Far Cry 2
|
Author:
Editor:
Sponsor:
Published:
|
Max Slowik
Brian
Feb. 9, 2009
|
|
|
|
|
|
There are no management systems of any sort. Your mission objectives, journal, and standing with other mercenaries is accessed through an out-of-game UI, unlike everything else in the game, and you can't take two missions at once: there's no mission system, so you take an order, you complete it, then have to find another one. You have a cell phone but can't make calls, just receive them. I'd gladly give up some immersion for the ability to take multiple missions at once instead of having to drive across those 400 square miles quite so much.
Conversations are one-sided and you can't skip things along, just float your hand print on the person you want to speak with and click them in agreement. The handprint is a reminder that you're playing a game as much as a conversation window, and some conversation would be nice. Nicer than your imaginary attempts to get to second base with your ghost palm.

Since you have no personality, the option to select your character is effectively the option to remove one person from the game. I, foolishly, decided to play as the grizzled Algerian special-forces veteran, where I should have picked the douchebag American skater boi gun-for-hire, because, Christ, I hate working with that douche. I'll figure out a way to kill him if maybe I become invulnerable and no longer benefit from having my skidded hide pulled down from a tree. That in itself says something; although you don't spend enough time with the characters in the game that they gain dimension, at least they're round and believable.
This is really an excellent game for someone looking for a story they can dive into in for hour-long chunks--beyond that, though, things don't stay too exciting. It pushes the genre forward and does so in a captivating, remarkable way. What gets to me is that while they've gone and delivered on the action and combat so well, in a world that makes you feel like you've learned a little more about life in war-torn Africa (and you have) that they failed to bolster the other parts of the game.

Nonexistent management systems and save points in safe houses are a reminder that this is a cross-platform game, with core mechanics cut out to satisfy console requirements. It would have been worth waiting six months for a completed game; instead PC users will be left wanting. Combat aside, none of the mechanics seem fleshed-out. The map is an inflexible tool, little more than a couple of arrows, vehicles are necessary but unimportant, people are just missions you have to drive to and click on, enemies are infinite, and you can't affect the world around you, which I guess, is true in the real Congo anyway.
For every element that makes you think wow, that's totally new/ innovative/ genius, there's another element that's flat-out missing. But I think innovation is worth a great deal more than complacency, so it's ahead of the pack there. The things it doesn't do don't slow down the gasoline-fueled mayhem, so all the complaints really amount to is so much nit-picking. Far Cry 2 is a blood-drenched murder simulator, but no one can say it doesn't have class.

Metacritic rating, 4/5: Far Cry 2 is an art house game built around Soldier of Fortune, but surprised me by not being straight gun porn; it's more like gun erotica. The way this game takes the fundamentals of first-person shooters and re-thinks them makes it worth picking up. It could do a lot of things better but that's never stopped anyone from playing bad games, why should that halt a good one?
Originality, 5/5: There's never been a game quite like this one; it displays mercenary life without glory. The game takes place in the real world, which for games, is practically unheard of. Health and death systems have never seen so much love, and even though the inventory system is broken, it's a breath of fresh air; at least they tried something different.
Immersion, 4/5: When the fighting starts, you'll sit straight and forget to blink. Going from place to place often takes time, talking to people usually involves getting patted-down, and watching things burn triggers a primal response. When you're not fighting... well, at least it's easy to find someone who needs killing.
Replayability, 2/5: The game world has you swatting the flies off your monitor, but the stories and gameplay don't dig too deeply. They're genuine but often under-developed. Outside of combat, the game has little intricacy.
If you liked Way of the Gun, Blood Diamond, Casino Royale, or anything involving Stephen Ambrose, you'll enjoy what this game has to offer. I'd compare it to other games, but... I can't.
Page 1: Page 1
Page 2: Page 2
Page 3: Page 3
1 - Posted by
Drew
on February 11, 2009 - 12:53 pm
Full Disclosure: I liked FC2 enough to play it all the way through twice.
This review was pretty much right on target, if factually inaccurate in a couple of places. Guns bought from a dealer can jam. Eventually, your shiny store bought weapon will be as unreliable as the trash you can pick off a fallen foe. Besides allowing you to time-shift by sleeping. Safe houses also can provide weapons alternatives, first aid, ammunition, and a fresh "ride". They also allow console gamers to save their progress. PC gamers can save any time, but I preferred using only the in-game save points, because your actions then had more serious consequences.
FC2 is an amazing sandbox game with only the most minimal plot layed on top of it. The game play hints at many interesting story elements, but fails to develop any of them. It is as if the developers started with a general outline of a good story, but then ran out of time, money, or creativity needed to create it. In terms of game play, FC2 is basicly a beautiful modern version of DOOM or QUAKE. You want a story? You need to go play HL2 or Deus Ex.
Besides the lack of a developed story, there are a few actual game flaws. The worst is the rapidly respawning check points. In a game where the only point is to kill people, respawning isn't such a bad thing in theory. However, FC2 respawns enemies WAY to quickly. Check points respawn virtually as soon as you turn your back on them. Instead, at least a couple of game hours should have to pass before check points are manned again.
FC2 detractors complain about the distances between mission locations. I think these people are missing the point of the game. They are too goal oriented. In FC2, there are no goals except killing people and enjoying the view. In this case, getting there is half the fun. The fact that your health and resources may be diminished by the journey is part of the challenge. I very rarely drove to missions. The only way to apreciate the environment is to walk through it. Besides, you draw way too much attention to yourself in a moving truck.
2 - Posted by
Kurtis
on February 11, 2009 - 2:06 pm
Great feedback, Drew. Thanks for sharing. :)
3 - Posted by
Rick1974
on July 7, 2009 - 1:52 am
The problem with games (and movies) these days is that it's almost an unwritten law that you can trade off story with great visuals. which isn't the case. Back in the day, some of the best games i ever played had the shittiest graphics, but had far more depth than most games today. I found far cry to be boring and repetitve after a couple of hours of playing it.
I'll give you software companies a couple of tips. - story is god. A shit story and the game will be shit no matter how great the visuals. The customer dosen't give two shits about game release dates. take your time, get a kickarse story going. get the game right the first time, it's unprofessional and lazy to put out a half arsed product with 100's of mb's of updates. if there's two huge titles going to be released and yours isn't going to be ready the same time as the other companies product so what - i'll still buy it. because im thinking you are putting in the extra effort.
Add Comment
To add a comment without being a member, you may omit the password field, but you must enter your name (or nickname) along with your comment. * Denotes required fields.
|
|