Far Cry

This will be my first review for this site, and also the first PC review here. I was asked to review Far Cry. I’ll start with a brief summary. Far Cry plays like most other FPS games, but what sets it apart from the rest is the massive, wide-open, levels. There are dozens of ways to advance through each level and the game. But in spite of all this, Far Cry has some glaring flaws that make the game very frustrating.

In Far Cry, you play as Jack Carver. Jack is hired by Valerie, a mysterious photographer looking to get some pictures of a tropical island chain. Upon arriving, Jack’s sailboat is destroyed by a rocket and Jack finds himself stranded and fighting for his life, with the help of a mysterious scientist named Doyle, who contacts Jack shortly into the game. Jack soon finds the island is full of highly trained mercenaries, and later in the game, genetically mutated humans and animals called trigens. The HUD contains a compass that will point you in the direction of your objectives. Getting there is the fun part. Along the way are mercenary camps and patrols. In Far Cry you can sneak through dense jungle or go in guns blazing. The AI gives up a good fight but cheats, as enemies will see you through walls and trees. Jack has an arsenal of around ten weapons, but can only carry four at a time. This adds a bit of strategy, as you will need long-range and short-range weapons. The third option you have is vehicles. Jack can use all mercenary vehicles except helicopters, including jeeps, hang-gliders and patrol boats. All options are extremely fun and rewarding.

The graphics, played on a computer able to handle them, are stunning. The jungles are covered in trees and bushes, and the draw distance is incredible. Also impressive is the water, lighting, and bump-mapping. The lighting really gives the indoor sections an eerie feel to them. The huge areas add to the amazing graphics too. In one section of the game, you can walk along a beach and see islands on the horizon. I figured these were just part of the backdrop, but became curious, and after literally five minutes of swimming, I was standing upon the shore of that same island looking back at the mainland. The sound is equally impressive. Unfortunately, no game is perfect and Far Cry has its fair share of flaws. For one, the lip-synching in the cinemas is horrible, character’s mouths move for sometimes up to five second after the dialogue finishes. Another huge problem is that later in the game, you will face enemies with rocket launchers for arms who kill you in a single shot, yet take four rockets to take down. Often times, you will be put in a narrow corridor and be pitted against these trigens, with no cover and nowhere to run. Combine this with the lousy save system, and you got yourself some extremely frustrating gameplay.

Conclusion – In the end, Far Cry is an awesome game that could have been so much more. I give Far Cry an 80/100.

Rating: 80 / 100

Reviewed by Robert