Far Cry Instincts

"Carver your way out of this one Jack"

The PC has given the X-Box some awesome shooters over its time, Doom 3 and Half Life 2 being some. Thanks to the PC, we are also introduced to Far Cry Instincts, the game that puts you literally behind a killing monster. With superb graphics and a storyline to match, Far Cry has turned out to be one of the best shooters for the X-Box.

Probably the most talked about feature of Far Cry is its game play. It's so simple in some areas, but also very aggravating. Shooting and your Instinct powers couldn't be easier to use. I was never confused or lost once. Even though such things as tree traps were a little un-fun to master, they were extremely effective, but didn't exactly, make me jump for joy. Because you had to set the trap, throw rocks to it, which just made the AI jumpy and crazy, and then lure them to your trap, hoping that they don't see you while searching the area.

Which brings me to my next complaint; I thought that the stealth part of the game was just a pain. Not only was it extremely annoying when you try to sneak in the tall grass, but get caught, but it just made the enemy get free shots at you while you jump up and attack. Not to say it wasn't impressive. It was an extremely cool feature in the game, and I was able to get multiple cool stealth kills using it, but it was just a little aggravating if you didn't do it perfectly.

One very cool thing that I liked about the multiplayer portion though, was the ability to create your own maps. Unfortunately I never really got to try it, no Live, and when I did at a friends house, every where I played on one created by someone, looked like it was made by a semi mentally handicapped hippo. It was cool but it wasn't very great for un-creative people.

Vehicles were also very aggravating to use to. The controls were simple for them, but they handled like nothing I have ever seen. The four wheelers were, fun to use, but they got annoying while trying to drive against two other enemy's and helicopters.

But AI are probably the smartest AI I have ever seen in a game. They will dock for cover. They will call for reinforcements. They will do anything they can, to survive.

Probably one of the most interesting story's this year. It was short, and it seemed to just be prolonging the end just to make it last. The game starts with you, Jack Carver, escorting a journalist to a remote island. After a surprise run in with some mercenaries, you will soon find yourself alone, stranded, and with no weapon but your hands.

The story is actually very interesting, and full of surprises and turns. I thought it tried a little too hard to stay with its original plot, and that just makes it confusing and very annoying. But it's good none the less.

Far Cry provides such a great atmosp[ere sound wise, I couldn't believe how realistic it was. It was as if you were truly on the paradise islands. The chirping of tropical birds and water sound effects went into such detail. Grass rustles more or less when you move through it, depending on how stealthy you truly are. Guns also sounded amazing. All of them sound as if they were real, and provided a lot more quality than other games. Grenades were realistic just as well, and vehicles also sound awesome. Voice acting was good, not the greatest I have ever seen in a video game, but still were alright.

Graphics are defiantly the greatest part of Far Cry. IT LOOKS SPECTACUALR! I have never been so impressed with graphics than with this game. Chronicles of Riddick and Half Life can step back, because Far Cry truly stands as probably the best on the X-Box. The lighting effects were so richly in detail. From mid afternoon, to sun set, I was never so in awe with the suns glare in a video game. Water also looked really good to. Whether I was swimming under it, or I was blaring down a river filled with mines dodging mercenary fire from both sides.

Character models looked awesome to, they didn't really go into as much detail as Half Life 2's or Halo 2's AI characters, but they were still great. The whole game is told in first person, much like Riddick, but cut scenes in this game are also in first person, which added a lot of light into the game.

I haven't been this impressed with an FPS since Halo 2 to tell it honestly. Game play, is fun, if not a little annoying, and the story is a little stale towards the end, but graphics and the great sounds gladly made up for it. I would say buy it. It's not the greatest FPS ever made, but Far Cry is still worth a buy. Far Cry made the transfer from PC was spectacular overall, and is defiantly worth a look at for FPS gamers, or if you just want a fun game to play.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 12/13/05, Updated 01/04/06