Velvet Assassin for Xbox 360 Review

Velvet Assassin is a stealth /action video game inspired by real life WW2 secret agent/ sabotuer violette zsabo. players assume control of violette summer who is sent behind enemy lines without any support or backup. each stage in the game is violette's memories of the war, while she is lying in a hospital bed.

during the game violette can toggle between sneaking and non sneaking modes. also violette can use enemie uniforms as long as she is far enough away from the enemy

overall the enemie AI is very limited, usually running through their limited rounds like "clock work." once the player is spotted the enemies are somewhat tough to knock down and for some odd reason I keep having to restart the stage.

another problem I have with this game is not being able to shoot out lights, climb over barb wire. also violette will only use weapons either located in lockers or droped by dead enemies. I notice that I can also perform silent kills, sneaking behind an enemie and stabbing him in a particuarly brutal fashion.  but sometimes that doesn't work, there is a single enemie, sneaking up behind him and performing a "silent kill" only to alert near by enemies un seen the first time (what a pain!)

there are times where shooting enemies is required but having to try and line up shots is a pain when the enemies is constantly moving.

through each mission there is a number of hidden items, and morphine needles. the morphine helps in difficult situations, once activated violette is shown in a hospital gown while blood spots are shown as she is running in this surreal god like mode. morphine is limited throught the game and should be used when it is really neccessary.

I do like the idea the guys at replay studios would create a video based off a real life violette. it has been mentioned that alot of the areas in the game were also inspired by real missions during WW2 probably the missions violette was present during.  there are a few diffrences between what happend in WW2 and the game; aside from the last name, the game violette joins the weapon industry and is notice by the british secret service, the real volette joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service ( female branch of the british army) but soon offered her services to the special operations executive (SOE) after losing her husband.

game violette is mentioned to have been on several missions. real violette was on only two missons and during the second mission she was captured, interrogated, torture and executed. while game violette survived her ordeal and manage to complete her mission. it's obvious why the developers decided to not to use any  representative of the real violette or any of her actual missions. it's probably out of respect for szabo's daughter and violette's memory.

the backgrounds are beautiful and look like their real coutnerparts, and so are the weapons used in the game. what's interesting is the enemies actually speak real german! not like those other enemies from other war games.  having to wait for them to finish their conversation is a pain, especially when I die. once I restart the level I have to wait (again) while they finish their conversation or wait til the walk past me before I make my next move.

 it's not like splinter cell or even metal gear solid, although it is fun to play if you don't mind having to restart your game over and over again.