|  | Game | | Far Cry | Format | | PC | Publisher: | | UBI Soft | Release date: | | Out now |
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If you have not heard of the new PC FPS game FAR CRY, then where have you been! This offering from Crytek, a German developer has been talked and talked about way before it was even released earlier in the month. All I can say is after playing this game is Do Believe the Hype, read on to find out why.
You take the character of Jack Carver a charter boat captain, who is hired by the very fit looking Valerie Constantine to be taken to an uncharted island in the South Pacific, but as they are happily sailing towards the island (with Jack doing a very good Leo De Caprio 'top of the world' impersonation) artillery fire from the island sinks Jack's boat, Valerie goes missing and Jack gets tossed and battered by the waves and finally wakes up in a very unwelcome place. This is portrayed in the opening cut scene of the game, which just watching it takes your breath away with the graphics engine, and of course the unusual setting for an FPS, a beautiful lush green, golden beached, sun drenched island. Your surroundings are so life like you will forget about your goals and probably end up sunbathing and going for a dip in the very inviting sea.
Don't be fooled by the glorious surroundings though, with the island full of kill your Gran for a dime type mercenaries, there is danger in every direction. This is the other impressive part of Far Cry, the enemies AI is superb, the most advanced I have ever seen, one minute they can be chatting away soaking up the sun, but make one wrong move, or open fire and you see them quickly spread, signalling to each other, sometimes even calling for backup from the helicopter, and if you are not on your toes sharpish they sneak round behind you and bang, bye bye. And the bangs are another plus point, the sound, especially if you have a decent speaker set up are as real as you get, from the slash of the machete to the vast explosions when you let one go from the rocket launcher, just a couple of the 16 weapons you come across throughout your adventure, try the sniper rifle and take out the enemy from distance, or go in with your AG36 Assault Rifle blazing, the latter choice as I found to my cost not always the wisest one in Far Cry as the enemy is just too damn smart.
Ways to get around the island on one of the 20 missions are also very varied; you can use seven types of vehicle from an inflatable boat, a forklift truck? through to catching the air currents on a hang glider (my favourite). These control very well with a bit of practice and are very important to use in some missions.
If you like first person shooters then don't wait for Half Life 2 or Doom 3 to come out, you must get this game, you do need a decent system though P4 + DirectX 9 compatible graphics card to get the best out of it and delight at the graphics, especially the water, ooh the water, yes graphics not 'eye candy', I do hate that phrase. Its early days but I will stick my neck out and say this will be game of the year, or I'll eat my truncheon.
9/10 Tony Bravo
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