Game Review: Far Cry 2

Developed by gaming giants Ubisoft Montreal, 'Far Cry 2' hit the UK shelves a fortnight ago. Abandoning the science fiction element of the previous instalments in favour of a more realistic approach, Far Cry 2 was touted as the “true sequel” to the first Far Cry. But would it be able to live up to Crytek's acclaimed original?

The first thing you'll notice about Far Cry 2 is the environment, which is nothing short of stunning. Creating an environment as gorgeous as Far Cry 2's is an achievement in itself, but considering the huge scale and the fact that there are no loading screens, it's fair to say that Ubisoft Montreal have outdone themselves (no small feat after developing 'Assassin's Creed'). Whether you're skulking through the undergrowth, flooring it across the desert, or hang gliding over a valley, you'll be in awe at just how beautiful the world of Far Cry 2 is.

Sneak up on enemies while they're...ooh...that's a lovely sunrise...

A great environment is nothing without great gameplay to compliment it, and initially it seemed Far Cry 2 didn't have that. It moves slowly at first, and getting used to fighting in an open environment is a steep learning curve, especially since you're overcoming malaria. But, if you have patience, and persevere, you'll be rewarded with one of the best first person shooters on the 360.

As you complete missions, you'll be able to unlock and purchase more weapons, and as your arsenal grows, you'll be able to tailor how you approach the game to what suits you best. If you want to be subtle, you can try skulking through the undergrowth in a camouflage suit. Or you can just burn your way through the same undergrowth with a flame-thrower. The variety of ways in which you can approach the Far Cry 2 constantly keeps the gameplay fresh and, more importantly, fun. This is what makes Far Cry 2 great – the more you play it, the more fun it gets, and not many games are as fun as Far Cry 2 becomes.

Not everyone favours the subtle approach

On top of that, the single player is incredibly immersive, and this is thanks to the realistic approach. For a start, there's no HUD (Heads Up Display) unless you bring it up – by healing, picking up ammo, or checking your map – or unless the game is notifying you of something. Far Cry 2 is littered with similar equally brilliant and realistic features. As you're digging bullets out of your leg, frantically slapping a jammed weapon so that you can return fire, or just watching a herd of zebras scatter as you drive across the savannah, you'll realise that Far Cry 2 has reached a new level of immersion and realism. And you'll love it.

The only real flaw with Far Cry 2's single player is the guard posts dotted throughout the landscape, which are less of a hazard, and more of a chore. A repetitive chore at that, since you'll be encountering another guard post every ten or so minutes. The only way around them is to risk your car by driving off road, or by fast travelling to certain points on the map. But giving us this beautiful world to explore, then effectively forcing fast travel, feels broken. There are other, niggling faults in Far Cry 2, like people aiming in the opposite direction but still managing to land shots, or the foliage being so thick that you can't see your enemies, but they're still able to see you. But, with everything else about Far Cry 2 being as excellent as it is, these are forgiveable in the long run.

The map editor is Far Cry 2 is, by far, the most advanced map editor in any console shooter, and makes Halo 3's 'Forge' mode looks like toddlers building blocks by comparison. It's incredibly deep, with thousands of different features to edit - from the basic size and style of the map, to the time of day – and allows you to finally create your own, unique maps. An overwhelmingly brilliant feature, which raises the standard of console map editors above and beyond what Halo 3 did with Forge.

Making a drawbridge on Foundry stops being cool when you redecorate square miles of Africa.

Coincidently, the map editor has a massive impact on the online play. While ranked matches use default multiplayer maps, unranked matches allow you to download the host's customised map before the game, or to take your own maps online. It's a brilliant new feature, and while you'll have to wait an extra couple of minutes for a game, it's worth it to see what other players have created.

The multiplayer itself is nothing revolutionary, probably because all the revolutionary ideas were exhausted elsewhere. It's a class based multiplayer, with five different classes to choose from and upgrade, and four game types, which are simply variants of old, familiar game types (for example, Capture The Diamond works exactly like Capture the Flag). Ubisoft Montreal made a couple of bad decisions for the multiplayer – such as not allowing you to pick up dropped weapons – but as a whole, it holds it's own, and can be genuinely good fun. It's not about to knock Call of Duty 4 off it's perch, though.

While there are some flaws, Far Cry 2 is nonetheless a stunning game, easily ranking as one of the best single players I've had the fortune to play on Xbox 360. Don't let the slow start put you off, because eventually you will be rewarded with a slick, fun, and immersive experience. There's no restrictions, just a big box of toys, a huge playground, and no need to play nice. Play this game, because you'd be missing out if you didn't.

9/10

May or may not have spent 20 minutes chasing after a zebra – tomdoodle16@live.co.uk