2nd Op By

Chi Kong Lui 4.5 RATING

I think I enjoyed Silent Scope slightly more than Dale did (but only slightly). For the most part, Im not going to dispute any of Dales criticisms of the game. As Dale pointed out in his review, Silent Scope is severely flawed because the act of sniping (as explained in Tom Berengers sleeper movie Sniper) is one of patience—not ultra quick reflex. Trying to quickly snipe multiple targets under a timer is like trying to catch a fly with chopsticks. It just doesnt make sense. What makes things worse is that the control system wasnt meant to be played on a Dual Shock controller. This only makes the final experience more akward and even more of a mess.

Silent Scope does manage to present a gameplay experience that is fairly different from shooting games that have come before it. And at the same time, it also manages to setup some uniquely intense situations for players to engage in—like going head-to-head with a Harrier fighter plane from a helicopter or dueling with enemies in the dark with night vision gear. Unfortunately these situations are wasted, and the whole package never comes together properly due to the aforementioned problems in the first paragraph.

What really kills me is that this game could have really opened up some new possibilities in narrative and action. Can you imagine if Silent Scope was based on a similar plot device like the Hitchcock classic "Rear Window?" The story could have unfolded from a voyeuristic perspective and players might have had to methodically track and hunt the whereabouts of a target via telescope. That would have been innovative and elegant experience. Instead, Silent Scope is as Dale alluded to, nothing more than an over-glorified version of Hogans Alley.

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