Far Cry 2 Review

Just remembering the past greatness of the original Far Cry, I had to give this game a shot. Far Cry 2 is no doubt a good game that may just change the face of future FPS games to come. Far Cry 2 tries to stand out in a crowd unlike some other games I wont' mention that are the same old thing year after year.

As much as I like some of the features of this game, I think it could definitly use some updates to change a few aspects of the game. Most of the issues I have with it lie in the multiplayer part of the game, which if you've read my other posts already know that is whats most important to me.

One issue I find annoying(especially in multiplayer) is that you have to unload a full clip into most people before they drop. Another is that after every ranked match the game ends and you have to go find a new match, which can be a whole other issue in itself. Player matches do not disconnect after a match but you loose your upgraded weapons every time you leave the game.

There also seems to be a problem with the saving of diamonds causing people to lose some weapons they've earned in multiplayer, which can be frustrating as I found this out the hard way.

Hopefully these issues will be taken care of by the developer ubisoft, but I won't hold my breath as they dont have the best reputation for fixes. I will admit that I haven't played the game in some time so maybe these issues have been addressed already. Hopefully they have been and I will be able to edit this post to something much more favorable.

It's funny how some simple flaws can really affect the overall opinions of the game. Far Cry 2 comes so close to being that must have FPS game but just lacks some of the refinement that you get from say a Call of Duty game, where you know that most issues will be fixed.

Now putting the trash talk to the side ,this games does some really cool things. For example , the map maker is awesome and will hopefully be a staple in future FPS titles. All the more reason for ubi to make sure there are no problems with the multiplayer. I think I have spent more time messing with the map maker than I have actually playing the game.

For someone with the time and creativity, the possibilities are endless. One memorable example was a map made by someone which includes the Millenium Falcon from Star Trek or another featuring the Eiffel Tower. For those less talented or time constricted people there are houses and buildings that can be placed wherever you want them as well as tons of other objects. One day I'll have the time to finish the maps I started so I can post where to find them.

I think it's such a great feature that adds so much to the replay value and lets gamers put their own little touches into the game. I know I'm not the only one tired of waiting and paying for new maps.

If you can get past some of the multiplayer problems, there definitely is a good time to be had as the maps are large and beautiful and there are some fun and destructive ways to kill.
For example the physics(explosive) items can be fun, like gas cannisters that fly all over the place when shot setting fire to anything in it's path.



The fire in the game is awesome and the brush burns both beautifully and vigorously spreading as it burns. The fire isn't the only great looking thing, the graphics throughout are very nice, however I do feel the character models could have been better. This is definitly one of the best looking games so far to hit the PS 3, with environments the are right up there with Uncharted and really make you feel a part of the African wilderness.

The sounds are excellent as well, and all the guns sound great. Far better than some of the gun sounds I heard from the Call of Duty World at War campaign.

Another really cool feature happens when you get injured and you have to find cover to heal your wounds. When you press the heal button there is an animation of you either pulling a bullet from you tattered wound or doing some other visually horific act to heal yourself.

While I think the singleplayer is an interesting idea and some will love it, it's not for everyone. The missions are presented in a sand box manner a la GTA, which adds many options to the way you handle tasks. Some may like to sneak from place to place while others just drive through checkpoints with guns blazing.

While some may like the driving others just dont have the patience as sometimes you have to go through a few checkpoints. It does get a bit tedious going through chechpoints only to have the guards respawned 5 minutes later. But for those who like a little thinking and strategy mixed in with their led slinging this game is the way to go.

Theres a long list of weapons to terrorize enemies with like mortars and an m-16 like automatic shotgun. Weapons have to be unlocked and purchased from several weapon dealers that all happen to look exactly the same and send you on what are basically the same side missions.Your purchasing power comes from diamonds that you find via a flashing light on your gps.

I feel I need to advise anyone that plays this game not to give up in the first hour or so because it really can be frustrating and slow at first but the game does get much better. Over all this is a game that is definitly worth a rent to see how you like it.