Game Review: Far Cry
Platform: PC only
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Crytek
ERSB Rating: M
Pros:
Unbelievable graphics
Amazing physics and ragdolls
Most realistic real time lighting to date
Best mix of stealth and run 'n gun shooter gameplay since Half-Life
Ruthlessly intellegent AI
Freeform, open ended gameplay
Cons:
Extremely difficult
Very long load times
Demands a high end PC to run well
Lame, paper thin plot
Review:
I'll admit I was skeptical when I heard about this game. Crytek was a formerly unheard of new company rising out of Germany, claiming to produce an end all- be all game. We've heard it all before- developers claiming to revolutionize the genre, then mediocre efforts or lack of funds dampen their game. It is not so with Far Cry, the most polished and amazing shooter since Half-Life.
First off, let's look at the visual aspect of the game. This game is beautiful. It is, unapologetically, the best looking game ever produced. Crytek developed CRYENGINE, which the game runs to great effect. CRYENGINE allows Far Cry to render vast distances instantly and without strain on your video card. The entire game is literally rendered at once, then drawn as you approach. The result is a realistic looking, beautiful game that just screams eye candy. Add that to the most realistic looking real time lighting effects to date and Far Cry is already giving HL2 and Doom III a run for their money. The Animations are fluid and solid looking, and the ragdoll physics blow UT2004 and Max Payne out of the water.
Screenshot:
Next comes the gameplay factor. This is without a doubt the most open ended first person shooter ever made. The game is set on a series of islands, and you can go to any island, anywhere, whenever you want to. You can walk, comandeer a buggy or truck, steal a boat, swim, hanglide, or figure out some other form of transporation to get to your destination. If you see a group of mercinaries standing below you, you have the option of sneaking past them, running in guns blazing, using the excellent physics to push a heavy object on them to kill them or roll an exploding barrel to them to blow up, sneak around and pick them off one by one, or even using dynamic objects as cover. It's completely up to you.
The AI is the smartest ever seen, by far. In one situation, I was sneaking up on two guys talking to each other (yes, they talk to each other, unscripted, and you can listen in using your binoculars). One of them saw me, and alerted the other. The first guy yells, "You stay here! I'll go get help!" And runs off toward a group of mercinaries farther down the hill. A long battle ensues, but eventually I've killed all but one. I can't find him, because he's adapted his fighting tactics to my stealth. Had I run in guns blazing, he would simply duck behind some cover and empty a clip or two. But, because I snuck around and dashed from tree to tree, he adapted his fighting style and did the same. I walk up to a tree where I think I heard a noise. Very slowly I peek around the tree...when the merc pops out and puts one in my head. It was the most beautiful demonstration of unscripted and intellegent AI I have ever experienced.
The game is realistic almost to a fault. You can only hold four guns at any time and a limited amount of ammo, so you must conserve. You can only withstand a few shots before dying, so that has to be taken into consideration. Some mercs have body armor, so headshots are necessary to kill them. Your weapons do a realistic amount of damage and are realistically accurate- firing a silenced MP5 from 500 yards is not likely to hit your target. Cover is absolutely essential if you want to stay alive. Lying prone is quieter and your shots are more accurate, so you'll find yourself doing that far more than running when outdoors. The tension is so strong during the stealth portions that you'll actually find yourself sweating and holding your breath as you approach your prey. The game provides a pleasant mix of stealth and run 'n gun, the latter taking place more commonly on the indoor missions.
The game is very large, spawning over 15 long missions that are sure to keep you occupied, even if you don't enjoy exploring the island, having fun with the physics and sniping baddies. But the real reason that the game will take forever is it's difficulty. Even on Easy, the game is intensely difficult. Casual gamers need not apply here. This game demands your constant attention, and it's a real challenge to beat. I tried cheating at one point, and it keeps a counter in the upper left hand corner that records the number of times you die. It was not uncommon for the death counter to reach numbers of 200 times or more.
And again, no game is flawless. Among other problems, the load times are horrendous. With the settings on medium to high, you'll be looking at (literally) 10 minute load times. I would load a mission, then go and watch TV while I waited. At one point I was able to take a shower and come back before it had finished. The load times are awful, and this is exacerbated if you have a slower computer. That brings me to my next point- you really need a high end computer for this game. My friend's comp (P4 2.53Ghz, 512 megs Ram, 9700 Pro) could only run his settings at medium if he wanted to maintain his framerate. My computer (AMD 3000+, 512 megs RAM, 9600 128Mb) was a bit lower. Video cards take the bulk of the strain, and this is one instance where you'll see significant advantage to a 256 Mb card. Granted, you can turn the settings down or off if you have an older computer...but don't expect to experience any mind blowing graphics. This game is a reason in itself to upgrade. You just don't get the same experience with bad graphics.
Whew. During this review, I was tempted to go play several times. This game is just that incredible. It deserves the title "Best Shooter Since Half-Life," because it is. It simply has no competition, and no gamer should be without this game. Forthcomings nonwithstanding, it is probably the game most worth your $50 on the market right now. Will it be able to stand up to Half-Life 2 and Doom III? Only time will tell. But one thing is for sure, that being Far Cry will not disappear anytime soon.
Final Score:
94%
Platform: PC only
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Crytek
ERSB Rating: M
Pros:
Unbelievable graphics
Amazing physics and ragdolls
Most realistic real time lighting to date
Best mix of stealth and run 'n gun shooter gameplay since Half-Life
Ruthlessly intellegent AI
Freeform, open ended gameplay
Cons:
Extremely difficult
Very long load times
Demands a high end PC to run well
Lame, paper thin plot
Review:
I'll admit I was skeptical when I heard about this game. Crytek was a formerly unheard of new company rising out of Germany, claiming to produce an end all- be all game. We've heard it all before- developers claiming to revolutionize the genre, then mediocre efforts or lack of funds dampen their game. It is not so with Far Cry, the most polished and amazing shooter since Half-Life.
First off, let's look at the visual aspect of the game. This game is beautiful. It is, unapologetically, the best looking game ever produced. Crytek developed CRYENGINE, which the game runs to great effect. CRYENGINE allows Far Cry to render vast distances instantly and without strain on your video card. The entire game is literally rendered at once, then drawn as you approach. The result is a realistic looking, beautiful game that just screams eye candy. Add that to the most realistic looking real time lighting effects to date and Far Cry is already giving HL2 and Doom III a run for their money. The Animations are fluid and solid looking, and the ragdoll physics blow UT2004 and Max Payne out of the water.
Screenshot:
Next comes the gameplay factor. This is without a doubt the most open ended first person shooter ever made. The game is set on a series of islands, and you can go to any island, anywhere, whenever you want to. You can walk, comandeer a buggy or truck, steal a boat, swim, hanglide, or figure out some other form of transporation to get to your destination. If you see a group of mercinaries standing below you, you have the option of sneaking past them, running in guns blazing, using the excellent physics to push a heavy object on them to kill them or roll an exploding barrel to them to blow up, sneak around and pick them off one by one, or even using dynamic objects as cover. It's completely up to you.
The AI is the smartest ever seen, by far. In one situation, I was sneaking up on two guys talking to each other (yes, they talk to each other, unscripted, and you can listen in using your binoculars). One of them saw me, and alerted the other. The first guy yells, "You stay here! I'll go get help!" And runs off toward a group of mercinaries farther down the hill. A long battle ensues, but eventually I've killed all but one. I can't find him, because he's adapted his fighting tactics to my stealth. Had I run in guns blazing, he would simply duck behind some cover and empty a clip or two. But, because I snuck around and dashed from tree to tree, he adapted his fighting style and did the same. I walk up to a tree where I think I heard a noise. Very slowly I peek around the tree...when the merc pops out and puts one in my head. It was the most beautiful demonstration of unscripted and intellegent AI I have ever experienced.
The game is realistic almost to a fault. You can only hold four guns at any time and a limited amount of ammo, so you must conserve. You can only withstand a few shots before dying, so that has to be taken into consideration. Some mercs have body armor, so headshots are necessary to kill them. Your weapons do a realistic amount of damage and are realistically accurate- firing a silenced MP5 from 500 yards is not likely to hit your target. Cover is absolutely essential if you want to stay alive. Lying prone is quieter and your shots are more accurate, so you'll find yourself doing that far more than running when outdoors. The tension is so strong during the stealth portions that you'll actually find yourself sweating and holding your breath as you approach your prey. The game provides a pleasant mix of stealth and run 'n gun, the latter taking place more commonly on the indoor missions.
The game is very large, spawning over 15 long missions that are sure to keep you occupied, even if you don't enjoy exploring the island, having fun with the physics and sniping baddies. But the real reason that the game will take forever is it's difficulty. Even on Easy, the game is intensely difficult. Casual gamers need not apply here. This game demands your constant attention, and it's a real challenge to beat. I tried cheating at one point, and it keeps a counter in the upper left hand corner that records the number of times you die. It was not uncommon for the death counter to reach numbers of 200 times or more.
And again, no game is flawless. Among other problems, the load times are horrendous. With the settings on medium to high, you'll be looking at (literally) 10 minute load times. I would load a mission, then go and watch TV while I waited. At one point I was able to take a shower and come back before it had finished. The load times are awful, and this is exacerbated if you have a slower computer. That brings me to my next point- you really need a high end computer for this game. My friend's comp (P4 2.53Ghz, 512 megs Ram, 9700 Pro) could only run his settings at medium if he wanted to maintain his framerate. My computer (AMD 3000+, 512 megs RAM, 9600 128Mb) was a bit lower. Video cards take the bulk of the strain, and this is one instance where you'll see significant advantage to a 256 Mb card. Granted, you can turn the settings down or off if you have an older computer...but don't expect to experience any mind blowing graphics. This game is a reason in itself to upgrade. You just don't get the same experience with bad graphics.
Whew. During this review, I was tempted to go play several times. This game is just that incredible. It deserves the title "Best Shooter Since Half-Life," because it is. It simply has no competition, and no gamer should be without this game. Forthcomings nonwithstanding, it is probably the game most worth your $50 on the market right now. Will it be able to stand up to Half-Life 2 and Doom III? Only time will tell. But one thing is for sure, that being Far Cry will not disappear anytime soon.
Final Score:
94%
) Good job.
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