Incrydably Different

Far Cry 2 feels like a "next-gen" game. I'm not quite sure where that word originated, or what exactly it means. There's no known formula that makes a game particularly next-gen, but there's just a certain feel to it, and Far Cry 2 certainly delivers that feeling.

The good news here, for those who got bored with the pace of the original Far Cry, this game is a far cry from it's predecessor. In fact, short of the beautiful and expansive environment, I can't really find anything in any way related between the two games. We're a very long way from Jack Carver this time around, and presumably in a different universe altogether. It's basically a new IP with a licensed name and gameplay mechanic. If you were hoping for a pure sequel of Far Cry, you may want to keep waiting...Far Cry 2 is more a spiritual successor than a direct one.

The gameplay is similar in the sense that it is open and expansive, though it's much improved in the sense that it feels a bit tighter, and you have some sense of direction as you go versus the seemingly aimless meandering you'd often experience in the original game. You start the game, after a lengthy cut-scene and odd instruction-less escape sequence, taking instructions from a crass, witty operator with some erratically triggered dialogue. You begin with a beat up old car and a simple outpost attack quest leading to your first safehouse. Safehouses are convenient item storage depots (if you purchase some crates), as well as resting spots.

Somewhat surprisingly the game doesn't play like a clean cut open-ended shooter. Instead it revolves heavily around role-playing adventure elements. You are given quests over the radio from members of various factions, you must ride (or walk) to the location of the mission or side-quest, and plan your strategy for resolving the quest, though most quests are a simple matter of ambushing the enemies of a location and fetching/rescuing/locating whatever lay inside. This premise goes a long way to enhancing the game play experience, though at times it feels like a hackneyed rendition of Fallout 2's Chrysalis experience along with Morrowind's open-ended retrieval questing minus the inventories of both.

The game has a few nice innovations that add to the realism. The most touted would be the real-time fire which can be ignited and spread by wind in the dry brush. This adds an interesting element for dealing with foes, though, as would be expected, is not as dramatic element as the marketing would lead you to believe. Also adding to the realism is the way enemy weapons are dealt with. Have you ever been amazed that poorly outfit enemies that you can gun down without a thought seem to always be brandishing shiny top of the line weapons for you to steal? Not in Far Cry 2. Most of the weapons the enemies have are pure junk, rusty and abused weapons of years past. Sure, you can pick them up, but they inevitably have some problems with jamming. Worse, they may even explode on you. I'll take the machete, thanks.

[Ed: LordHavoc - I was very impressed with this game's “make your own story” approach to singleplayer, and I find the non-linear world to be a welcome reprieve from the linear rail-shooters we've come to know and either love or hate, unfortunately it trades this for repetitive quests and the incessant encounters with roving patrols belonging to either of the warring factions who both shoot at you first and ask questions later (but the game is by no means difficult or frustrating in terms of combat difficulty – it's possibly too easy, at least on Medium).

The game features a choice of 9 characters each with unique backstory, and you can gain the trust of several of them during your adventures, and they in turn upgrade safehouses and provide suggestions of alternate approaches to certain quests you get (these alternatives often involve sneaky ways to avoid epic fire fights that occur if you take the direct approach), as well as coming to your rescue most of the time if you fall in battle, before returning to their favorite safehouse. ]

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