Far Cry

by UBI Soft

Product Features

• Action shooter game set in South Pacific
• Hugely detailed environments and action sequences
• Cunning and complex AI tactics
• Nonlinear gameplay
• For one player

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0000A1VER
• Item Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Media: CD-ROM
• Release Date: March 23, 2004
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (354 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,047 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Game Informer Review

It's not often that an upstart developer comes out with a new engine along with an incredibly polished game. Far Cry, though, is not only notable for being the first entry by Crytek into the crowded PC first-person shooter market – it is quite possibly the best one-player, action-intensive shooter ever. Yes, the multiplayer is good, but the true strength of this title is in the solo experience.

Of all the incredible things I could bring up about the offline experience, the enemy AI is my absolute favorite – the best I've ever seen by a long shot. They react realistically to seeing or hearing things, use cover better than most human players, and call in backup when they're in trouble. To top it all off, different bad guys have distinct AI – there's nothing so awesome (and frustrating) as coming up against better-trained troops who know just how to counter the tactics you've been using to great effect against the grunts.

The variety to be found as you progress through the approximately 20-hour campaign is another unparalleled achievement on Crytek's part. Not once, even for a moment, did I feel that it was a chore to tackle whatever challenge was in front of me. Whether it's the environment, the weapons and gadgets available, new enemies to defeat, or nonstandard objectives to accomplish, Far Cry continually innovates – even after ten hours into the quest, something new was constantly causing my jw to drop in awe. The vehicles integrate seamlessly into the action, whether you're flying across a crystal-clear bay in a speedboat (with a mounted minigun, of course) or evading enemy choppers trying to hunt you down. Additionally, all of the weapons (and the several different grenades) react nicely, including their reload times, rate of fire, and accuracy.

Graphically, Far Cry is right up there with the triple-A titles coming out. The most impressive thing, though, is the draw distance. You can literally see the trees on an island a kilometer away, and fully animated water out to the horizon. Also, lighting is very nice (mottled sunlight filtering through foliage is my new favorite graphical effect), and shadows are quite detailed. The icing on the cake is the incidental effects, which will continually surprise you as you go on. For instance, take a big hit and your vision and hearing will momentarily get all funky.

Between three multiplayer modes and 11 maps, as well as a choice of three kits with weapon choices within those, there's quite a bit of fragalicious fun to be had playing with friends, but the real draw is in the solo play. If you have any desire at all for nigh-perfect solo action, Far Cry is for you.

Concept:
Escape a gorgeous island paradise while stopping a mad scientist's evil schemes

Graphics:
An insane amount of foliage provides ample cover, though textures are kind of basic

Sound:
Not the best voices ever, but every other aspect is brilliant

Playability:
Grenade button! Lean functions! Good vehicle control! For once, I don't get to complain about any of it

Entertainment:
The best, most polished single-player FPS in a heckuva long time (maybe ever) – and the multiplayer ain't half bad, either

Replay:
High

Rated: 9.25 out of 10
Editor: Adam Biessener
Issue: May 2004

2nd Opinion:
I had no idea what to expect from Far Cry, but only minutes in I was hit upside the head with just how good this game is. And that feeling returned time and time again. Do not take the freedom Far Cry gives you for granted. The game's vast vistas open up all sorts of strategic possibilities for you. Given the devious AI, utilizing the map to its fullest is sometimes a must. Not only does the title give you breathtaking landscapes and draw distance, but its interior levels are populated with plenty of shadow play and steam effects to make you gasp. Far Cry betters the sum of its parts by integrating them all superbly. For instance, the pacing perfectly balances the adaptable and fluid enemy AI to not only cater to your playing style, but to constantly replicate both that "calm before the storm" tension and the feeling of unloading a clip while emptying your bowels. A well-crafted game that is effortless to enjoy.

Rated: 9 out of 10
Editor: Matthew Kato


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Product Description

FARCRY BY UBISOFT

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Awesome graphics, solid gameplay, good fun, May 27, 2004

By 

M. S. Hillis (Lynnwood, WA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Far Cry (CD-ROM)

I'm having great fun with this game despite running it on a mediocre system that can't run the game in full graphical flourish. I have a 2.0Ghz P4, 512Mb RAM and an ATI 9800 (the base model, not Pro or XT) card with 128Mb RAM. So it's decent but hardly cutting edge.

Despite the fact that of the eight customizable graphics settings, I have set four to "medium" and four to "low", the graphics are simply the best I've ever seen, on any game at any time. The sky looks absolutely real, the water has noticeable depth and shimmer, and the foliage is lush and crisp. The character models are great -- muscles bulge, clothing wrinkles, and blood sprays in a most vivid fasion. This game alone makes me want to shell out a few thousand for a bleeding-edge system.

The game play is quite solid first-person shooter fare. There are no huge breakthroughs, though there are nice details like a stamina meter for running and holding your breath. The weapons selection is nice -- enough variety to keep you interested but not so broad that there is much overlap. The voice acting is a model of over-the-top action cheesiness, and the bad guys shout their lines with such enthusiastic machismo that you have to laugh. Fun stuff.

The only gripe I have at this point is weak online play. Much of this is no doubt to my location in Asia, which leads to some horrible ping. But it seems I am not alone in thinking the multiplayer needs a bit of tweaking. I guess there is a patch coming out in June that will hopefully resolve some of these issues.

Bottom line: Top-notch job on graphics and setting inject fresh life into the FPS genre. Well worth it, even if your system has to make compromises.

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Paradise Gone Wrong..." -- Everything Else is Right, April 8, 2004

By 

John L. Maillard "Digital Enthusiast" (Toms River, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Far Cry (CD-ROM)

Where to start, where to start? Well, first let me tell you that I am a huge FPS (first-person shooter) fan, whether it's mindless fragfests like Serious Sam or stealth-oriented action like Deus Ex or the Thief series. I've been waiting for the "next big thing" in FPS for quite some time, namely Half-Life 2, but I think the next big thing has arrived sooner than expected, and its name is Far Cry.

Let me get this out of the way before I go on: Unless your PC is is a stud monster with preferably 2.5 - 3.0 GHz processing speed, lots of RAM (1,000+), and a gaudy video card (Radeon 9800), you won't get the full effect from this game. Still, even on a mid-range system with graphics toned down to medium, you will be absolutely blown away. I know I was, and still am.

Using the supercool Crytek engine, Ubisoft has created a game that features sensational graphics, terrific AI, decent plot, and unusual locales, namely the Caribbean. Where this game stands out is its graphics engine, which lets you see for miles and offers an unparalleled setting ever seen in a computer game. But be warned: don't expect to just walk into huts on the sand and start blasting away at mercenaries. These guys are good, calling for cover and flanking you every chance they get. You'll have to think about how you're going to approach each mission, and even then, you'll be required to make quick adjustments, thanks to the assault jeep that just showed up right behind you or the gunship that is raining missles from the sky. No two missions are alike, as the AI learns as they go, adjusting to your moves and reacting accordingly. Terrific stuff.

The voices are a little over-the-top, which absolutely fits this very over-the-top game. The standard "mad scientist creates some monsters from human DNA" plot is a bit trite, but the presentation of the entire game makes up for it, with engaging cut scenes and terrific direction to your next objective. Overall, though, sounds lend a distinct feel to the game, as the birds chirp when you're outside on the island and waves lap against the shore, or your pinned underneath a palm tree with a chopper armed to the teeth sending death from above, the whup-whup-whup filling your ears as the world goes black.

Real-world weapons are at your disposal four at a time, and they do the job very nicely. Crouching and arming yourself with an MP90 in the islands has never been so much fun. And you can drive many, if not all, of the vehicles in the game, including jeeps, assault trucks, gunboats, and even hangliders, which is a nice change of pace from the usual duck-cover-shoot tasks involved with each mission.

Each mission is very well defined, but by no means is this game linear. You can get to the endpoint any way you want. If you want to take the whole guerilla army on headfirst, go right ahead. If you want to sneak around and shoot them from underneath the huts, you can do that too. Ubisoft has put the entire game in your hands, and it makes for some truly exciting, innovative gameplay. Some people will have a problem with the difficulty level and overall problems with getting it running at decent speed on a minimally equipped system, but look past this. Also, the auto-save system is a little annoying (no quick saves), forcing you to go through the same mission until you get it right and it reaches the next auto-save point.

Not since Half Life has a game been so immersive, so unique, and so rewarding in its gameplay. Far Cry presents PC gamers with a tough challenge that shouldn't be missed.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jump from your jeep, October 12, 2004

By 

Joe Merchant - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Far Cry (CD-ROM)

I recently purchased a new Dell 9100 laptop (2.8 ghz, 512MB RAM, 128MB ATI graphics card) and planned on waiting for HL2 as my first game for the new PC. Finally, I broke down and decided to try FarCry. Now I'm not sure if I'll bother with HL2!

Initial thoughts upon playing:
I was relieved to find crate-breaking (half-life) was not required. Also, players are limited to four weapons. I love that aspect as it makes me think. I want a game that makes me think. Finally, there is something VERY COOL about sneaking through a jungle and hiding in the thickets.

What's good:
I'm playing the game on the medium skill set and this seems to work well for this experienced gamer. There is a realistic setting that will make for fun replayability. The cut scenes, so far, are well done. Vehicles CAN BE DRIVEN AND REACT LIKE REAL VEHICLES. For example (here is a hint), I was sitting in a buggy, just off the road and an enemy buggy was coming around the bend. I gunned the motor and jumped out. The vehicle's momentum kept it going and the two vehicles crashed and blew up. Game physics; guy dies on a grassy slope and he slides to the bottom. I've pushed a few dead bodies off of a path to cover my tracks (ok, I didn't need to but it added to the realism for me). Enemy AI is good. AND THE NUMBER ONE BEST PART OF PLAYING IS - very little linear gameplay. I can walk around the islands, swim from one island to another, drive a boat, buggy, almost anywhere I please. If I don't want to storm the main gate then I can look to other routes or just tan on the beach.

What's bad:
Had one instance of a machine-gun sound sticking and had to restart that area. Not that big of a deal. I had to re-bind a lot of the controls to more logical bindings but at least I had that option. Length of time for sprinting could be longer. There was an instance in which I was being flanked from both sides and my only option was to RUN! Then again, it's more realistic to sprint, turn and lay down a few shots, and sprint some more. Dying, dying is bad. Getting ammo supplies is easy enough but I'm still looking for a spare bottle of suntan lotion.


What's really cool to me:
I was driving a boat that I had captured and motored past a school of tropical fish that were swimming around. Very cool. Also, you can look over a valley or out to sea and see boat docks, enemy soldiers walking around, etc. without poly-count issues. Shoot the water and it splashes, that's cool. Real is good.

If you are on the edge in your decision, make the jump. FarCry makes you think, it makes you work, and it makes time for you to stop and admire the ocean view.