STACK NZ Mar #60

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T he Sniper Elite series is probably never
going to win a game of the year
award, but it isn't shooting (I'll get my
coat) for that level either. In a landscape where
the divide between the production of a triple-A
title and the rest is wider than Kim Kardashian's
bottom, a franchise like Sniper Elite that sticks
to a tried and tested formula, plays to its
strengths and knows its limitations, is always
entertaining to romp through.
It wasn't the first game to employ a sniper
mechanic, but it was GoldenEye 007 (1997)
that forged the staple for first-person shooters.
Strangely, despite the ubiquitous sniper mission
in shooters, it's always a stage that we relish
the opportunity to play.
However, Sniper Elite has always had a little
trick in the armoury to add to the joy of killing
from 500 metres – the slow motion kill cam.
Here players follow the path of a fired bullet
into the hapless victim, providing an X-ray
vision of the resulting internal organ damage in
glorious gory detail. Every body part comes with
a different 'exploding' animation and suffice
to say, this anatomical carnage never gets
boring.
So, what do you get if you combine sniping
with gamers' other two great loves: zombies
and Nazis? The answer is the Zombie Army
Trilogy.
Spin-off title Nazi Zombie Army was
originally released by Rebellion in the wake
of Sniper Elite V2 (2013). Conceived to be
a 'fun' standalone expansion, its popularity
prompted the developer to follow up with a
sequel a short time later, Sniper Elite: Nazi
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FEATURE GAMES
When is the only time you'll wink at a Nazi zombie? When you're looking down the sight of a sniper rifle in
Zombie Army Trilogy. Prepare to got to war with Hitler's Third Reich undead army.
Zombie Army 2, playable as a single-player or in
online co-op.
The premise is simple. In the final days of
World War II, Hitler realises the end is near,
draws upon the Third Reich's occult beliefs,
and summons an army of the living dead to
fight the encroaching allies. Step forward
Sniper Elite protagonist Karl Fairburne, the
man charged with defeating the zombie horde.
Now, the first two installments have been
remastered for PlayStation 4, Xbox One,
and PC, together with an all-new exclusive
adventure packaged in one disc of zombie-
killing goodness.
Over 15 missions, players
will battle an array of undead,
from Super Solders to Armoured
Skeletons and even Zombie
Snipers. And of course it wouldn't
be a Sniper Elite affiliate without
being able to take on the Führer
himself; in this instance, a
demonic Hitler.
Character choice isn't
restricted to Karl Fairburne,
either. There are eight playable
characters to choose from, including four
female snipers, and the trilogy can be played
alone or with two to four players in online
co-op.
Sniper Elite titles are, for the most part,
thoroughly enjoyable. The addictive
kill cam is reason alone to play
the games. Shattering rotting
flesh and spinal columns with
a well-aimed shot has never
been so much fun.
Call of Duty:
World at War
A bonus mode called Nazi Zombies
was first featured in Call of Duty:
World at War (2009), in which
players must survive incoming
waves of zombies. By killing them,
points are accrued that can then
be spent on better weapons. Nazi Zombies could be
played online with 1-4 players or 1-2 offline.
Outpost
In this British horror film from 1997, a group
of mercenaries searching for Nazi gold in
an abandoned bunker instead discover a
load of scientific equipment, including
a secret weapon that activates the
Einsteinian Unified Field. What's it
do? Reanimates the dead, of course.
Shock Waves
This 1977 cult classic is the granddaddy of all Nazi
zombie movies. On a remote island, the Totenkorp – an
army of super soldiers in sunglasses, created by former
SS Commander Peter Cushing – rise from the waves to
terrorise a bunch of castaways.
Dead Snow
How many victims need to be torn apart before
people learn not to steal Nazi gold? Plenty, including
a group of Norwegian medical students who incur the
wrath of the undead Standartenführer Herzog and his
Einsatzgruppe, in this tongue in cheek splatterfest.
Other
Nazi ZombieS
visit
MARCH 2015 JB Hi-Fi