Sniper Ghost Warrior is set on the fictitious South American island of Isla Trueno, where a despotic military regime lead by the ruthless General Vasquez has overthrown its democratic government to seize control. As one of a group of covert commandos, the player is charged with infiltrating the rebel stronghold and overthrowing the unelected powerbase. Intelligence reports indicate that Vasquez is due to chair a meeting with his cohorts in an old refinery facility, and a government plant is in place to set up an assassination opportunity for the crack unit. But as the unit arrive on the island, it soon becomes clear that the plan has gone awry, and the team must adapt and use their combat skills if they are to complete the mission.

Realism is at the heart of Sniper Ghost Warrior, and the game enjoys a truly realistic ballistic system that accounts for the distance of a shot, fall-off of the bullet's trajectory, and environmental factors, such as wind direction. Similarly, the lush jungle environments, allow the user to use the cover of the foliage to take out key targets, while other members of your squad can act as 'spotters' to detail the positions of key adversaries. Players must also manage the breathing of their sniper to provide a more accurate shot, while the game's 'Bullet Cam' system offers stunning close-ups as the bullets thud into their unsuspecting targets.

The mission spans 16 stages, starting with the problematic assassination attempt at the refinery, and moving on to oilrigs, a mine, the coast, and a set of ruins as the game's plot continually surprises. Each level is brought to vivid life with the many rustles of the jungle keeping the player in a constant state of alert, and the sniper elements mixed with incredible firefights, as the enemy break cover and the squad is forced to engage in open combat.