Sniper: Ghost Warrior was a reasonable game, going by our 2010 review, while its 2013 sequel didn't fare so well: "A dumb shooter that feels like a rubbish stealth section dragged out across the length of an entire game." Perhaps the third installation will provide a valedictory return to form, particularly since developer CI Games says it will be the "first AAA production effort" in the series.
It's kind of an odd thing for a developer to say, given the obvious implication that it's been cutting corners until now, but sometimes admitting you have a problem is the first step toward overcoming it. The second step, in this particular instance, is hiring Steve Hart, the former senior producer on Rebellion's better-regarded Sniper Elite 3, to head up the development team.
"We’re fully committed to creating a AAA franchise that gamers can rely on for the ultimate first-person sniper experience," CI Games CEO Marek Tyminski said in a statement.
The new game will take place during a modern-day conflict between three warring factions in Eastern Europe. It will feature non-linear gameplay on large, open maps, allowing players to do their business up close and personal, or from a safely detached distance. Based on the title I would think the latter option would be the preferred way of getting things done, but as the man said, sometimes you want to put the knife in, and look him in the eye, and see what's going on in there as you turn it. That's what you want to do, right? Come on, Bennett. Let's party!
Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 is expected to be ready for 2016.
