Even though we’re still seeing some solid releases, the lo-fi horror slasher niche is starting to get stale. But if there’s one thing you can count on in the indie and alternative spaces, it’s variety and time Assassin Sniper isn’t entirely outside the wheelhouse of creators Henry Hoare and Black Eyed Priest Blood launderingthis is also not a typical price.
Like Blood laundering, Assassin Sniper is airy on gameplay and relies more on vibrations to convey its horror. It tells a story that puts you in the shoes of both the protagonist and the antagonist, and while it runs the risk of falling into predictability, a dash of humor and surreality helps keep things fascinating.
Sniper-killer (computer)
Creator: Black-Eyed Priest, Henry Hoare
Publisher: Torture Star Video
Released: October 17, 2024
Suggested retail price: to be determined
Assassin Sniper opens in a strange way. You start out as a model and end up working for an eccentrically sketchy guy. But before you can serene down, you become the first victim of the titular serial killer.
The game then puts you in the shoes of said killer and allows you to develop an intimate relationship with him. They receive calls from an unknown person on the other end of the radio. The news tells them that eliminating targets is necessary for national security, but there is a massive question mark over the enemy’s sanity and it remains there until the end.
The rest of the game is like speed dating with various characters. Sometimes you are the victim, but other times you are Detective Comardy, the officer responsible for stopping the Sniper Killer. This creates quite a nice energetic of committing a murder and then checking out your handiwork up close. And while it’s obvious what your goal will be when you take on the role of an assassin, whenever you take on the role of Comardy, it’s demanding to tell how things will play out and how they will play out.
Role reversal keeps things fresh. One of Sniper Killer the biggest success is the tonal differences between the characters. As I mentioned, it is challenging to determine exactly how high up the tree the murderer is. While obvious logic would suggest they’re just acting out a fantasy, the clues left at their hideout, the fact that his targets are where they’re described, and visits from a creepy neighbor keep the plot guessing.
Comarda’s situation is no better. The police only see random killings, but there is something disturbing about them. As Comardy begins to find evidence that the killings are not as random as they seem, more questions arise before it takes a more surreal turn.
Unfortunately, while the narrative is skillful in places, it could have been much stronger. There isn’t much suspense here, and while it establishes a decent mystery, it’s never fully delivered. Certain aspects of the plot never get the reward they should. The city itself, a soiled place that has seen much carnage, could have been better explored. Everything seems to be going on and on, but the climax feels like it just came because it had to. It’s like there’s no clear vision of what Assassin Sniper he really intended to convey. It’s not that there isn’t a decent story here; it just feels like there was more potential than what was delivered.
Unfortunately, the gameplay itself is quite shallow. Adventure, investigation, and even stealth mechanics don’t matter much. There aren’t many puzzles, so while it may be a challenge at the beginning of a mission to find a vantage point as the killer, the method is usually obvious. Later missions require careful target selection and aiming, which is a bit more fun but still not very engaging. The best mission involves hitting non-human targets, which requires a bit more thought. At least there’s variety, even if it’s all rather flat.
Meanwhile, Comardy’s investigation requires no real detective work. There are times when you come back to the office and want to pin your ID on the board, but it finds its place without you having to make any deductions. These scenes only serve to introduce us to the character’s thoughts, which are mostly confusing and not very insightful. It has other gameplay moments that I won’t spoil, but while they are fascinating narratively, they also lack the depth needed.
As for everyone else, these are fascinating narrative vignettes that serve the story well. They complement the killer’s perspective. While Comardy’s scenes make him seem like a maniac and the sniper scenes suggest that there may be a reason for his madness or a cause for madness, his victim moments simply paint him as a monster. Assassin Sniper could have easily excluded these scenes, but a better solution would have been to include them.
Assassin Sniper manages to keep you entertained for 2-3 hours of runtime. As far as low horror stories go, this is a successful story that provides a welcome break from being chased by a killer or, alternatively, being a killer. We have both here, which turns out to be quite an intriguing approach.
The frustrating part about Assassin Sniper this is it so close catch something truly inspiring. The character changes allow for a full insight into the human side of all the horrors while avoiding falling into stereotypes. It’s surprising at times, surreal at times, and grounded at others, which is the perfect mix for a good horror film. But it doesn’t fully utilize its brilliant parts, which is a pity. The shot is exact, but maybe he needs to adjust his sights if he wants to hit the center mass.
