The popular spinoff from the Sniper Elite series is back with its 4th installment, and it's the best one yet!
First- this was for the Collector's Edition, which either sold out or changed SKUs along the way from my preorder. (Gave me a "scare" on occasion when my preorder itself was in place, but the link was "dead" HA).
The CE itself included a new (okay, not "new" as he's undead,) playable character- a recently returned aviator... who's also a marksman...
It also includes a redemption code via the website (not via console) for the superb synth heavy soundtrack, which gives off the original Romero Living Dead trilogy vibe.
Lastly, for the statue collectors, it includes a zombie shark statue. The statue is gorgeous, amazingly detailed, but perhaps a bit smaller than what you'd normally expect.
Meanwhile, the game itself has had some more "back to the drawing board" moments- it's been a bit since I revisited the first 3 games, but it was certainly more single player friendly, and it appears to have given more options and upgrades.
The core gameplay- sniping zombies, the majority of which follow the classic "slow mover" variety, with more and more special types being thrown in along the way, in the hopes of getting the series' signature "YES!" moments- XRay kills which follow your bullet from firing through your target's body, destroying organs and bones in gruesome detail along the way, is back in all its glory. In no way, shape, or form has this grown tired throughout the 8 games in the series, especially when the results become even more unexpected than anticipated- seeing the bullet cause destruction through a zombie, only to change trajectory off a bone, then hit the grenade on the belt of a nearby zombie, or potentially similar results, always adds an element of the unknown the moment the slow motion kicks in.
The game has a complete campaign available for single player, or up to 4 people co-op online, as well as the same options for Horde mode upon a variety of maps.
