Review: Far Cry 2

Genre: First-Person Shooter

            It’s hard for first-person shooters to stand out in the gaming industry lately. You always need a little new something extra to be worth even mentioning. It’s not easy to break the mold of the usual shooter, but Far Cry 2 does a decent job at that, even with some of its shortcomings in terms of gameplay.

Gameplay

Far Cry 2’s mechanics at heart are just like the usual shooter. You have guns, you aim said guns, and shoot your enemies. The difference here is that in Far Cry 2 there is a completely open land of over 50 square kilometers. Basically you have freedom to go where ever, picking up side missions or completing the main story. This in theory combined with an open map should be good but it can be a hassle sometime, especially when you must travel large distance for petty quests. Often, when you travel, which you must, there is no quick traveling, you encounter many bands of enemies that you have to kill or they will shoot you down trying to drive by. This can get annoying fast and it will.

Besides the draw backs mentioned, the combat is very fun, especially with the good range of weapons available to you. The enemies are very smart, taking cover whenever and flanking you whenever possible. This forces you to play strategically and think before you act.

           

Graphics

            Far Cry 2 is a very beautiful game with its great range of landscapes, sharp textures, and awesome lighting effects. It also has wonderful fire and explosion effects. One graphical feature that really stands out is the sun rays that shimmer through trees. These great visuals do come at a price however. In order to run the game at full settings, you need a pretty beefy computer, but at medium settings everything still looks good and runs just fine.

Conclusion

            With its amazing graphics and pretty enjoyable gameplay, Far Cry 2 is a great game. Lasting about 30 hours for the single player campaign, you will certainly get your money’s worth, even if sometimes things feel repetitive. The draw backs in traveling defiantly hurts this game, but it’s nothing that won’t keep you from having a good time. Combined with its great combat, weapon selection, and open map, Far Cry 2 is for anyone who wants a change from the usual shooter.

Gameplay: 7.5

Graphics: 9.0

Lasting Appeal: 8.5

Overall: 8.3