Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 Preview – Third Time’s the Charm

Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 seems big on correcting the regrets and mistakes of the past. It is one of the things motivating its protagonist, Jonathan North, and seems to be the aim for the game itself, which after two middling installments appears to have found its solid footing at last.

What can we expect from CI Games’ upcoming production? Let’s find out, because the game is coming very soon.

The story

The core story of Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 is one of family matters and old wounds reopening. The protagonist is Marine Captain Jonathan ‘Jon’ North, an Afghanistan veteran, who’s troubled by his inability to save his brother several years before the game’s event. Presumed dead for two years, Robert North is seen in Georgia in the middle of ongoing civil war.

US military forms a black ops team meant to eliminate warmongering separatist leaders, and Jon, hoping to find his brother, volunteers to lead it.

Three paths

Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 has a flexible progression system divided into three skill trees, fittingly named “Sniper”, “Ghost”, and “Warrior”. They correspond to certain playstyles.

Profiles

The Sniper profile is largely self-explanatory. It provides Jon with everything he needs to be the deadliest sniper in Georgia. Reducing the sway of the reticle, improved breath-holding, etc. all fall under the purview of the Sniper profile.

Ghost is what helps Jon with close-quarters stealth. It’ll cover everything from sneaking aids to increased range of stealthy takedowns and kills. It is unclear, if maxing the Ghost profile will make Jon a match for Garret of Corvo, but he’ll probably be a close second.

Finally Warrior is the profile to go for when you want some open conflict. It isn’t going to make North into an invincible bullet sponge, but is likely going to make short work of enemies, if used correctly.

Progression

S:GW3 will have a responsive progression system, naturally adjusting to your playstyle. Most actions Jon can take correspond to at least one of the trees discussed above, and grant experience towards the relevant profile. So if in one mission you find yourself going in guns blazing, your Warrior profile will have more XP as a result. If you manage to get in some long-distance kills and then infiltrate the premises, both Sniper and Ghost profiles will be rewarded.

There’s nothing stopping you from either mastering one approach or creating a hybrid build. The game will allow both and punish neither.

Guns, knives, and a drone

The arsenal at Jon’s disposal is going to be both broad and flexible. The game will give him access to sniper and assault rifles, shotgun, pistols, knives aplenty, and even throw in some explosives for good measure.
In addition to core arsenal, there will be a large library of weapon modifications ranging from various optics and camo to bipods and magazines.

As an addition to flexible character progression it will allow the players to really make North their own creation. Some flexibility in the skillsets of preset characters is always welcome, especially in genres that usually don’t offer that much.

Drone-control

As one of the available gadgets, Jon will have a handy reconnaissance drone. It will be able to tag enemies, scout out tactically beneficial locations and alert everyone to your presence if you aren’t careful.

Sniping simulator

As a major feature, Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 will have a complex and engaging shooting physics, involving environmental factors such as wind, gravity and more. Adjusting your sights will reportedly be more than just a symbolic gesture, and the reward for it will be a glorious bloody splatter of your enemies’ heads when you score a headshot.
How satisfying it will be for hardcore players remains to be seen, but there is good chance both ends of the spectrum will be satisfied.

The final bullet

All materials available seem to paint Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 in a favorable light. Personal story, responsive character progression, and customizable armory are just a few of the potential selling points. Even the pre-order is reasonable, since it apparently includes the Season Pass without raising the price.
Jonathan North’s mission comes on April 25 this year. Who will you be in Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3? A death from above? Shadow in the night? Bark of a rifle from behind a cover?