The protagonist of the original game, Jack Carver, is nowhere to be found in Far Cry 2, as the title is more or less a reboot or do-over of the central conceit of the original game; namely, an enormous, convincing locale for the player to traverse in a non-linear fashion. Ubisoft Montreal have dispensed with the science fiction trappings and honed their laser-sights on providing a grittier, more down-to-earth scenario. The player assumes the role of one of nine different mercenaries who are embedded in the midst of a vicious civil war which rages in a fictional African nation.
Carnage as far as the eye can see. Bless.
Two factions struggle for supremacy: the United Front for Liberation and Labour and the Alliance for Popular Resistance, and both are beying for blood and control. The player must ally himself with these major factions and other interested parties in order to locate and assassinate The Jackal, a mysterious antagonist who deals arms to both sides of the war and presumably sits atop a throne of bullet-riddled corpses.
Of course, pinning The Jackal down will not be easy, especially when one realises that the main character is afflicted with a nasty case of malaria. This ailment must be managed and controlled with periodic doses of medication delivered through injections, lest you be overcome by sickness. This level of vulnerability is one of many unusual features of Far Cry 2 which are sure to impress.
Another is of course the wide-open nature of the game, spanning over fifty square kilometres and ranging from spacious savannahs to dense African jungle. Players will traverse this enormous environment by way of jeeps, boats, hang-gliders and more, performing missions for various factions which largely involve using the gorgeously-rendered weapons on offer.
Moooonnrriiivvveerrrrr...
What really sets Far Cry 2 apart from the competition at this stage is its slavish devotion to realism and simulation. The game offers a full twenty-four hour day and night cycle and a range of climate effects ranging from thunder storms to sweltering sunsets, and the land is populated by a plethora of wildlife, lovingly crafted and designed with AI routines which mimic their real-life counterparts; startle a herd of gazelles, for example, and the beasts will flee as a group, causing a noticeable ruckus and alerting the enemy to your position.
Great use is also made of fire; the player can brandish this elemental force in any way they see fit, whether it be lighting fires and allowing the wind to carry it to your enemy, creating a barrier of flames to protect yourself, or setting buildings alight to flush out their occupants. Items such as live ammo rounds and grenades will also react realistically upon coming into contact with fire, exploding in a shower of sparks and bestowing any enemy unfortunate enough to be in close proximity with an ignominious death.
In all fairness, however, at least their death will look slick; Far Cry 2 is a visually-sumptuous game, albeit not quite able to match Crytek's own Crysis for sheer technical bravado. The African landscape is utterly convincing, with foliage and grass that sways in the breeze and allows for sunlight to filter through branches. The PC version, at least, will provide most players with decent rigs with an immersive experience nearly unmatched by the genre. The Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 versions are similarly gorgeous, but slightly rougher around the edges and showing clear signs of struggle in rendering such a vast, largely-seamless environment. Make no mistake, though - no matter which platform a given player prefers, Far Cry 2 will offer high-quality presentation and provide some breath-taking sights.
The heat is, er...on?
A few question marks hover around the periphery of the game, even at this late stage. The quality of the multiplayer, which looks set to offer a fairly standard set of classic multiplayer staples including deathmatches and 'capture the flag' scenarios, is still a questionable prospect. Similarly, it remains to be seen whether the game holds together in terms of pacing and difficulty. Offering such a wide-open world without a save-anywhere option, at least in the console versions, is a risky proposition and may lead to some serious balance issues and frustration. Not to mention, whether a game so non-linear and packing so much travel-time between key locales can maintain the intensity of the action is also an unknown.
For now, we are willing to give Ubisoft Montreal the benefit of the doubt, and in any case, the true quality of the game will become apparent when Far Cry 2 releases on October 23. Pack your suitcases, and stay tuned for PALGN's full review.
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