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.
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