ith the exception of the botched Wii release Far Cry Vengeance, the series from Ubisoft has always been received quite favorably. Known for its powerful map editing toolkit and breathtaking visuals, the series could only hope to build its loyal fan base with Far Cry 2 by taking these strengths one step further.
Mission Accomplished? I'd say so, but there are a number of things you may want to consider before putting down your money.
From the start it's hard not to appreciate the detailed world around you. Trees swaying in the wind, the sun's reflection off the water— the game is easily one of, if not the most visually impressive on the market.
Locations fit for postcards.I found myself spending just as much time exploring locations fit for Far Cry postcards as I did actually progressing the storyline.
Not to say the storyline is bad, but it didn't hit home for me as I had hoped. Maybe it was the mediocre voice acting, but I never felt particular connected to what was going on in the world around me. Missions were fun, and a few in particular were experiences I probably won't forget, but at the end of the day I never really felt driven to move things along. That being said, it's very possible that someone may enjoy the campaign quite thoroughly — there were some interesting and brave design choices made by developers that didn't quite work for me, but just may for the next guy.
Regardless of my personal preferences, I've got to applaud Ubisoft for going with a more sandbox approach this time, as for the most part, it worked well. It was certainly successful in helping players realize the sheer size of the locale, though driving end-to-end could sometimes get repetitive. Certain game mechanics like faulty guns and vehicles are an interesting twist, but certain weapons' inconsistencies can be downright frustrating. Speaking of inconsistency, the AI was another hit or miss. Sometimes enemies would hardly notice me if I was standing directly in front of them. On other occasions they would spot and kill me before I ever knew what was coming. Though none of these are game-breaking issues, these discrepant experiences make it hard to get a solid rhythm.
If you move away from the plot and look at what else Far Cry 2 has to offer, you should be extremely satisfied. I spent hours experimenting with the brilliantly crafted map editor. The sky is truly the limit when it comes to what you can do with the tools they've given you. Whether it was a mountainside retreat or a desert oasis,
The sky is the limit with a
brilliantly crafted map editor.I never felt held back by the editor; in fact, I still haven't mastered all the creative options available. When you couple this with the ability to share your creations online, you've got what I would argue to be the title's strongest selling point and source of replay value.
Nothing really stands out either way with the multiplayer portion of Far Cry 2, as you've got your standard death match and capture variants to choose from. With the quality of comparable shooters out there, such as the Call of Duty franchise, it can be hard to make a case for Far Cry 2 online. But the limitless map editor is truly the ace in the hole for this game, and may certainly be enough to sway some gamers over to the Far Cry community.
It can be hard to impress in an extremely saturated FPS market. That being said, Far Cry 2 does in a lot of ways. It's gorgeous, it's creative, and it can be a lot of fun. Though it's not without its occasional faults, there's easily enough quality behind the title to recommend it. If you don't find yourself satisfied with one aspect of the game, you still may be blown away by others. If nothing else, give it a shot and you may just find enough to latch on to.
