Clear Vision 3 Review

Welcoming back the world's baddest stickman sniper, Clear Vision 3 feels more ‘fleshed out’ than its predecessors with the addition of a shooting range and a variety of part-time jobs. This legal work ranges from plumbing, to dishwashing, to being a janitor. Though the jobs are an entertaining way to earn extra cash the animations won’t warrant a second watch for most, so it’s probably better to just shoot someone in the face for money instead.

In that area, little has changed in Clear Vision 3, and it's just as fun as ever. Players have to shoot their target by moving the scope into position and firing a single shot, while taking wind power and distance into account. As usual, some ‘hits’ require players to think outside of the box, depending on the client’s specific request. There is, however, the option to upgrade weapons this time around, using in-game currency to reduce the detrimental effects of the natural variables. The interface is as slick as expected, though I did occasionally notice a slight stutter of the crosshair after I removed my finger from the screen.

The reduction in price to ‘free’ means that, rather predictably, an energy system has come into play in Clear Vision 3. Not seeking to antagonize players though, the game offers multiple ways to refuel players’ energy bars. They can either purchase tokens for real money, or use in-game currency to buy over-priced coffee at one of the cafés dotted around the map.

However, certain special missions (including the entertaining interrogation sequences) require a set amount of tokens to play. So even when it looks like IAPs might not be too much of an issue in Clear Vision, they still rear their ugly head in some form or another. It's not the worst system I've seen, but it will inevitably frustrate players who are willing to get their hands dirty (probably down a toilet in this case) and don't want to spend money to do so.

Clear Vision 3 is a great addition to a fantastic series, but it has let itself down by jumping on the freemium bandwagon and reserving some of the best missions for those who are willing to part with some cash for the privilege. It has slightly tainted what has been one of the most consistent series on iOS, but that isn't enough to stop it from being as addictive and engrossing as ever. The story sequences are still gritty and dark, the death scenes are still brutal, and there still isn't a cooler stickman around.