Sniper Killer PC Review 6/10 “Flesh Wound” 🔫 @LeggoMyGiallo @henryhoare8 @torturestar @PuppetCombo #IndieGame #GameDev

I’ve been very vocal about my love for the Torture Star Video line of releases, enjoying every release that I have played thus far. After playing several of them, a thought did enter my mind – “would I ever finally play one and dislike it? Would one fail to live up to the rest and finally break the streak?” Luckily, whilst I would say the streak is intact - I do have my issues with Sniper Killer.

In Sniper Killer you play as… well, a ‘Sniper Killer’, a man who enjoys shooting people… usually in the face, although the first time I took control of him, I shot the wrong target and then, when I found the right one - I shot him in the shoulder, a mere flesh wound, but the game decided that was close enough to kill him. This did tickle me as you see the victim later on and he is missing most of his face. I wanted to tell the police that someone else must have shot him after I did, as I was nowhere near his face with my shot - but that's strangely not a dialogue option.

The Killer isn't the only character that you play as, you also play as Detective Comardy, a grizzled cop who sounds like he has definitely at least seen a cigarette in his life, or just as likely smoked about three packs a day for the last thirty years. It is a nice bonus to have voice acting in the game and most of it is very well done, although after a while the constant snarkiness and crass dialogue did wear thin. 

My favourite bit of dialogue came when I was controlling a woman who lives in a very nice apartment building and one of the staff leads you into the elevator and has a full-blown conversation about the killer, and then jokes anyone could be a killer - even him! Now, I haven't been alone in an elevator with a woman lately - or possibly ever - but I’m pretty sure that's not the topic of conversation to be had. 

I was very into the story, seeing the murders take place and then the unfolding investigation. Getting the narrative from both sides is interesting, but you are still left with questions, as a mysterious voice comes over a walkie talkie when you control the killer, for example. As the Detective, you are left to question the killers’ motives, and even have the classic trope of a cork board with red strings linked between various points. The mystery builds but - to my horror - halfway through the tale a supernatural element is added, and it derails the plot, for me. 

This is not the first horror video game to do this and it certainly won’t be the last, but when an interesting horror plot with mystery elements gets the supernatural inserted and derails both the mystery and any intriguing human component out of it - no twisted human nature, no engaging psychological component, just the supernatural - for some it creates an added twist but for me it is rarely done well and just takes out the most engrossing part. 

I found the story overall to have solid moments, something engaging would happen, or a cool mission would pop up, but then it would slow down or, like I’ve mentioned - go down a path I didn’t care for, but it still had some good moments to keep the 2-3 hours of playtime somewhat fruitful.

The sniping is enjoyable and well-implemented, especially when considering the budget of Sniper Killer, it has slow motion bullet action - which sometimes give a false sense of hope as it can also happen when you miss a target - it can feel a bit weightless, but that's not really an issue. 

The AI of the characters is largely simplistic but provides enough movement to cause a problem at times when taking a shot. The most engaging place you go is the killer’s hideout, the creepiest and most compelling bits of dialogue and scares come from this location. The investigation aspect is very simple - arrive at a crime scene, find some evidence, head back to examine it, and then add to the cork board.

SUMMARY
There is still enough here for you to have a decent time, the sniping is a different element for these types of horror games and is something you don’t see too often. 

Sniper Killer has some nice moments but for me, doesn't quite come together completely, in terms of the story.

6/10

🍦MELTING🍦