Far Cry 2

[Slowtrain]

So I've been playing Far Cry 2 for a bit and thought I would post some general thoughts about the game for anyone who is thinking of picking it up. Bear in mind, I am still pretty early in what is supposedly a fairly lengthy single-player campaign, so these thoughts may or may not hold up over the long haul. This is pretty much just some general observations about gameplay without being too specific about anything. SO not much in the way of potential spoilers.

 

Basically Far Cry 2 is a free-roaming shooter. You choose to play as one of several pre-defined characters and are plopped down in the middle of a small African nation and are allowed to go anywhere you want at any time, taking whatever risks you choose.

 

There is a main story, which appears to unfold in a series of main quest missions, which you are mostly able to pick up as you see fit. There are also missions for each of several different factions. As well as freelance adventuring and scavenging.

 

 

Although during the introduction (which is quite well done) and tutorial section you do see civilians, once the "real" game starts the entire country appears to be one huge combat zone with a handful of people who are on your side, a handful of quest related persons, and everybody else who is carrying rifles and pointing them at you. The civilians and non-combatants have all aparently fled between the end of the tutorial and the start of the game. lol. The main city, which is where the various factions are headquartered has a semi cease-fire, so you can walk around without being attacked, as long as you don't initiate combat or go into an off-limits area.

 

The basic gameplay consists of taking quests to either further the story or acquire various helpful items and considerations and a lot of freelance exploring.

 

The primary carrot for the exploration part of the game is diamonds. There is a wide variety of weapons, upgrades, and equipment enhancements that can be acquired from the arms dealers, all of which cost mucho diamonds. Diamonds here function as the de facto currency of this war-torn country. You also need to curry favor with the arms dealers by doing quests for them for which they reward you by offering better gear for sale. DIamonds are scattered about the country in small amounts; the more you can find, the better the gear you can afford. It's an interesting, somewhat non-linear, approach to the more usual way of how FPS games dole out new weapons. You also recieve diamonds as compensations for quests as well.

 

There also appears to be at least one thing related to the main quest that you also find in your explorations.

 

You can develop relationships with other mercs termed "buddies" (a little goofy but what the hey) and they will help you out in various ways, offering suggestions of different ways to complete quests, coming to help you if you are in big trouble in combat and so forth.

 

As an FPS of course, this game is all about combat. Your enemies are a variety of thugs, soldeirs, mercs and general ne'er-do-wells. I started my first game on normal, but after playing for a while, decided that seemed too easy, and started a second game on hard (there is a super-hard difficulty as well). ANd yes, at this level combat is rather challenging. The country is covered with a variety of installations ranging from little 2 soldier scout teams to larger squad sized outposts that guard most of the roads to apparently entire forts.

 

For combat you have you usual assortment of rifles, pistols, grenade launchers, mortars, rpgs, submachine guns, sniper rifles and what not. You can only carry four weapons total from each particular category, so you need to choose what you carry based on how you like to fight. The biggest difficulty so far in combat is that the AI is darn hard to see amongst all the trees and bushes, but once combat starts they appear not to have much difficulty seeing you. Still in general, I find it works well enough to break off an attack and scoot for cover and lose yourself in the bush. The AI seems reasonably limited in its ability to detect you if you go about things in a reasonably stealthy manner. I tried to set up one situation where I was going to kill all the guards with a machete as they came out to take a wee, since they all semed to like to wee in the same spot, but that didn't really work out. heh.

 

So far overall, its a pretty good FPS experience.

 

A few minor complaints:

 

The map interface is cumbersome, and to find your way around you HAVE to keep opening your map. Constantly. Realistic, I suppose but a bit tedious. Plus the map has a tendency to block most of your view.

 

The HUD is basically non-existent. Most of the time, there is nothing on your screen except your view of the world. I can guess that the developers were intentionally going for this, but not being able to see your health level at a glance is more distracting than immersive. I have to keep pressing the Reload key which briefly brings up the info.

 

There are a lot of vehicles in the game and they are very driveable. Not at all twitchy or hard to control which is good. And the country is BIG. So its nice to have all these jeeps and stuff to motor around in. Problem is that there are so many outposts scattered about as well as patrol jeeps, that driving a vehicle of your own is like standing up and screaming "Shoot me, Please!" at the top of your lungs. I drove around a bit early, then gave it up in favor of a more stealthy off-road and on foot approach which seems to do a lot better at avoiding attention. But it takes a bit of time to get from place to place.

 

 

Overall, its a pretty interesting and complex shooter so far. My guess is it lacks any super-dramatic scripted story-line given its desire to be so open and freeform, but like I said it is still way to early to say for sure.

 

 

It's really kind of a cross between the original Far Cry and STALKER, which I guess is pretty good.

[Strix]

Hummm... I might have to try it out, although the DRM is still a detractor. Still, I like how you get your authorizations back and will definitely take that into consideration.

[Slowtrain]

Hummm... I might have to try it out, although the DRM is still a detractor. Still, I like how you get your authorizations back and will definitely take that into consideration.

 

 

Yeah, it did have the online activation apparently. I wasn't aware of that when I bought it, but it wouldn't have made a difference. For me, personally, it doesn't make much sense to choose what games I buy or don't buy based on the DRM scheme. For me, there are so few games that I am really interested in and if I do find a game that looks interesting and appears to be mostly bug free, then I am going to buy it regardless of the DRM. Worrying about what might or might not go wrong with the DRM seems to me a lot like worrying about being struck by lightning and consequently never going outside. Its just not a way that I am ever going to choose to live my life.

 

But, I probably should have mentioned the DRM in the original post given the attention DRM is getting these days. So thanks for doing so.

[Hell Kitty]

With all the driving around I was reminded more of Boiling Point than STALKER. Except in BP at least I could pass through checkpoints unmolested thanks to alliances, but here it seem everyone wants to kill me.

 

After the tutorial I was mostly hunting diamonds, which you find in almost exactly the same way you find artifacts in Clear Sky. I agree that it's annoying the when the map obscures your view, especially when diamond hunting, but I always have the map open when in a vehicle because it doesn't get in the way. Why can't he do that out of the vehicle?

 

The first mission I took was from the arms dealer, involving eliminating some competition, which I did. Then I ran out of rifle ammo and didn't like my chances with just my pistol considering I was surrounded by a crapload of guys and more were coming, so I stole a jeep and got the hell out of there. I drove right past the two guard posts I had just cleaned out minutes and then they too started chasing me. Good times.

 

Now I went back to the bar and me and Warren are going to go on a mission. I rescued Warren after stumbling across him while I was hunting for diamonds. My bestest homie is Flora and my second bestest is Ferenc? That guy who was with the IDF.

 

How many pills do those containers have? I've used three already and I'm kinda paranoid I'm going to run out lost in the middle of the jungle and end up dying alone.

[Slowtrain]

How many pills do those containers have? I've used three already and I'm kinda paranoid I'm going to run out lost in the middle of the jungle and end up dying alone.

 

 

I don't know. I've taken about 5, I think, of my first supply. I don't take them immediately when I first have an attack, but hold off until the fits seems to be getting worse. I hope that isn't killing me. I, too, am worried about running out at a bad time. Scawy.

 

 

You know, I just looked at the paper map that came with the game, thinking maybe it could be helpful (which it might sorta be), and noticed that the gameworld is 2x the size I thought it was! There's the whole southern districit which I didn't even know existed!

 

Cripes. Its a huge gameworld.

[Maria Caliban]

Can you steal ammo from dead enemies?

 

If I were going to choose between this and STALKER: Clear Sky, which would you recommend?

[Slowtrain]

Can you steal ammo from dead enemies?

 

 

You have to pick up their weapons and unload them. (the unloading happens automatically) then pick your weapon back up. (You can only carry one weapon of a type at a time)

 

I run out all the time. WIthout any equipment upgrades, you can only carry about 3 30 round magazines for your assult rifle. I have been done to like 10 rounds and almost no health stumbling through the night bush.

 

 

If I were going to choose between this and STALKER: Clear Sky, which would you recommend?

 

 

Haven't played it yet.

[Strix]

If I were going to choose between this and STALKER: Clear Sky, which would you recommend?

 

I liked Clear Sky and thought it was great, although Far Cry 2 also looks like a good game. If the DRM is an issue though, get the North American boxed version of Clear Sky and you will not have to deal with limited installations or anything like that.

[Hell Kitty]

Oh I just realized what the special crates are for, awesome.

 

MC: Have you played the original STALKER?

[Maria Caliban]

Oh I just realized what the special crates are for, awesome.

 

MC: Have you played the original STALKER?

 

 

Yes.

[Hell Kitty]

Then I'd recommend FC2, if only because it's something different. I though S:CS started off well but was kind of a let down the further I got.

[Maria Caliban]

Then I'd recommend FC2, if only because it's something different. I though S:CS started off well but was kind of a let down the further I got.

 

 

Okay, so for me FC2 > S:CS. What about Dead Space?

 

(Maria does not have alot of dosh and is saving for Fallout 3)

[newc0253]

i liked Far Cry 1 but Crysis bored and annoyed me. if it's a return to the relative simplicity of Far Cry, then that's something i appreciate.

[Hell Kitty]

What about Dead Space?

 

I haven't played that yet, I figured I'd get through this and Fable 2 first.

[Bokishi]

I like this game so far but Crysis is a bit better

[Gorgon]

I got tied of crysis somewhere in the huge spaceship, I also thought the suit controls were annoying. You can either run too slowly, or too fast for 2 seconds. You can't jump anywhere until the strength thing has recharged, real stealth would have been preferable to a magic button. etc, etc.

 

This is another one of those you can only install 3 times games isn't it. That means bargain bin for me. Anyway I got my taste of the engine already.

Edited October 24, 2008 by Gorgon

[Kaftan Barlast]

I was really surpised when I ran this game for the first time because I hadnt read anything about it. It really doesnt have ANYTHING in common with the original game, apparently Ubisoft just took a game that USM were already making and slapped the name Farcry2 on it to boost sales.

 

 

Its quite interesting though, once I got over the shock. Since its not a straight-up FPS like the original Farcry or Crysis I dont really think its fair to compare them. Its more like Stalker if one was to find something similar

[Hurlshort]

Is this game mod-able? I really like the setting, but if you've got respawns happening the way it sounds, I'm not going to be happy. I'd love for them to just completely turn off respawning, so it actually matters when you clean a guard post out.

[Slowtrain]

Is this game mod-able? I really like the setting, but if you've got respawns happening the way it sounds, I'm not going to be happy. I'd love for them to just completely turn off respawning, so it actually matters when you clean a guard post out.

 

 

The only thing I can suggest would be to play on a lower difficulty.

 

Seriously, when I first played on Normal difficulty combat was not terribly difficult. I could pretty much walk up to four man guard post and take it out with little pain. I'm sure that the larger installations would be correspondingly more difficult, but for the typical post that guards most of the roads, not so much.

 

On Hard difficulty the posts have more soldiers and the combat is tougher and getting by them is more about avoidance than confrontation since the pain inflicted is more than the rewards are worth and resources need to be conserved for the primary objective. To me that seems more enjoyable.

 

Anway, as a caveat, I should add that resapwns really don't bother me at all in games for the most part, so take anything I say with a grain of salt.

[Aristes]

I don't mind tough battles, and I don't hate respawns per se. I do hate tedium, however. If I have to travel the same areas and I'm constantly fighting the same battle or taking ten minutes to avoid it, then that's going to be a distraction.

 

So it's more of a FPS/RPG sort of thing like Stalker? We've got stores and whatnot? I dunno. I could get this on D2D right now. Fry Cry was okay, but I thought Crysis sucked. Pretty graphics, I guess, but I pretty much agree with Gorgon otherwise.

 

How is it for just shootem up fun? I mean, if I wanted to treat it like a run n gun, would it be okay? ...And does it have constantly degrading equipment and how intrusive if so?

[Hell Kitty]

Anyway I got my taste of the engine already.

 

No you haven't, this doesn't use the CryEngine.

 

As for modding, there is an editor, but I think it only does multiplayer maps. I'm sure someone will make an extractor for the game files but it's a bit early right now.

 

I'd like it if enemies didn't respawn until you left that region, but so far it hasn't bothered me too much. Turning it off completely would eventually make for an empty gameworld.

 

Anyway, after doing a bunch of missions for the weapons dealer and general exploration (

I managed to find a golden AK, which seem to be rust proof, meaning no jamming

) I took on my first mission. My bestest bud offered me an alternative plan, and the whole thing turned out to be a big pile of awesome. I'd like to know if different buddies offer different plans. Seems unlikely given the number of buddies.

 

I've been saved a bunch of times now by my second bestest buddy. Once all the enemies in the area are dead your bud just stays in that area, and I felt kinda bad just leaving him there out in the middle of nowhere, but I didn't have any other choice. Next time you go to a safehouse they'll be there and they'll ask if you want them to stick around, which puts them back into "rescue ready" mode. I assume if I hit 0 life before that it's lights out for good.

Edited October 24, 2008 by Hell Kitty

[Slowtrain]

I've been saved a bunch of times now by my second bestest buddy. Once all the enemies in the area are dead they just stay in that area themselves, and I felt kinda bad just leaving him there out in the middle of nowhere, but I didn't have any other choice. Next time you go to a safehouse they'll be there and they'll ask if you want them to stick around, which puts them back into "rescue ready" mode. I assume if I hit 0 life before that it's lights out for good.

 

My buddy, the Cuban woman, saved me once, but then I got killed again right away as soon as she put me down and told me to be more careful. Ooops. I think she probably gave up on me as an utter incompetent.

[Kaftan Barlast]

Isnt anyone else bothered by the strange lack of black people? I mean, for Africa, there sure are a lot of white guys around. I want more lastkingofscotland-ishness

 

 

You told me, Jonathan! But you did not convince me!!!

 

 

Anyway I got my taste of the engine already.

No you haven't, this doesn't use the CryEngine.

 

 

Yup, the only thing Farcry2 has to do with Farcry and Crytek is the name. Its made by another studio(Ubi Montreal) using another engine in a whole new setting with new gameplay. Rumour has it that Ubisoft had had this game in development for years before management decided to use the Farcry name, which they owned after publishing Cryteks first game.

Edited October 24, 2008 by Kaftan Barlast

[Starwars]

So it's more of a FPS/RPG sort of thing like Stalker? We've got stores and whatnot? I dunno. I could get this on D2D right now. Fry Cry was okay, but I thought Crysis sucked. Pretty graphics, I guess, but I pretty much agree with Gorgon otherwise.

 

You could maybe say it's a very STALKER lite type of game. Differences are that in FC2, the world really is open and not divided into levels with loading times.

There is a store, but it's not an inventory based game (possibly the biggest loss if you ask me). You order guns through teh interwebz and they show up in a building next to the weapon shop. You can't sell stuff.

 

But yeah, I keep missing stuff from STALKER in this. If the world was slightly more dynamic, and had the factions actually fight each other... Or if there were actually people roaming the world who *don't* want to kill you. And I want the inventory management... Just feels like the game could've been a lot more.

 

It's far less buggy than STALKER though, but yeah... Far Cry 2 is a fun action-game but it's extremely repetetive. I play it in short bursts which works well.

[Hell Kitty]

I don't mind tough battles, and I don't hate respawns per se. I do hate tedium, however. If I have to travel the same areas and I'm constantly fighting the same battle or taking ten minutes to avoid it, then that's going to be a distraction.

 

So it's more of a FPS/RPG sort of thing like Stalker? We've got stores and whatnot? I dunno. I could get this on D2D right now. Fry Cry was okay, but I thought Crysis sucked. Pretty graphics, I guess, but I pretty much agree with Gorgon otherwise.

 

How is it for just shootem up fun? I mean, if I wanted to treat it like a run n gun, would it be okay? ...And does it have constantly degrading equipment and how intrusive if so?

 

It's much more of a straight shooter than STALKER. I've been running and gunning it, but now that I have a silenced MP5 I've been a lot sneakier.

 

There are weapons stores stores all over the places, and they are all identical, just like the safehouses (heh, another similarity to Boiling Point). If the dealer is in the store, you can get a mission to unlock new weapons for sale. There is a computer in the store that allows you to buy new weapons and upgrades. When you buy a weapon it is placed in your armory which is the building next to every weapons store. They offer an unlimited supply of weapons you've bought, all in perfect condition, as well as ammo and grenades. You can also purchase storage crates, which come in primary, secondary and special varieties. You'll find them in every armory and safehouse, and they act kinda like the crates in Resident Evil, except they only hold one item at a time.

 

My buddy, the Cuban woman

 

Who is your number one, the one that offers alternative mission stuff? The Cuban woman, Flora, is mine.

 

Also, what character did you pick? I'm Hakim Echebbi. I don't think it makes a difference, other what the arms holding your weapons looks like.

Edited October 24, 2008 by Hell Kitty