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'Velvet Assassin' Review

XBox 360

By Roy JonesPublished 6 years ago 4 min read
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Violette seems to favor the blade over the gun.

Back in 2009 gamers may have missed this hidden gem in Velvet Assassin, a World War II stealth game. You take up the role of fictional spy Violette Summer who's quite easy on the eyes. The character is based on the real spy Violette Szabo and her likeness is uncanny to her fictional equivalent, giving the game a sense of realism. The game itself is very difficult and action fans will get a rude awakening if they choose to go in all guns blazing. You undertake Violette's missions from World War II in various assaults against the Germans. Objectives range from assassinating generals and blowing up depots to securing confidential documents.

Like a Shadow...

Violette likes to get up close with the blade.

The locations look amazing but gamers spoilt with the sandbox worlds of Metal Gear and Mercenaries may be a bit disappointed. The areas are detailed but small by today's standards. There is still plenty of enjoyment to be had playing this game though, as its story and gameplay are both well presented. Stealth and espionage is the name of the game here as you sneak in the shadows waiting for soldiers to become separated from their patrols. Once getting them alone, it's time to kill them off one by one without getting spotted. Real world rules apply here and if one of the soldiers sees his comrade's head explode suddenly, chances are he is going to start aggressively searching the area with his buddies. If he does that, you need to take him out fast. This brings me to the first flaw of the game, which is the difficulty. I played it on a normal mode and it was still extremely challenging. There is heavy emphasis on stealth and although the gun battles are exciting, the realism of the game means you have to intelligently utilise cover and time your shots appropriately. You are given all the tools, you just have to use them correctly and silently. Violette's mostly uses her knife, best utilised by sneaking up behind an enemy and when prompted, you'll be given the option to kill them. Violette has a variety of ways to do this whether she stabs them in the ear, cuts their throat, or violently stabs them on the head. It doesn't seem to get old and I thoroughly enjoyed sneaking up on enemies to do this.

Oh baby, baby it's a dark world!

Even the bright areas have a Gothic look to them.

Other weapons include a silenced pistol, a shotgun, and a flaregun, but the emphasis of the game is to do things quietly. The ammo you will be given for these weapons will be limited and you will have to use it sparingly. Violette can whistle to attract her enemies and can also utilise disguises such as the women's SS uniform. This allows you to hide in plain sight but stops you from sneaking up on enemies because of the high heels. The character of Violette is very patriotic, loyal to her country, but ruthless with who she is willing to sacrifice for the mission.

One for the kill count.

The deaths can be brutal.

The game has a very Gothic look and the atmosphere can be quite dark at times. It could be an attempt by the developers to capture the darkness of the second World War; nevertheless it is done very well. The game gives you a few allowances with "morphine mode." These are morphine syringes found throughout the game which slow down time and allow you to eliminate an enemy from the front. Similar to Max Payne's bullet time, it also allows you to evade troops if your find yourself outnumbered. This gives a brief break from the realism of the game which can be frustrating at times.

For Queen and Country

Violette doesn't let her conscious get in the way of the mission.

The game also gives you the option to enhance Violette's skills. These skills are stealth, strength and morphine. Stealth speeds Violette's sneaking movement, strength makes her less vulnerable to damage and morphine increases the length of time she stays in "morphine mode." This is a decent system and allows the player to adjust Violette to their play style.

I enjoyed this game but I have to look at the gameplay in terms of the casual gamer. If you're looking for a classic title which is heavy on gun play, this isn't it. I'd say this game is more for those into the stealth genre as it is harder than most other stealth titles, such as Metal Gear Solid or even Splinter Cell which allows larger room for error. Casual gamers will most likely be frustrated with the tactical game play and the way you have to plan and time each kill specifically. I died numerous times which was annoying but I still enjoyed this game. Once you are used to the controls and settings, there's a lot of fun to be had playing it.

Giving this one a 3 out of 5, great game, just not for the casual gamer.

Overall 3/5

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About the Creator

Roy Jones

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