Far Cry 2 Review

By Christian Donlan Published 21 October, 2008

Island paradise out, malaria in.

Version tested: Xbox 360

In every civil war, there's a moment when the lines have been drawn, but neither side wants to shoot first: a sickly, sweaty sort of time, full of mistrust, fear and empty posturing. That's where Far Cry 2 lives: a world composed primarily of tension. It hangs in the dusty air even during the opening cab ride, bubbling up suddenly as reckless traffic barrels unexpectedly past at an intersection, or threatening to boil over at that first roadblock, when the militiamen stalk around the car firing off questions and staring, sizing you up before eventually letting you past.

Games have drawn you into worlds with a first-person passenger trip before - Far Cry 2's opening is, at best, a copy of a copy - but what's different here is the subtlety of the staging. There are no death squads executing people or smug scientific installations itching to go haywire. Instead there are realistic touchstones: the cabbie pointing out a distant plane and adding that it's the last one out for a while, or that near-miss down the road, given a quiet chill by the ensuing roadblock, where you aren't attacked or beaten over the head with exposition, merely belittled and slyly informed of the playground rules of this oppressive environment.

Narrative subtlety is a quality that defines the game, yet it's not the only force at work. The tension remains, too, but it's tension of a different kind: Far Cry 2 needs its Africa to provide both a realistic backdrop of suffering and unreliability, where guns jam, cars stall, and there's always a human motive lurking in the shadows, as well as a combustible playground, where unlikely heroics turn the tide of a skirmish, and there are enough explosive barrels to keep even the most unhinged joyseeker happy. Inevitably, sparks often fly when the two agendas converge: this is an admirably serious FPS, yet one that struggles with its own identity.

'Far Cry 2' Screenshot 1

Most ills can be cured with a single jab from a magic syringe - but when things get bad you'll need to get the pliers out.

Technically, Far Cry 2 is a regular marvel, modestly hiding its achievements under the surface. From its sandbox, composed of miles of jungle, savannah and swampland, which requires only a single (albeit prolonged) burst of loading after fast travel or each restart, to the invisible ways the game's narrative re-stitches itself around your choices - the roles you choose not to play fitting themselves back into your story - these are the kind of technical ambitions which succeed only if you don't notice them. And you almost don't, with only the occasional hitch as you round a corner and a chunk of geometry is hanging in mid-air for a second, or when the game forces an obvious trigger point. The result is an authentic setting with an engine built to capture the particular light of every time of day, or spread unpredictable fire across its grasslands - sometimes useful, always deadly, and prone to getting comically out of hand.

And then there's the story. Other games draw their inspiration from Seagal or Norris, but this is Heart of Darkness - a book with plenty of psychological intrigue, but very few flaming jeeps driving into a barn as you're comically mown down by a passing zebra. It's safe to say that adjustments have been made.

The plot is simple: you're a mercenary tasked with tracking down the Jackal, the arms dealer whose weapons are fuelling both sides of the war. Yet the game refuses to conform to your expectations, wheeling out endless missions that don't lead you closer to your target, but do give you a queasy glimpse of the world his actions have created. As the game strides into its second half, it becomes obvious that you're not hunting the Jackal so much as building up a portrait of him, your closest points of contact being when you stumble across nasty tableaux he has constructed - slaughtered bus passengers, or a downed airplane - and the tapes he has left alongside them detailing his thinking.

Or you might not find them at all. And that's the most brilliant design choice: Far Cry 2 won't patronise you by doling out story in chunks. It would rather allow you to search out the details for yourself, depending on your own eagerness to do so. Instead of following a predictable trail of clues, you take jobs from the game's conflicting factions, and set about exploring at your own pace. And the factions don't make anything clearer, either: both the dogmatic and pompous UFLL and the self-indulgent and swaggering APR are deeply entangled in violence, and equally ineffectual. There's no good and bad choices here - the game makes it clear that time has come and gone and all that's left is the playing out of a mindless war - there's only money, information, and your target.

What this all actually translates to is hardly groundbreaking, however - the game's missions conforming to the, "Go here, kill everyone, and possibly blow up an object" school of level design. Accepting unofficial alterations to the plan from a buddy makes things slightly more interesting, but the action really clicks when you realise the game's humdrum framework is encouraging you to experiment: the targets may be uninspiring, but you can approach them from almost any angle, using terrain, the landscape's endless capacity to catch fire, or even stealth. For the first few hours, I found the game a plod, until I realised that it was my playing style that was plodding, and if I toyed with objectives, things improved immensely; I was soon chaining together gunfights, staging inept sieges, and bringing the weapons and environments together in explosively hilarious combinations.

'Far Cry 2' Screenshot 2

Games don't generally ask you to root through dusty GCSE English literature memories to fully appreciate the finer points of their narratives (Super Turbo Remains of the Day Fighter excepted), but Far Cry 2 attempts to tell its choosily ambiguous narrative in an appealingly adult manner.

I never grew to love the game's vehicle combat, though, and the regular switching between driving and stopping to use the gun turret that it imposes (driving while shooting is out of bounds, and almost every mission is a solo affair). Worse still are the regular roadside checkpoints, home to irritatingly fast respawns. They'll whittle away your health and reduce vehicles to smoking wrecks on most drive-bys, so early on you'll likely fall into the routine of stopping before each intersection (and there are a lot in the game), shooting as many people as you can from a distance while they turn your ride into shrapnel, before climbing down, finishing off any stragglers, and stealing one of their jeeps to proceed. It's ballistic musical chairs, but without the music. And it also isn't as much fun as I just made it sound.

It's a mechanic that struggles to find any variation, and, due to a bizarre piece of sadistically repetitive design, you'll be doing it on average at least twice every five minutes. Presumably getting around in a war zone is a challenge, but if Ubisoft is struggling to capture the prospect of day-to-day terror, it only manages the drip-drip-drip of regular annoyance. An openworld game where it's preferable to get the bus between targets is one in need of rebalancing, and no amount of clever ideas will entirely redeem it.

But the game certainly tries to, most notably with the buddies. A gaggle of fellow mercenaries (many of them will be the characters you chose not to control), your buddies are collectable NPCs who will pop up to offer mission advice, or stage daring rescues when you're downed, often taking it between the eyes in the process. Filling in around your actions, living and dying based on your choices, they're charming character sketches drawn with lightness of touch. Some are generous, others curt, surly, or even obnoxious, but all of them have genuine personalities, which makes the first time you jab them with a health syringe and they still die, at odds with the usual videogame laws of cause and effect, all the more memorable.

Other ventures into unpredictability are not necessarily so successful. Far Cry 2's taste for realism is a mixed blessing. It's hard to locate the fun in guns that jam unpredictably and cars that need to be ceaselessly nannied, especially when it's a spanner in the works of a machine that otherwise runs on skill (and, in the guns' case, arguably just a cheap way of adding tension to an unremarkable battle).

Ubisoft might protest that these are elements which move Far Cry 2 beyond mere entertainment - that focusing on the perishable nature of machinery and the need to constantly control the malaria they've given you are crucial to immersing you in a real environment. That's not entirely convincing, however, as the game is, ironically, at its most artificial at the very moments it thinks it's being realistic. The idea that any car can be fixed by repeatedly tightening a single screw in the radiator is just as ridiculous as a floating health-pack when you get down to it, and the malaria you've been saddled with is pure stage-management, an artificial means of prodding you into a series of repetitive side-missions to obtain drugs.

'Far Cry 2' Screenshot 3

AI very occasionally pulls off some odd tactics, such as leaving the safety of a mounted gun to drive twenty feet and try ramming you with a Ford Capri.

And so the game grinds against itself, its onscreen prompts and collectables wildly at odds with a design that ensures each gun you find has a believably finite lifespan. This shorthand is definitely preferable to a deeper, but more frustrating mechanic (each time I magically fixed my car, I offered a silent prayer of thanks that there wasn't some arcane mini-game where I actually had to repair specific engine problems) but it does make you question why Ubisoft insisted on going even halfway with the artifice in the first place.

On much safer ground is the multiplayer, thanks to a careful raiding of COD4's encampment, making off with the levelling system and load-outs, while adding the single-player's flammable environment and vehicles. Elsewhere, the level editor is actually more of a full-blown level creator, allowing you to tweak the geography itself, and even telling you how smoothly the finished product will run.

'Far Cry 2' Screenshot 4

The hanglider is a nice addition to the vehicles, and useful for staging surprise attacks on trees.

Ultimately, the most immediate reference for Far Cry 2 is not Crytek's original, but Deus Ex (Invisible War, sadly), in the way it presents interesting ideas, often slightly heavy-handedly, and features a gently saggy seriousness that can sometimes come at the expense of pacing. The result is a fascinating game with successes and failures that are both equally mystifying; one that rebuilds its story regardless of how badly you mistreat it, and yet struggles to spice up a simple escort mission. Far Cry 2 is unforgettable rather than perfect, then; brilliant, frustrating, sombre and comical, it offers freedom within extremely curtailed limits, and strives to treat its players like adults. In the end it remains, true to its source material, a game that was born to struggle with itself.

8 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Christian.

About Christian Donlan

Chris Donlan writes about games for Eurogamer and some magazines. His heroes include Eugene Jarvis, Errol Morris, and Linus Van Pelt.

Read more articles from Christian by visiting the Christian Donlan archive page.

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Comments (158) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Huntcjna #1 3 years ago

    Hmmm it still sounds like I will enjoy it despite its obvious limitations. One of those destined to be a marmite title I think. Very good review regardless. Should sit nicely next to Fable 2 in my weekend gaming pile for a bit of ying yang gaming.

  • LockeTribal #2 3 years ago

    Better than that fucking Jackal Hunt mini-game anyway.

  • local_celebrity #3 3 years ago

    Fuck me, all the reviews are coming in.

    Wait a whole year, and then it's one after the other.

  • LockeTribal #4 3 years ago

    @ Bill Door - Maybe, maybe not

    ¬_¬

  • oxymoron #5 3 years ago

    looking forward to this personally, nothing wrong with a bit of mindless fun now and then, god, whats it called again, oh yeah thats it 'gaming'.

    ffs ppl, my pallette is sophistacted as the next person, but sometimes al you wanna do is kill shit. this sounds like a great dose of that.

  • Huntcjna #6 3 years ago

    I read it bill you Jezzabel!

  • dryden555 #7 3 years ago

    So there are no indoor environments then? It looks great but it all looks the same too.

  • gabsta69 #8 3 years ago

    The first far cry was really good, by the looks of it they have done a good job, will definitely be getting this one!

  • groovychainsaw #9 3 years ago

    Eh? I was in no way interested until you said it was like deus ex? Do you really mean that? I can't see the ocmparison, but i guess the different approaches to every mission could be similar. If so, this is much higher on my list than it was ever going to be...
    Edit: Did you change the article to read 'invisible war', or did i just miss that whilst reading?? Oh well, invisible war was pap, too much shooting, not enough thinking. Sounds the same here..No sale.
    Edited by 1 at 21/10/08 @ 22:34

  • oxymoron #10 3 years ago

    @ bcbolter

    why epic fail?

    how much international cinema and art do you view on a weekly basis? how many art shows have you exhibited at? how many visual fx have you and your company developed for cinema and television? I got culture and sophistication coming outa my ass.
    Edited by 1 at 21/10/08 @ 17:16

  • Benno #11 3 years ago

    Not good enough. Too many AAAs coming out.

    I'll pick this up next year when its cheap.

  • Triggerhappytel #12 3 years ago

    Expectations for this were so astronomical that somehow an 8 feels a little dissappointing.

    I should go and read the review first though...

  • Eraysor #13 3 years ago

    I liked Invisible War, so I'd probably enjoy this one a lot.

  • Huntcjna #14 3 years ago

    You certainley have something coming out of your ass oxymoron, but it doesn't smell like culture and sophistication...

  • kangarootoo #15 3 years ago

    Gun that break have never been good in my eyes. Where is the fun?

    Its not even realistic. Some guns (AK-47 being the obvious one) could be stored up a cow's bum for a week and still probably fire first time after retrieval.

  • gohda #16 3 years ago

    I saw that coming

  • Cider86 #17 3 years ago

    Nice review, shame it's coming out at the same time as ever other good game this year. Will get this during the next summer drought

  • drumbaby #18 3 years ago

    Sounds like having teeth pulled.

  • bioreit #19 3 years ago

    @ kangarootoo

    In fact, that was one of the very tests specified in the design process... ;-)

    I was always gonna get this game, to be fair - the choice to approach targets from any angle in any way, rather than forced down a narrow corridor (be it a brick and mortar corridor, or a hedge and tree one) with a pre-determined set of weapons always appealed.

    And the level editor is just an awesome bonus!

  • Emth #20 3 years ago

    The negatives are definitely emphasised more than the positives in this review, it sounded more like a 7. Hmm tough choice now.

  • mainaman #21 3 years ago

    Looks more appealing to me than COD5 and GOW2.It is gonna be a tough choice between this and Mirror's Edge.I am talking about this autumn AAA FPSs only,of course.I wasn't impressed by Socom either(played the beta),its sim pretensions don't seem grounded enough.

  • kangarootoo #22 3 years ago

    @bioreit

    I agree. The level editor alone is worth a massive nosey.

  • #23 3 years ago

    Which to get tho? Did the reviewer mention which version they reviewed, I only scanned the article quickly.

  • kangarootoo #24 3 years ago

    "Sounds like having teeth pulled"

    I had my first tooth pulled not that long ago (my first pulling, not my first ever tooth).

    I found the process quick, almost completely painless, and mildly intriguing.

  • andromeda #25 3 years ago

    arsebiscuits..
    this was gonna be my friday purchase..but somehow that review has soured it slightly. Im confused now, certainly dont want fable as it looks like a camp Oblivion, its looking like Dead Space now,just on sheer atmosphere..

  • Unclebenny #26 3 years ago

    Sounds good to me and two very well written reviews in a row. Its really interesting to see how next gen tech is finally allowing games to slightly twist well worn formulas. Far cry 2 especially. Although Deus ex may have done this before but to be honest I've never played it due to lack of a gaming PC.
    Can the maps be uploaded to a website through xbox live? Can you play custom maps over live with strnagers and stuff? Does anyone know?

  • Loser #27 3 years ago

    I can't believe the amount of people that read the score before the review....

  • Darren #28 3 years ago

    I'm glad the game didn't get a gushing-with-praise 9 or 10/10 review because there's too many games I want at the moment and I'd already decided to buy Far Cry 2 for my PC sometime next year. The game certainly looks good from the videos I've seen but then so do umpteen other games and, for me, Dead Space looks like the more interesting of the two shooters released this week.

  • gypsumfantastic #29 3 years ago

    Take five marks off for SecuROM DRM cripplage (which seems to have been inexplicably glossed over by the reviewer) and you get the true score.

    Of course, if you get this from the torrent sites, it's DRM-free and really is an 8/10 rather than a 3/10 of the crippled version.

  • CunningLinguist #30 3 years ago

    @Christian Donlan

    "your closest points of contact being when you stumble across nasty tableaux he has constructed - slaughtered bus passengers, or a downed airplane"

    Mate stop using words without having seen them being used in the proper context at least once before. It will only make you look like a "try hard". And don't even bother bringing in the French argument here, I know what I'm talking about. It's like painting a piece of turn white and calling it a marshmallow.

  • TurboBailey #31 3 years ago

    Still sounds really interesting - i think i might actually buy a PC GAME!!

  • RedSparrows #32 3 years ago

    Yarrr seems to be good. I'll get it but it's not the kind of game I buy day one. Still, another one to add to the exhausting back catalogue I need to buy...

  • StrayBezza #33 3 years ago

    As an PS3 and 360 owner, would it be too much to ask which platform this was reviewed on? And before the flaming I like both systems equally and merely want to pay for the best gaming experience Far Cry 2 can offer, whether its on Microsofts or Sony's. P.s I notice we were told it was the PS3 version of Midnight Club.....

  • Triggerhappytel #34 3 years ago

    Hmmm. It sounds good, although quite irritating too. I'm guessing you were really anticipating this game, Christian, as this review is written in a very downbeat manner?

    I'll still check it out, but perhaps after Christmas now. Still looking forward to playing it at the EG Expo later this month though.

  • mikeck #35 3 years ago

    I will read this review later this evening - leaving the office now - but I must say, I got my copy yesterday (perfectly legal boxed copy too before anybody moans about piracy), whacked it on last night and had a blast for a few hours (although my xbox gamertag on this site hasn't updated yet for some reason) and it's a sublime game, an absolute joy to play.

    I'm really intrigued to see why it got an 8, as to me so far it plays like a 9, maybe even a 10. There's so much scope in this game, and the physics, and AI is really good. I had an awesome surprise yesterday when I threw a grenade at a hut to try and kill two guys, only to find a massive explosion of bullets flying everywhere - seems I blew up an ammo dump without realising - it's moments like that which for me are priceless.

    I'm sure there will be things that let this game down, but from my few hours playing single-player yesterday I'm in love with this game, sucked me right in. I'm also really looking forward to the release on Friday, so I can try the multiplayer out too when more people are online with this.

  • sirtacos #36 3 years ago

    BY GOD,

    IT'S...

    mildly disappointing. I'll still get it at around Christmas time.
    This and Fable 2... and probably Fallout 3... as well as Mirror's Edge.
    This is an amazing year for videogames.

  • Lebowski #37 3 years ago

    Epic expansive FPS Farcry 2, or the RPG depth and fun of Fable 2?

    ... Fallout 3?

  • teabagger #38 3 years ago

    Would probably have picked this up if it wasn't for Fable2, Dead Space, Fallout3, PES, GOW2, Mirrors Edge, Prince of Perisa and Resistance2 all coming out over the next few days/weeks/months.
    Not sure we've ever had it so good for titles to choose from, pain in the arse they're all at once pretty much.
    Edited by 1 at 21/10/08 @ 17:40

  • mikeck #39 3 years ago

    "arsebiscuits..
    this was gonna be my friday purchase..but somehow that review has soured it slightly."

    Give it a chance, I really think this game is great. The PC version got 94% in PC Gamer, and the write up is brilliant.

  • Moonprince #40 3 years ago

    Good read, thanks. Feels lower than an 8 from the text though but nevermind!

  • mikeck #41 3 years ago

    "Worse still are the regular roadside checkpoints, home to irritatingly fast respawns. They'll whittle away your health and reduce vehicles to smoking wrecks on most drive-bys, so early on you'll likely fall into the routine of stopping before each intersection (and there are a lot in the game), shooting as many people as you can from a distance while they turn your ride into shrapnel, before climbing down, finishing off any stragglers, and stealing one of their jeeps to proceed. It's ballistic musical chairs, but without the music. And it also isn't as much fun as I just made it sound.

    It's a mechanic that struggles to find any variation, and, due to a bizarre piece of sadistically repetitive design, you'll be doing it on average at least twice every five minutes."

    This is the one thing that did slightly annoy me, and unfortunately the respawn rate is mercilessly fast! The only other option seems to be sneaking past in the undergrowth, but then where's the fun in that!

  • karstux #42 3 years ago

    From that review, I'm fairly sure it's at least a subjective 9 for me. Too bad I can't support that DRM bollocks in good conscience.

  • RedPanda #43 3 years ago

    Post deleted at 14:31:59 28-01-2012

  • woodnotes #44 3 years ago

    Neverending reviews of good games this week. My credit card might not live through the credit crunch.

  • Abscido #45 3 years ago

    Another brilliant review. Nice one Christian.

  • Chufty #46 3 years ago

    What about the PC version? Any good?

  • autogunner #47 3 years ago

    I reckon the PC version will be tweaked to hell, just like STALKER

  • Sar #48 3 years ago

    Am I the only one that's pretty "meh" about this game?

  • UncleLou #49 3 years ago

    Far Cry 2 is unforgettable rather than perfect

    Not that I think FC2 will reach such lofty heights, but that's a pretty accurate description of most of my favourite games.

  • jack_klugman #50 3 years ago

    Am I the only one that's pretty "meh" about this game?

    Hope so!

  • Lovemoose #51 3 years ago

    I'm in that PC/360 dilemma at the moment. Any pointers on which way I should jump?

  • rarebit #52 3 years ago

    lovemoose all depends on your pc i guess, not sure how it will run on my 486. How many floppy discs does it come on?

  • Stormflood #53 3 years ago

    Reads like a 7/10.

  • NunianVonFuch #54 3 years ago

    The multiplayer sounds awesome! Custom levels? A levelling system? Flammable environs? Where do I sign???!!!!! Sounds like an overly harsh review but its nice have some balance as the gripes may become an annoyance by the end of the singleplayer.

  • BlackKraken #55 3 years ago

    This didnt read at all like an 8/10, its sounded more like a 6.
    You sounded disappointed and made the game sounds very annoying and boring. Thank you for ruining my anticipation for the game eurogamer, thank you very fucking much.

    Those of you having read this review and now not considering buying it, read some other sites reviews, or metacritic.

  • Chufty #56 3 years ago

    I'm in that PC/360 dilemma at the moment. Any pointers on which way I should jump?

    Wtf? If your PC can run it, there's surely no competition. Get it on the PC.

  • Apologie #57 3 years ago

    I just lost all respect for Eurogamer, not only they are biased butsometimes even incompetent... very bad review, and the score is such a joke.

  • beastmaster #58 3 years ago

    This is good enough for me. So this Friday it's Dead Space, Fable 2 & Far Cry 2. I pray Spiderman - Web of Shadows is shit and I'll somehow convince myself that I've saved some money this weekend by not buying it. If it gets an 8 then I'm going to cry.

    Hey up - I've still got Saints Row 2 in the wrapper. I'm half thinking of taking it back and swapping for Fable 2 or something. Or is it really worth a 9?

  • andywilkie35 #59 3 years ago

    good stuff, this has removed it from my "must buy" list. not saying its because its bad or anything, but it doesn't sound as good as other games coming out for 360 in the next 3 weeks

  • septimus #60 3 years ago

    Yup, pre-ordered this now.

    Went for the PS3 version as I have heard comments from UbiSoft (on this site to) the PS3 version looks a teeny tiny bit better and I don't want to play the multiplayer.

    Expensive Friday, Fable 2, Dead Space, Midnight Club and now Far Cry 2. Ouch.

  • Ryuken #61 3 years ago

    No mention of the confirmed possibility of quicksaving in the PC version? I mean, that pretty much takes away the need for reaching checkpoints full of respawning baddies, isn't it?

  • VandelayIndustries #62 3 years ago

    StrayBezza
    "As an PS3 and 360 owner, would it be too much to ask which platform this was reviewed on? And before the flaming I like both systems equally and merely want to pay for the best gaming experience Far Cry 2 can offer, whether its on Microsofts or Sony's. P.s I notice we were told it was the PS3 version of Midnight Club....."

    Well its a Ubisoft game so I think it's a safe bet that the PS3 version would've been put together by their 'work experience' group, as per usual. : (

    As with any Ubi game I'll be getting the 360 version.

  • creepylizard #63 3 years ago

    I still can't quite get a handle on how this games plays exactly even after reading the reviews...and I liked this review. maybe I'm just thick.
    I think i would have bought this the day it came out but then its got the bad luck of coming out on the same day as fallout 3 and a week after dead space and fable but i guess I'm not the only one saying that...
    this year is actually better than the last for titles coming out towards the end....I just hope my spider crap sense about prince of persia mirrors edge and fallout 3 is wrong, wrong wrong...

  • NickJC1 #64 3 years ago

    I can't believe all you sheep taking Eurogamers word for gospel. So now this game is mildly disappointing and Fable 2 is a instant 10/10 classic, even though you haven't played either....lol. Play the games and make up your own mind as to what is good or not.

    Sheep. I bet you all think Dead Space is good but only 7/10 good, grow a brain and use it.

  • thenastypasty #65 3 years ago

    8 is still a good score .Its going to be an expensive few weeks with this fable 2,fallout 3,gears 2.and iv still got saints row 2 and lost odyssey to finish, im not going to have any social life for the next few months!!

  • DUFFKING #66 3 years ago

    I didn't think the review was that negative. Sounds like a game I'll like despite the flaws anyway.

  • creepylizard #67 3 years ago

    ah, another person who hasn't finished lost odyssey....I just lost heart toward the end when they expected me to tie up loads of loose ends instead of going on with the home straight of the game, the bastards....

  • mkreku #68 3 years ago

    I love it when they give games like this (ambitious, mature, open-ended) a review that's too wordy and downbeat.. and then award it with a brilliant 8/10 at the end! The review hinted to me that this was a failure of epic proportions, but it still got an 8? Whatever, I loved Boiling Point (which this seems to resemble) and that got an 8 too.

  • PrivateJoker #69 3 years ago

    Anyone not considering buying this or any game based on the review of a single person should firstly, get a fucking grip and then perhaps rent the title and make your own conscious decision about it.
    As for myself it's been a collectors edition pre-order for months based on nobody's opinion, just gut instinct from trailers and previews. Hopefully it'll be here thursday morn with dead space.
    Should help fill the LBP void me thinks.

  • hahayou #70 3 years ago

    It's an open-world game. Can't you drive cross-country and avoid the checkpoints?

  • Blackthorned #71 3 years ago

    Review copy doesn't collate with the score imo

  • TopGamerUK #72 3 years ago

    wtf!!! 8/10...nooooooooo!! I so wanted this game to be amazing so i dont have to get cod5. ffs...

  • Miths #73 3 years ago

    @beastmaster
    "Hey up - I've still got Saints Row 2 in the wrapper. I'm half thinking of taking it back and swapping for Fable 2 or something. Or is it really worth a 9?"

    Nope, a 7 or 8 in my opinion - fun but technically disappointing, both graphics, driving physics and assorted minor glitches.
    Unless you really think GTA4 truly deserved the 10/10 score Eurogamer gave it, in which case I guess you could also argue for that Saints Row 2 9/10 :).

  • rufus_the_stunt_bum #74 3 years ago

    imo there is nothing wrong with 8/10 review, though agree that the actual review reads of a score at least 6 or 7. Still metacritic has it listed at 87 at the mo, better than 70 or less.

  • timberwolf #75 3 years ago

    "Ultimately, the most immediate reference for Far Cry 2 is not Crytek's original, but Deus Ex (Invisible War, sadly), in the way it presents interesting ideas, often slightly heavy-handedly, and features a gently saggy seriousness that can sometimes come at the expense of pacing. The result is a fascinating game with successes and failures that are both equally mystifying; one that rebuilds its story regardless of how badly you mistreat it, and yet struggles to spice up a simple escort mission. Far Cry 2 is unforgettable rather than perfect, then; brilliant, frustrating, sombre and comical, it offers freedom within extremely curtailed limits, and strives to treat its players like adults. In the end it remains, true to its source material, a game that was born to struggle with itself."

    Just writing to say eurogamer made a mistake and posted the bioshock review in the far cry 2 final paragraph by mistake. oops. I'm sure this can all be resolved by the simple change from the words far cry 2 to bioshock in the previous paragraph.

  • UncleLou #76 3 years ago

    I also recommend moving from Sweden to Zimbabwe to avoid human rights violations.

    BTW, the PC version has quicksave. Don't know how important it is for you, but it's absolutely essential for me for a difficult game that allows different approaches to each situation.
    Edited by 1 at 21/10/08 @ 20:51

  • nufcfan123 #77 3 years ago

    Sounds like a FAR CRY from the original.... >_>

    /gets coat

  • morriss #78 3 years ago

    Sounds excellent to me, very experimental. Can't wait to try it.

  • Yossarian #79 3 years ago

    Long hikes. Tough, respawning enemies. Broken-down vehicles. Faulty weaponry. Malaria fits. And no quicksaves.

    YESSS PLEEEAAASE I AM TIRED OF BEING TREATED LIKE A CHILD.

  • PameBoy #80 3 years ago

    Never mind Far Cry 2, I want to play "Super Turbo Remains of the Day Fighter" :D

  • FooAtari #81 3 years ago

    Looks good. I was all set to buy this. Until I found about the draconian DRM.

    By all means find ways to protect your game. But not restrict my personal use or treat me like a pirate for legitimately purchasing it

  • TheLittlestHobo #82 3 years ago

    Beastmasster: I think it is well worth a 9/10.

    I am a big GTA fan. I loved IV. I never played the firs Saints Row, and at first thought I had made a mistake buying this as the vehicle physics are pretty crap (though not as bad as Mercs 2 imo) and yes the graphics arent as good, but once you get into it, create a comedy avatar, start doing some of the brilliant activities, you realise Volition really understand what makes these games so much fun. The only downer is that so far it seems the multiplayer cant hold a candle to GTA's, though the co-op is great!

  • Carlo #83 3 years ago

    3 pages... 8/10?

  • Harmonica #84 3 years ago

    No word on platforms? I would imagine PC canes the other two, but that the 360 and PS3 aren't necessarily that much less good looking, just perhaps a little curtailed view distance, lighting, and so on.

    Anyone?

  • clockworkzombie #85 3 years ago

    I am loving Saints Row 2, the game is fun a pleasure to play almost the opposite to GTA4. I liked GTA 4 at first but then it stopped being fun. I am getting as much enjoyment from SR2 as I got from Twilight Princess.

  • UncleLou #86 3 years ago

    Looks good. I was all set to buy this. Until I found about the draconian DRM.

    You get an activation back when you uninstall it, can ask for further activations should you need them, and they have already announced that they will remove it further down the line, or should they ever deactivate the servers. You can also install it at multiple PCs at once and don't need the disc, which is a significant improvement to disc-based copy protection, as far as I am concerned.

    Fair enough to dicuss the DRM and complain about it, but let's not use hyperbole like "draconian" when they're obviously trying to find a compromise. A "zero tolerance" approach from both sides isn't going to help anybody.

  • Miths #87 3 years ago

    I just read the IGN UK review as well. Tell me the truth here, it's just you guys writing under pseudonyms for IGN's UK section, isn't it? :p
    That review read mostly like a laundry list of complaints and nitpicking as well - so much that, just like this Eurogamer review, you would actually have expected the final score to be a 6 or a 7 rather than 8(.4).

  • UncleLou #88 3 years ago

    Well, I have an (almost) zero tolerance policy to the business model of consoles, which makes PC DRM pale to insignificance in my opinion. It didn't help much yet. :p

  • neems #89 3 years ago

    I think when the reviewer mentioned checkpoints, he meant physical ones with armed guards rather than save points. I could be wrong.

    One of the developers is on record (I forget where I saw it, sorry) saying that the console versions will be, graphically speaking, roughly equivalent to the medium settings for the pc version.

  • Shane86 #90 3 years ago

    I was expecting a 9 to be honest

  • BartonFink #91 3 years ago

    Another fine review by Christian.

    Too many 360 games to get through in a short space of time ....

  • El_MUERkO #92 3 years ago

    many of the issues that knock the game down could be fixed by patches, we can only hope ubisoft have the desire to do so :(

  • BartonFink #93 3 years ago

    Haven't looked on XBL is there a demo up or any chance of a demo?

  • BartonFink #94 3 years ago

    Or PSN for that matter.

    Although I can't see myself getting a PS3 FPS if there is a 360 version.

  • ChrisOTR #95 3 years ago

    Even though it's not come out perfectly, it really 'feels' like they made the effort on this and tried to make an incredible game.

    But, I only have a PC and I'll only accept DRM if the game is unforgettable, so it's a DRM=NO SALE for me.

  • Daikon #96 3 years ago

    Hmmm... Was looking forward to this, but jamming guns, malfunctioning cars and malaria don't really sound like a lot of fun.

    The expansiveness of the game does appeal to me, but with Fallout 3 and Fable II to play looks like this one will have to wait until it hits the bargain bins sometime next year.

    Btw to everyone complaining about DRM, the review is for the DRM-free X360 version, you whiners.

  • BartonFink #97 3 years ago

    Oh do shut up HairyCrack(Wipeout is not true/full HD gimp).

    LBP rocks it's fun.

    How many PS3s do you have with no games again? Was it 2?

    I am gonna do a Les/Hedbog an call you an Xbot moron!!!


  • PrivateJoker #98 3 years ago

    @Hairy Crack

    Were you fed with a slingshot as a child or did your foster parents just slide pizza and dover sole under the locked bedroom door? Also did it hurt when you banged your head falling into the abortion bucket?

    There was no reason but fanboy retardedness for you to slag off LBP in this comments section, especially when you've no idea what you're talking about.

    Anyway toooooo many good games in the space of a few weeks, fuck the credit crunch and get that wallet out.

  • LordGamma19K #99 3 years ago

    This sounds really good two me. Definitely a day one purchase for me. Thanks for keeping my hopes up mikeck.

  • BartonFink #100 3 years ago

    @Joker

    +1

  • local_celebrity #101 3 years ago

    Have to agree with all the love being shown for Saints Row 2.

    Never thought in a million Sundays I'd buy this, but the Eurogamer review persuaded me otherwise. Played it for a few hours and have already had more fun with it than the whole of GTA IV. Not that the latter was bad in anyway. It just wasn't, well, fun.

  • clockworkzombie #102 3 years ago

    @ local_celebrity

    Septic Avenger for the win

  • FooAtari #103 3 years ago


    You get an activation back when you uninstall it, can ask for further activations should you need them, and they have already announced that they will remove it further down the line, or should they ever deactivate the servers. You can also install it at multiple PCs at once and don't need the disc, which is a significant improvement to disc-based copy protection, as far as I am concerned.

    Fair enough to dicuss the DRM and complain about it, but let's not use hyperbole like "draconian" when they're obviously trying to find a compromise. A "zero tolerance" approach from both sides isn't going to help anybody

    It doesn't matter what way they spin it, there is install limits and also the stealth install of securom, thats pretty draconian to me. I don't have zero tolerance for developers trying to protect their game. I just have zero tolerance for this kind of DRM especially when it does very, very little to stop piracy. In fact there is an argument it had the opposite effect when you look at Spore (not that I condone piracy). Maybe if there was no securom I could put up with the installation restrictions, but there is so no sale. Maybe I'll buy it when it's patched to remove all the crap.

    Personally I'd rather have to stick the disc in the drive that put up with the DRM we are seeing at the moment.

  • sn3jk #104 3 years ago

    wow, an 8 .. ive played this for a few hours and its just plain mediocre. Looks nice, plays boring,

  • SentientNr6 #105 3 years ago

    The reviewer should mention DRM on the PC version.
    I know it's a negative topic that you might want to avoid or maybe you're afraid to anger the publisher.
    But
    For a lot of customers this influences our buying decision since it affects the quality of the user experience.
    If it wasn't mentioned in the comments I might have bought the game based on the review.



  • t8yman #106 3 years ago

    shit, I dont know wether to buy this or not. Loved FC on the PC, hated instincts on the xbox. it looks good, but the negative bits sound really negative. I do agree that the text doesnt really reflect the score.

  • HandOfBeadle #107 3 years ago

    sn3jk

    According to the review that means you're playing it boringly.

  • mikeck #108 3 years ago

    "sn3jk

    According to the review that means you're playing it boringly. "

    I think he may be, my first few hours were great fun! :D Different strokes and all that though...

  • Blackthorned #109 3 years ago

    The very free roaming aspect that initially attracted me looks to be a double-edged sword - the idea of long periods of time travelling between the action without anything to do except pointless car fixing doesn't sound promising to me.
    I think I'll wait until it drops in price.

  • mingster #110 3 years ago

    No mention of the dodgy savepoint spacing on the 360 version then?

  • dr_faulk #111 3 years ago

    Reads like a 7/10 to me.

  • karstux #112 3 years ago

    @UnlceLou

    "You get an activation back when you uninstall it, can ask for further activations should you need them, and they have already announced that they will remove it further down the line, or should they ever deactivate the servers. You can also install it at multiple PCs at once and don't need the disc, which is a significant improvement to disc-based copy protection, as far as I am concerned."

    What's your source for this statement? As far as I know, it's at least partially false. According to "Black_Widow9", a Ubi representative on the official forum, "If you own the disc version of FC2 it will have to be inserted the drive in order to play." So the CD-check seems to be present still.

    As for announcing that they would remove the activation requirement at some point, there have been only vague assurances that we'd "always be able to play the game", but nothing concrete. That's not good enough for me.

  • mikeck #113 3 years ago

    "The very free roaming aspect that initially attracted me looks to be a double-edged sword - the idea of long periods of time travelling between the action without anything to do except pointless car fixing doesn't sound promising to me.
    I think I'll wait until it drops in price. "

    It never feels like you are far away from your next bout of gunfire though...whilst the checkpoints are well spaced apart, there are constant jeep patrols, convoys etc, and random huts, villages etc to stumble upon, where there will also be militita waiting to have a pop at you.

    Also to whoever mentioned the free-roaming aspect meaning you can off-road your way round checkpoints, this is possible, however some checkpoints are well placed so this can still be quite tricky - but still plausible.

    Sorry if I sound somewhat evangelical about this game, but I really think it's worth most people's time, I'm loving it so far.

  • Blackthorned #114 3 years ago

    @Mikeck

    I appreciate your insight - maybe I should just give it a go as I really like the idea of approaching missions in different ways.

  • UncleLou #115 3 years ago

    "What's your source for this statement? As far as I know, it's at least partially false. According to "Black_Widow9", a Ubi representative on the official forum, "If you own the disc version of FC2 it will have to be inserted the drive in order to play." So the CD-check seems to be present still. "

    Hm, seriously? I googled it last night after Foo mentioned the DRM, and found an article on a major site (I don't remember which right now, I'll have a look) that referred to an official statement, and it said no disc is required.

    Meh if it is required, I find having to have the disc in the drive a much bigger pain in the arse than online activation.

  • neems #116 3 years ago

    I suppose it might be that you don't need the disc in the drive for multiplayer? (Like CoD4)

  • Ace_McCloud #117 3 years ago

    8/10? But the Far Cry 2 adverts have been running all over the site!? This should be ten! Conspiracy!!!

  • karstux #118 3 years ago

    Amazon.de confirms it: The disc is required in the drive to play. Makes the online activation seem pointless, doesn't it?

  • UncleLou #119 3 years ago

    Indeed it does.

    I don't know why publishers always go one step too far. A limited number of installs with a system that gives you back activations when you uninstall it and no disc required isn't too bad - loks like EA doesn't do the former, and Ubi doesn't do the latter.

  • Execta #120 3 years ago

    TOMORROW! On the PC! God damn! This will rock.

  • ps3owner #121 3 years ago

    @Ace_McCloud

    this is a multiplatform game... so let's get the score right then ;)

    10/10 on Xbox360
    8/10 on PS3
    5/10 on PC (DRM and all, but there are some idiots who still purchase it... ignorant? or ill informed

    oh and the review reads more like a 7/10 to me... move along everyone.

  • mikeck #122 3 years ago

    @BlackThorned

    No worries, I appreciate that some people may not enjoy the game, but as the scope in how you play the game really does depend on your preferred play-style, you may get something out of it - especially if you'd prefer to scout areas out and approach them in a more restrained manner - rather than guns blazing. You really can do most missions it seems (from what I've played anyway) in whatever way suits you.

  • TessaTickle #123 3 years ago

    A bit late to join in the discussion, I know, but does the appalling voice-over from one of the vids re-appear in the finished product ?

  • UncleLou #124 3 years ago

    "5/10 on PC (DRM and all, but there are some idiots who still purchase it... ignorant? or ill informed"

    If you want to take an idelogical stance on gaming and gamers' rights, you wouldn't have bought an entirely locked down, controlled by one company gaming system. Unless you were a complete idiot.

  • praetorian #125 3 years ago

    What kind of spastic mercenary goes to Africa without first getting a malaria jab?

  • sn3jk #126 3 years ago

    HandOfBeadle

    yes yes, might be that i was a bit impatient, fable2 was just around the corner ...

  • kinky_mong #127 3 years ago

    The review really didn't sell it to me. Seems like far too much grinding on unnecessary diversions to get malaria medicine and having to swap Jeeps all the time rather than getting on with the fun. I'm a bit fed up of games forcing you to do boring things like this to avoid a punishment (*cough* GTA4 *cough*).

  • IneptPercy #128 3 years ago

    I will get this for my PC once I have finished with warhead.

    Suprised my PC still works with all this DRM... (yes that is sacastic)

  • dryden555 #129 3 years ago

    so no indoor environments then?

  • Darren #130 3 years ago

    I've just ordered the steelbook case version for the PC from Play.com... it's only £25 so I thought why not. I presume the PC version will have a quicksave option like every other FPS which should make it more enjoyable for me than if I'd bought it for the consoles, what with their erratic from what I've read auto-checkpointing system. It just remains to be seen how well the game runs on my PC at 1680x1050 as my specs fall half way between the minimum and recommended specs for the game.

  • FooAtari #131 3 years ago

    If you want to take an idelogical stance on gaming and gamers' rights, you wouldn't have bought an entirely locked down, controlled by one company gaming system. Unless you were a complete idiot.

    But, with said closed system I'm still in complete control of how many times I play the game. I know I can stick my game in any 360 in existance 1, 5, 10, 20 years from now and still play it with no problems. I'll never have to call anyone to ask if they will allow me to install the game again.

  • UncleLou #132 3 years ago

    Well, that comment wasn't aimed at you, as I am sure you know! Good luck finding a working 360 in 10 years though! ;-)

  • avoozl #133 3 years ago

    I couldn't finish Boiling Point. I don't think I came anywhere close. I started to get in to it but the drudgery of driving around in a crappy car, changing tires and refilling the gas tank got the better of me. There's fun realism and then there's not fun realism.

  • samaran #134 3 years ago

    @praetorian "What kind of spastic mercenary goes to Africa without first getting a malaria jab? "

    there's no such thing as a malaria jab, you have to take a pill every day when you're there and all that does is make you receptive to further treatment if you actually do get malaria. you should probably try visiting africa before making statements like that! :(

  • HandOfBeadle #135 3 years ago

    It does seem rather negative for an 8, but does nobody else think, rather than "it reads like a 7", that it reads like "it should have been a 9 but they let themselves down by ballsing certain things up too much and I'm not happy"?

    Looks from other reviews as though it's dividing opinions. I'm confident I'll fall on the positive side - STALKER was one of my favourite games of the past 5 years. I'm certainly expecting to like this more than Fallout 3 which isn't really tickling my funny bits and unless my opinion changes during my second stint with the Resistance 2 beta I'm almost definitely not getting that..
    Edited by 1 at 22/10/08 @ 20:27

  • snafu65 #136 3 years ago

    Mmm, not sure about this, the guns jamming and cars breaking down sound really irritating to me.I think I'll get Fable 2 tomorrow.

  • Snooz #137 3 years ago

    Skimmed through this and it got the usual score, question is, is this a high or low 8/10? ;)

  • Apologie #138 3 years ago

    This game should have been reviewed in PC, not in console shitty version.

  • peppergomez #139 3 years ago

    a pleasure to read- very nice job christian

  • layleeloo #140 3 years ago

    Why do people care so much about scores on games, on whether from the review its an 8 (in your opinion) or should be a 9 (in someone elses opinion). At the end of the day every bloomin reviewer will give all games differing opinions so instead of making minds up just do what i do - and play them ALL and make your mind up that way!

    I am a VERY lucky guy in the sense my best mate owns a game shop - so I have played the lot today - first 2 in the shop which were, Fable 2 - ok I guess, not my type of game but can see why people will love it, Dead Space was amazing, but I had Far Cry 2, Midnight Club LA and Moto GP 08. Bin playing far Cry most of the day and Midnight Club most of the night and they are all great. Once I finish Far Cry 2 I will play through Dead Space but its too confusing with all the controls to play them both effectively at once for me! hahaha. I can see a few weeks being like this - where I cant decide on one so I'll just get the lot. Happy Christmas to myself! haha. I really should stop spending!

    But stop goin on bout whether games scores are justified - they never are, they are never the same opinion as mine once played, and a review has and will never deter me from getting a game - after all, sometimes we just want something simple and uncomplicated and mind numbing which is always frowned upon - but sometimes Im in the mood for that. Cant play games like FC2 or Dead Space all the time - too serious. Just want somethin like good old Streets of Rage to relax with haha. Go try them all for yourselves and make your minds up - it would be a greater use of your time than debating whether scores are justified. Which reminds me, better get back to Midnight Club. Hurrah.

  • Jimpanse #141 3 years ago

    nice game, but fable is still better :o

  • layleeloo #142 3 years ago

    Fable is better than Far Cry 2? WHy not compare say, Mario Smash Brothers Brawl to Flow? Fable and FC are 2 totally different games to say one is better. Obviously to adventrue game fans it will be - but if you cant stand adventure games and you like FPS - I wonder which is "the better game". haha. It's all just personal opinion. You may PREFER Fable 2, but is certainly is no better or worse - its too different

  • #143 3 years ago

    Beyond3d (quaz) reports ps3 version is running at a higher res than xb360 but why is it jaggier then?

  • Valver #144 3 years ago

    Gah, another game with a messed up widescreen implementation! Just like BioShock before it was patched - this is "cropscreen" not "widescreen"

    FAIL.

  • Windsong #145 3 years ago

    Guys..dont believe for a minute this game is worthy of 8/10!! I played it yesterday and it takes 20 shots to down a baddie. There are widescreen problems, as well as mouse issues. Stealth is a JOKE. You sneak up on a guy and slit his throat special forces style and the whole bloody camp knows not only about the event but where you are 100% of the time! Thief the dark project it most certainly aint.

    And it has securom..limited installs. And the respawning guards are atrocious. You cant turn around and break wind without the whol fecking town coming back to life the very next minute.

    Such a f'ing waste of 50 bucks. Wait for Dead Space or Fallout 3 instead.

  • makeamazing #146 3 years ago

    Im enjoying it so far. Im only playing it on the second easiest option and there seems to be a lot of places where i can save. Graphics look very nice and detailed and oretty colourful.

    Couple of silly little things the designers really should have picked up on. When attacking an enemy base, even with the hit direction thingy, it can be really difficult to see which direction the enemy are shooting you from (it can be difficult to see them at all). Not sure if there will be some kind of radar, but that would have been much better (easier).

    The malaria issue isnt so bad, yes of course it pushes you down a side route, not sure whey the reviewer put that as a negative, its not for me at the moment.

    There is a stage where you clear out a base to release a buddy, in one garage there isnt a vehicle and when you complete the mission a vehicle is then in the garage, not believable and breaks the feeling of immersion (again why the designers didnt spot this i dont know).

    The setting things on fire effects are really nice, though i did get ammunition to blow up in a building when the grass/tree outside the building caught fire.

    The map/radar system appears and takes up most of the map, and when searching for diamonds is too big to do searching around... needed some kind of watch radar or something that wouldnt take up 3/4's of the screen.

    Overall I'm enjoying it so far. I think an 8 EG score is pretty accurate, I would say at the moment it feels like a mid to top end 8 so far.

  • Aphexman #147 3 years ago

    it looks so colourful on tha screens, in reality like worn brown sweater

  • byron_hinson #148 3 years ago

    @DaemonB - Not many jaggies on my PS3 version...certainly looks slightly better than the 360 version

  • StooMonster #149 3 years ago

    I am just glad it's available on Steam, albeit at a premium with Pound Sterling falling through the floor; also ordered Fallout 3 at the same time. :-)

    PC version looks good and is super smooth, even with maxed out settings, at least on my Über-PC. Introduction was fun, but it's a bit easy so far -- think I've played too many FPS and need to crank up the difficulty from the default.

    The crop-screen versus widescreen is obviously shite though.

  • TRUTH #150 3 years ago

    Just look at various reviews below: Many good scores esp Edge known for harsh scores, who gave it a 8!

    [link url=htt p://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages4/944400.asp
    ]http://ww w.gamerankings.com/htmlpages4/9...[/link]

    Been playing Far Cry 2 for 2 days now and seems to pick up the more you get into to it esp after the first couple hours into it. You don't really notice the negatives mentioned by Eurogamer as often as they make them out to be. Also being a bit harsh with the nit-picking...Been playing Dead Space; good action/adv, but not that scary!...Slightly over hyped I say.

    If disappointed by the new Motor Storm 2 game on PS3, make sure to pick up Pure on PS3/XB360. Excellent arcade (but deep) off road racer - excellent online too! Dazzling grahphics.

    Edited by 2 at 28/10/08 @ 16:57

  • avoozl #151 3 years ago

    "Stealth is a JOKE. You sneak up on a guy and slit his throat special forces style and the whole bloody camp knows not only about the event but where you are 100% of the time! Thief the dark project it most certainly aint."

    I'm not sure about stealth with the machete but if you use silenced weapons it does work. You have to perform a headshot and nobody can see it happen or they will ALL come running. Also since you can't move bodies you should wait until the target is in a position where nobody else is going to stumble across him before you pull the trigger. If another guard sees the body he will run to the body and when he sees it up close all guards will be alerted and start looking for you, but they will not know where you are unless you are in their line of sight. If you shoot him before he can investigate the body then he will not alert all the other guards. Anyway stealth is definitely not a joke it's just less forgiving than what you might be used to.

    Personally I think what holds FC2 back is the travel. If you are going to include this much driving you have to make it fun, and it isn't. Most of the vehicles are slow and clunky, you can only drive in first person, and they are so noisy that you can't hear anything else while driving.

  • BillyBrush #152 3 years ago

    i want to like it..

    but it doesn't want me to like it

    just isn't FUN

  • Maykael #153 3 years ago

    +1 BillyBrush

    I feel like I've been lied to by the developers.

  • local_celebrity #154 3 years ago

    Yes, the game has its flaws.

    But the tension it builds up is unbelievable. Christian's allusion to Heart of Darkness is absolutely spot on. For the first time in a shooter, I feel genuinely tense. The enemies come from nowhere and pose a genuine, intelligent threat. You always feel like you're running on empty. And there's none of that unrealistic targeting assistance, either. Take a hit from a sniper and you're going to have to find him using the naked eye. In the savanna, that can be like finding a needle in the haystack.

    The world you inhabit in this game - unlike GTA IV, which had similar aspirations - really does have a life of its own. A malevolent one, at that.

  • peppergomez #155 3 years ago

    got so many things right, what with the awesome environment, fire effects, buddy system. but man, the ai is so wretchedly bad, and more importantly, the gameplay is frikkin' monotonous. at about 20% into the game i am losing interest. drive/boat here, kill this person, kill this checkpoint for the 20th time, wash, rinse, and repeat. additionally, i am not sensing how any of the missions i am doing, which really seem like side missions, relate to the overall plot. finally, the developers blew it imo by not creating any meaningful interaction with npcs. all the player does is shoot them. where are the civilians in this game? they should be mixed in among all the mercenaries, especially since the game depicts them in that intro scene. it's not like they all evacuated. it really makes the environment pretty barren of life, reduces the tension and depth of the game (would be cool if the player could choose to bribe checkpoints as well, and obtain intel from civilians by giving them first aid or taking some humanitarian type missions from them), and makes the game a pretty mindless shooter, albeit one with a lot of freedom. the developers passed up a great opportunity, given what an awesome environment they created, they really dropped the ball in not creating any neutral npcs (well, except the handful who are integral to the plot) and ways of interacting other than shooting.
    there's just, for lack of a better word, no soul to this game. it has none of the tension or depth of say stalker or oblivion. the choice and implementation of africa was f'ing brilliant, but it's like the designers created this incredible sandbox, but then forgot to put anything in it except moronic bad guys. coulda, woulda, shoulda.

  • jocky300 #156 3 years ago

    I'v just had a look at some footage of the developers of this game to see if i could catch something in there eye that was in some way willfully malicious because what they have given us here is either some sort of evil experiment in mind fuckery or ham fisted, grab defeat from the jaws of victory wank up of mammoth proportions.
    I am currently house sitting for a friend and playing this game on her wide screen t.v and it is for this reason i have, with quivering hand of barely contained fury, carefully placed the disk back into its box from where it shall never return lest i smash her telly into fragments in a frothy mouthed, screaming ball of rage and frustration.
    Rarely have i been so dissapointed and NEVER AGAIN shall i be swayed by fancy ad's beckoning me in with atmospheric music, choice moments of visceral game play and shiny, shiny production values.
    This game is the real world equivelant of one of those almost real sex dolls- looks good from a distance but once your into it all your going to feel is sad, angry, unsatisfied and a complete wanker for having bought it in the first place.

  • Grayvern #157 3 years ago

    I found the Ai in Crysis and Fear more fun, the collectables and side missions are really annoying, the only reason people forgive the more repetative gta missions is that each mission is bracketed by really well done snippets of story often involving darkly funny situations.

    After five hours of Far cry 2 ive come to several conclusions first it thinks its lego batman combined with gta with shooting every so often. Teh checkpoint complaint in the review isn't that valid as i've been able to avoid most with busses or wilderness driving.

    But this adds to the problem of the game feeling really lonely and barren, it never feels like a country at war because its almost totally devoid of non combatants.

    I bought it pre-owned for £20 and feel like I wasted my money anyone know how much id get on hmv re-play for it.

    The reviewer says invent to stop it plodding but whats to encourage you to do that.

    Also am I the only person to notice they totally messed up the stick controll, it goes from normal ramping up sensativity in the middle then it reaches a point and suddenly goes super fast. makes tracking side running enemies harder.

    Edited by 2 at 12/01/09 @ 01:47

  • adolf102 #158 3 years ago

    Ok so I wasted money on that crap. Now why it's crap?

    PC version
    a) nothing to do with Far Cry. Controls are different, combat feel different, AI is different.
    b) no stealth
    c) no leaning from behing corners. (in 2008 shooter?!) no crawling either.
    d) f**ed mouse controlls. You can't tune your mouse to behave good in that thing

  • Caspar_Esq. #159 3 years ago

    Excellent review, really nailed it I think.