What do you get when you take a few islands, a mad scientist, a couple of CIA agents and a charter boat captain and mix them all together? You get a tropical paradise gone wrong with bloodthirsty mercenaries and mutated monkey freaks stalking your every move while you try to find out what is really going on at these islands. That is basically the concept of Far Cry. Even though the story may not seem very original, the gameplay elements certainly are. In fact, that is one of the main things that stands out in Far Cry , and we think that you will really enjoy it.
You play the character Jack Carver, a charter boat captain in the South Pacific with some previous military training. You are hired by Valerie Constantine, who claims she is an American photo journalist who works for the Exotic Travel Magazine. She hires you to take her to an uncharted island in Micronesia to take pictures of the Japanese WWII ruins there. It is here that all hell breaks loose. Shown through a beautifully rendered cinematic video reminiscent of a horror movie, Valerie is captured, your boat is destroyed, and a large number of strange creatures are battling it out with the mercenaries in the jungle.
You start out, dazed and weaponless, in an old Japanese WWII hangar in ruins. This level serves as a small training level as you make your way through the hangar. You will also catch a glimpse of Col. Richard Crow, who is a soldier of fortune and heads the mercenary force protecting the islands. At the last section of the hangar, you are able to stock up on some weapons and equipment. At this point you also meet Harlan Doyle via video phone. Harlan serves as Jack's main contact throughout the game and seems to be one of the many research scientists on the islands. After having a little chat with Harlan, you can then head outside: your adventure is only just beginning.
The story of Far Cry includes many mysteries and secrets that will need to be found out. George Wilhelm Krieger, a former World Health Organization scientist, mysteriously disappeared some five years ago following the controversy of his genetics research. Throughout the course of the game's 20 missions, you'll need to find out what Krieger is doing on these islands, and you will soon discover why he has all the mercenaries protecting his assets. Besides trying to out smart these mercenaries, you will also face strange creatures genetically mutated from Krieger's formula.
The tropical islands of Far Cry have been richly detailed and look extremely life-like. The islands are filled to the teeth with trees, bushes and grass. The environments also include a lot of wild life including fish, wild boars and birds if you feel the need for hunting. The environments are very large and include some open spots as well as some deep forests. The draw distances are insane, allowing you to see your enemies very far away. You'll also notice some small details in the form of old WWII Japanese ruins and rundown airplanes. One mission even includes an old Japanese aircraft carrier. With all these elements contributing to the environment. it makes for one heck of an unique gameplay experience.
Gameplay
You have the ability to do your mission objectives any way you please. If you want to go in 'guns-a-blazing', go right ahead. If you desire a more stealthy approach and want to sneak your way around and ambush your enemies, then you can do that too. The truth is there are many different ways to get around on the islands and you'll find yourself playing the game over and over again to discover new routes to take. This, of course, makes for a high replay value. However, you may find yourself playing it over and over again for a much different reason. Far Cry uses checkpoint saves instead of the usual 'save as you go' method. So if you die you'll have to go back and play certain parts again until you reach a new save point.
You receive a large amount of weapons to add to your arsenal throughout the game. You can only carry four weapons at a time and can carry hand grenades, smoke grenades, flash bang grenades, and rocks separately. The rocks are always a great tool to use when you want to distract some mercenaries. Your normal weapons include a machete, Falcon .357 handgun, P90 SMG, MP5 SMG (silenced version), M4 assault rifle, AG36 assault rifle with attached grenade launcher, OICW assault rifle with attached scope, Jackhammer shotgun, sniper rifle, infantry assault machinegun, and a handy rocket launcher. There are also some mounted weapons that include a mini-gun and a mortar to dish out your killings. Some of the items you get include thermal goggles, binoculars and a flashlight. The binoculars are always great to use. When you detect enemies by looking through your binoculars they show up on your radar allowing you to know their exact position. Furthermore, the binoculars are capable of letting you listen in on conversations and noises far off in the distance.
Walking around the islands can take quite some time, so luckily there are a few vehicles to help you around. The vehicles that Jack can drive include an inflatable boat, a patrol boat with a machinegun and rocket launcher, a buggy with a machinegun, a large cargo truck, a Humvee with a machinegun and rocket launcher, a nice hang glider and even a forklift. All of the vehicles handle very well and you can easily control the weapons on the vehicles by using your mouse. Also, when in the vehicles you can press 'F1' which will take you to an external view of your vehicle.
For those night missions you can also turn your lights on and off at will. The hang glider is a sparse means of transportation that is randomly found throughout the maps. It is usually located on top of some high mountain where you can then glide your way to another part of the island. The most awkward vehicle would be the forklift, as it is not battle ready and should be driven only in large indoor environments. The enemies can also drive all of these vehicles plus two different types of helicopters. One type of enemy helicopter is the gunship, which has a mini-gun on one side and can drop troops off at a certain destination. The other helicopter is the cargo chopper which suspends reinforcements down by wires.
If you're starting to get tired of the single-player campaign, then a few games in multiplayer is all you need. There are a total of three multiplayer game modes which are Free For All, Team Deathmatch and Assault. The FFA and TDM game modes are the same as any other game where you just go around killing as many people as you can. The Assault game mode resembles more of an Unreal Tournament style of game. One team must lead an assault on a defensive position that is being held by the other team. You can also choose between three different classes. These are the Grunt (who mainly has the best weapons for combat), Sniper and Support (which can repair bases and heal fallen comrades). The maps in the multiplayer portion of the game are just as big as the single-player maps, so there are plenty of places to hide and ambush your foes. And when you have finished with the multiplayer you can start making your very own maps in the Far Cry editor.
The physics system used in Far Cry is among some of the best. The ragdoll effects are accurately depicted and most of the time explosions will create craters in the ground. The game also includes hit-detection which means that you will see a blood spot at the exact point where you shot your enemy. And speaking of blood, it looks very nice here. When you kill an enemy in water, his body will float at the top of the water with a cool misty blood effect coming out of his body into the water.
The AI in Far Cry is a very advanced system. Your enemies will take cover when reloading, flank you and even give out orders to their own men. It is always interesting to hear one of the team leaders telling his guys where to go and attack you from. They also have random unscripted conversations with each other that are fun to listen too. The AI also notices dead bodies and reacts appropriately when one of their friends is shot down next to them.
The CryENGINE delivers some gorgeous graphics in Far Cry . The polybump technology used here really makes the characters and other textures seem very real and not at all flat. Also, a great fog, lighting and shadow system has been incorporated into the graphics system. The dynamic lighting is best showed when a light is swaying in a corridor and you can see the light beams moving back and forth with the shadows from objects moving with the light.
Also, an advanced heightmap system and polygon reduction is used to create the huge maps while trying to not stress out your system too much. With that said, you will definitely want 1GB of RAM for Far Cry . The large environments eat up your memory very quickly and the game will lag a lot if you don't have enough memory to handle it.
The sound effects are also very good and have support for Creative's EAX 2.0. It is odd that they didn't use EAX 4.0 which has just started showing up in some games. Either way, the sound effects are still very detailed and sound great with a 5.1 surround sound system. You can hear everything from the waves of the ocean to the mercenaries moving through the brush.
Conclusion
Far Cry is only the first game developed by Crytek and it is certainly a revolutionary one. Everything from the graphics, AI and sound effects to the gameplay and multiplayer are all exceptional. This is one great game that no FPS fan should miss. If you are looking for a great action game that combines some horror with great visual effects and environments then we suggest that you go pick up a copy of Far Cry as soon as you can.
You play the character Jack Carver, a charter boat captain in the South Pacific with some previous military training. You are hired by Valerie Constantine, who claims she is an American photo journalist who works for the Exotic Travel Magazine. She hires you to take her to an uncharted island in Micronesia to take pictures of the Japanese WWII ruins there. It is here that all hell breaks loose. Shown through a beautifully rendered cinematic video reminiscent of a horror movie, Valerie is captured, your boat is destroyed, and a large number of strange creatures are battling it out with the mercenaries in the jungle.
You start out, dazed and weaponless, in an old Japanese WWII hangar in ruins. This level serves as a small training level as you make your way through the hangar. You will also catch a glimpse of Col. Richard Crow, who is a soldier of fortune and heads the mercenary force protecting the islands. At the last section of the hangar, you are able to stock up on some weapons and equipment. At this point you also meet Harlan Doyle via video phone. Harlan serves as Jack's main contact throughout the game and seems to be one of the many research scientists on the islands. After having a little chat with Harlan, you can then head outside: your adventure is only just beginning.
The story of Far Cry includes many mysteries and secrets that will need to be found out. George Wilhelm Krieger, a former World Health Organization scientist, mysteriously disappeared some five years ago following the controversy of his genetics research. Throughout the course of the game's 20 missions, you'll need to find out what Krieger is doing on these islands, and you will soon discover why he has all the mercenaries protecting his assets. Besides trying to out smart these mercenaries, you will also face strange creatures genetically mutated from Krieger's formula.
The tropical islands of Far Cry have been richly detailed and look extremely life-like. The islands are filled to the teeth with trees, bushes and grass. The environments also include a lot of wild life including fish, wild boars and birds if you feel the need for hunting. The environments are very large and include some open spots as well as some deep forests. The draw distances are insane, allowing you to see your enemies very far away. You'll also notice some small details in the form of old WWII Japanese ruins and rundown airplanes. One mission even includes an old Japanese aircraft carrier. With all these elements contributing to the environment. it makes for one heck of an unique gameplay experience.
Gameplay
You have the ability to do your mission objectives any way you please. If you want to go in 'guns-a-blazing', go right ahead. If you desire a more stealthy approach and want to sneak your way around and ambush your enemies, then you can do that too. The truth is there are many different ways to get around on the islands and you'll find yourself playing the game over and over again to discover new routes to take. This, of course, makes for a high replay value. However, you may find yourself playing it over and over again for a much different reason. Far Cry uses checkpoint saves instead of the usual 'save as you go' method. So if you die you'll have to go back and play certain parts again until you reach a new save point.
You receive a large amount of weapons to add to your arsenal throughout the game. You can only carry four weapons at a time and can carry hand grenades, smoke grenades, flash bang grenades, and rocks separately. The rocks are always a great tool to use when you want to distract some mercenaries. Your normal weapons include a machete, Falcon .357 handgun, P90 SMG, MP5 SMG (silenced version), M4 assault rifle, AG36 assault rifle with attached grenade launcher, OICW assault rifle with attached scope, Jackhammer shotgun, sniper rifle, infantry assault machinegun, and a handy rocket launcher. There are also some mounted weapons that include a mini-gun and a mortar to dish out your killings. Some of the items you get include thermal goggles, binoculars and a flashlight. The binoculars are always great to use. When you detect enemies by looking through your binoculars they show up on your radar allowing you to know their exact position. Furthermore, the binoculars are capable of letting you listen in on conversations and noises far off in the distance.
Walking around the islands can take quite some time, so luckily there are a few vehicles to help you around. The vehicles that Jack can drive include an inflatable boat, a patrol boat with a machinegun and rocket launcher, a buggy with a machinegun, a large cargo truck, a Humvee with a machinegun and rocket launcher, a nice hang glider and even a forklift. All of the vehicles handle very well and you can easily control the weapons on the vehicles by using your mouse. Also, when in the vehicles you can press 'F1' which will take you to an external view of your vehicle.
For those night missions you can also turn your lights on and off at will. The hang glider is a sparse means of transportation that is randomly found throughout the maps. It is usually located on top of some high mountain where you can then glide your way to another part of the island. The most awkward vehicle would be the forklift, as it is not battle ready and should be driven only in large indoor environments. The enemies can also drive all of these vehicles plus two different types of helicopters. One type of enemy helicopter is the gunship, which has a mini-gun on one side and can drop troops off at a certain destination. The other helicopter is the cargo chopper which suspends reinforcements down by wires.
If you're starting to get tired of the single-player campaign, then a few games in multiplayer is all you need. There are a total of three multiplayer game modes which are Free For All, Team Deathmatch and Assault. The FFA and TDM game modes are the same as any other game where you just go around killing as many people as you can. The Assault game mode resembles more of an Unreal Tournament style of game. One team must lead an assault on a defensive position that is being held by the other team. You can also choose between three different classes. These are the Grunt (who mainly has the best weapons for combat), Sniper and Support (which can repair bases and heal fallen comrades). The maps in the multiplayer portion of the game are just as big as the single-player maps, so there are plenty of places to hide and ambush your foes. And when you have finished with the multiplayer you can start making your very own maps in the Far Cry editor.
The physics system used in Far Cry is among some of the best. The ragdoll effects are accurately depicted and most of the time explosions will create craters in the ground. The game also includes hit-detection which means that you will see a blood spot at the exact point where you shot your enemy. And speaking of blood, it looks very nice here. When you kill an enemy in water, his body will float at the top of the water with a cool misty blood effect coming out of his body into the water.
The AI in Far Cry is a very advanced system. Your enemies will take cover when reloading, flank you and even give out orders to their own men. It is always interesting to hear one of the team leaders telling his guys where to go and attack you from. They also have random unscripted conversations with each other that are fun to listen too. The AI also notices dead bodies and reacts appropriately when one of their friends is shot down next to them.
The CryENGINE delivers some gorgeous graphics in Far Cry . The polybump technology used here really makes the characters and other textures seem very real and not at all flat. Also, a great fog, lighting and shadow system has been incorporated into the graphics system. The dynamic lighting is best showed when a light is swaying in a corridor and you can see the light beams moving back and forth with the shadows from objects moving with the light.
Also, an advanced heightmap system and polygon reduction is used to create the huge maps while trying to not stress out your system too much. With that said, you will definitely want 1GB of RAM for Far Cry . The large environments eat up your memory very quickly and the game will lag a lot if you don't have enough memory to handle it.
The sound effects are also very good and have support for Creative's EAX 2.0. It is odd that they didn't use EAX 4.0 which has just started showing up in some games. Either way, the sound effects are still very detailed and sound great with a 5.1 surround sound system. You can hear everything from the waves of the ocean to the mercenaries moving through the brush.
Conclusion
Far Cry is only the first game developed by Crytek and it is certainly a revolutionary one. Everything from the graphics, AI and sound effects to the gameplay and multiplayer are all exceptional. This is one great game that no FPS fan should miss. If you are looking for a great action game that combines some horror with great visual effects and environments then we suggest that you go pick up a copy of Far Cry as soon as you can.
