Jan 06 2009
Far Cry 2 Review: Immersive Gameplay in an Open-ended Environment
If you thought Far Cry 2 is the true sequel to the original one, you are wrong. The game features completely new characters and settings and uses a unique style of gameplay. The story takes place in the deep jungles of a fictional Central African country facing anarchy and civil war. Gamers don the character of a mercenary who gets dropped in deep jungles to hunt down and eliminate a notorious arms smuggler “The Jackal”.
Far Cry 2 engages players in a deadly journey in highly realistic African landscapes including the savannahs, plains and jungles. This second grueling sequel employs sandbox style of gameplay where a player’s choice depends on the progress and speed of the storyline. With an open-ended environment spanning 19.3 sq miles, one can imagine the level of detail and number of hours it can take to complete the missions. Players can choose a wide range of vehicles and weapons and also can interact with environment. Weapons include the usual assault and sniper rifles to RPGs and light machine guns. The enemy AI is mostly human mercenaries. Gamers will miss the androids from the original Far Cry version but the enemy AI is intelligent enough to challenge you in a head-to-head battle. They are aggressive and alert and can be very challenging.
Developers Ubisoft have strived hard to ensure Far Cry 2 is realistic enough to please gamers. I loved the 24-hour day and night cycle and the climate system which ranges from sweltering sunsets to thunder storms. The protagonist experiences the stings of malaria fever and needs pills to keep the illness at bay every 30 to 40 minutes in real time.
All in All, Far Cry 2 is bigger, bolder and immersive than its predecessor. The game has a unique blend of action and stealth. You will find many open-ended missions and side-quests to complete. Great sequel, although different!
Cover art source:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/97/Far_Cry_2_cover_art.jpg
