. Weapons are restricted to shotguns but grenade and Molotov pickups are placed around the map to spice things up and provide tactical variety.

So grab your friends and enjoy the new community made jobs to keep you occupied in the hot months of July.

Grid Autosport: THIS IS RACING VIDEO

By Sam Coles:

A new trailer for the latest instalment of Grid Autosport is live showcasing more of Grid’s unique and intense gameplay. The trailer demonstrates the drama and intensity of the racing life for a driver.

The game boasts over one hundred routes and 22 environments throughout its lengthy career mode which will keep you invested in the summer months to come. Players can specialise in their favourite driving style or master them for the ultimate racing experience, it’s completely up to you how you take on a race and what car you do it in is your choice.

Grid Autosport hits the tracks on 24^th June in North America and 27^th June in the UK and Europe.

RIDGE RACER DRIFTOPIA BETA COMING TO AN END

By Sam Coles:

The Free to Play game Ridge Racer Driftopia's beta is coming to a finish the publisher and game devs wanted to take opportunity to give a big thank you to all the gamers that took part in the open beta with all the feedback that they gave them.

The open beta for Ridge Racer Driftopia will be shutting down the servers on 15th August, so get as much play as you can from now to mid August.

GTA Online "I'm not a hipster" update.

By Sam Coles:

Rockstar games continue their endless barrage of updates for their online multiplayer mode with lots of free stuff with it and it’s only a matter of time until the paid DLC comes along.

What this update comes with seven new vehicles that you and your friends came mess around in the crime ridden city of Los Santos. Vehicles including classic nostalgia rides like the Glendale, Warrener, Blade and Rhapsody – affordable cars that seem casual on the surface, but have hidden potential to be unleashed with a few modifications. The environmentally conscious set can check out the Panto microcar, while those looking to roll with their Crew in more ostentatious style can add the massive 3-axel, 6-seater Dubsta (unlocks at Rank 100) to their fleet.

You also get two brand new weapons, the Antique Cavalry Knife and the Vintage pistol as well as including these jobs:

 Airwaves (Rank 15, 1-8 Players)

Students of style know that what comes up must go down. Drop 4,370 feet while imagining you're over all the bands you listen to on Radio Mirror Park, as you twist and turn sharply down to the pond below.

Beach Odyssey (Rank 15, 1-16 Players)

Nothing says artistic credibility like a grainy image of trash next to a burnt out RV, so get your butt off a nice beach, and go to a nasty one. This is a Point to Point Race for Sports Classics starting in Chumash, ending in Sandy Shore, mainly on-road with opportunities to hit top speed.

 Before It Was Cool (Rank 15, 1-8 Players)

Any skinny jeans wearer will tell you, sometimes things just don't fit. Try and squeeze up to eight compact cars around the tight corners of this lap Race in Mirror Park.

Caffeine Rush (Rank 1, 1-8 Players)

If your friends caught you drinking anything except a flat white at an independent coffee house it would be social suicide, but when you need java, you need java. This is a Point to Point Sedan Race from Del Perro to Mirror Park passing by four 'Cool Beans' coffee shops.

 Contend: Condo-monium (Rank 1, 2-8 Players)

Make a statement about late capitalism or income equality or art or pointless statements or something by trashing condos in Puerto Del Sol. This is a Contend style Capture going for the last of the party supplies in the courtyard between two identical apartment blocks.

East Vinewood LTS (Rank 9, 2-16 Players)

They don't know how it started, maybe two girls got the same tattoo, or reposted a Snapmatic without giving photo credit. What they do know is sides have been chosen and East Vinewood's gone to hell in this two team Last Team Standing.

 Embracing America (Rank 1, 1-8 Players)

All your friends are going East in search of the last un-gentrified patch of turf in the country, and you're heading West. Load up a so-uncool-it's-cool Sedan, and race toward Little Seoul. Lots of straights and a few tight turns at the end of this point to point track.

 GTA: Grab a Cab (Rank 1, 2-8 Players)

After twelve hours 'rolling' at your local post-industrial techno-house night, your tattooed friends will be too wide-eyed to drive themselves. Pick up some taxis for them in this two team GTA-style Capture based around the Downtown Cab Co depot in East Vinewood.

 Hip to be Cool (Rank 1, 1-8 Players)

Because driving around Rockford Hills in nice cars is too mainstream, and going through Vespucci Beach in low riders is kinda yesterday... This Compact class Race takes you back and forth over the Los Santos Freeway and in and out of the Casino parking lot.

 Legion Square Survival (Rank 25, 1-4 Players)

Freedom of speech is dead as the cops crack down on Legion Square protesters. Battle the police on foot, in SUVs, and eventually in Buzzard helicopters. And remember that the real bad guys are the bankers looking down on the action from their office windows.

 Puerta Del Sol (Rank 1, 2-8 Players)

Every artist wanted to die young, then they wanted to mock their predecessors with an ironic statement about dying young, now it's a post-ironic statement and they might end up actually dying.

 Trend Setting (Rank 1, 1-16 Players)

A Lap circuit Race with muscle cars around Mirror Park for simple people who want to seem complicated.

The update is out now so get out there and start acting like a hipster in Los Santos.