Is this the first person shooter game of the 2005? It has my vote. The gameplay emphasizes stealth and downright, all-out war - Rambo style. Any game that puts the cheat codes in the menu knows that it is a tough and sometimes frustrating game. The AI is so well done even the most advanced FPS players will have to be at their best or die like the rest. There are mercenaries who shoot first and don't care that your name is lurking everywhere. This heavenly paradise on Earth has become Jack Carter's own personal Hell.
You are Jack Carter, a man who has done many horrific things in his past. With a little luck and the cash he made on his last mission, he thought he had managed to escape the civilized world and purchase a tropical island to hide on. Along comes a good looking female reporter (Val) who hires his pride and joy vessel "Lady Karma" for what was to be a picture-taking event for a magazine. Jack finds out really quickly, after she goes for a joy ride on his jet ski, that he is now in a desperate situation. His vessel is destroyed, and he is now a hunted man again. It seemed to me it was all a ruse to get this bad mofo (Jack Carter) back in action to take down another bad mofo discretely (in political terms). Why is it always a good looking female that can turn a humbled male's life inside out? Jack takes the bait and it is up to you the player to save the pretty damsel in distress. Jack is in for many surprises in this action filled island adventure.
The gameplay is linear in the story mode. You try to get from point A to point B without getting overrun by the hordes of well-trained and well-armed mercenaries in your way. That in itself can be the highlight of your day, or the agony of being the only one using a knife in a gun fight. Stealth can be your only ticket out of this Hell. There is a new element that adds another dimension to the gaming adventure called "feral instincts." You don't acquire these special abilities until you have proven yourself capable. The feral instincts are acquired after you just thought you were getting the hang of the game. You acquire them in a most unsatisfactory way. The adrenaline that fuels the feral attacks is gained from a found MRE pack, or by creating your own by using stealth and pulling off stealth maneuvers worthy of such a rush. The feral instincts can make your day or be your demise; they have their limitations.
This is one of the first Xbox games that I have played that has a descent map editor. If one should get tired of dying (Heaven Forbid!), go make your own map. These maps can be shared online and multiplayer. You can make your own map, but you can't make the opponent more stupid. The graphics are really well done. It is a nice feeling playing commando in the daylight of the tropics, where you can enjoy all the beauty around. Don't stop and partake in too many of the tropical distractions that abound! Not paying attention will only get you killed and you will die. It's not that you don't have the capabilities to accomplish the mission, but the intensity requires full concentration and patience on the part of the player. The trick of the game is to adapt and evolve to survive. How to accomplish that task is now fully on your shoulders. When the skills were fully developed, then experiencing the real beast inside Jack forever changed my view of humanity and its frailty.
There are seven vehicle types that are provided, and you will have to master them all. There are also 17 weapons to be mastered. My favorite weapon is the silenced 9mm and the butterfly knife. By using my best stealth and either of these weapons, I could sneak up and steal the opponent's wallet and have a snack before I had to eliminate them. One close range shot to the head, and the bad guy is out of action. The silenced weapons also will not bring too much of the surrounding cavalry down on you all at once. Jack's bare hands become lethal weapons once feral instinct is obtained. In the feral attack state, Jack can literally rip the mercenaries' heads off. You just can't put a number on this game for the thrills of being a predator in a hostile environment. The numbers just don't go that high.
Web sites have written a thorough guide to Far Cry, because nobody really wants to reload a game as many times as most people will have to. Whether you need tips handling one of the vehicles, assistance getting to the next checkpoint, or simply want to finish a mission before you keel over from frustration and aggravation, they have you covered. The guides are useful, but most only cover a single option to accomplish the goal. You will find that there are multitudes of scenarios to accomplish the intended goals.
I am a very outgoing and generous person (to a fault). If you wanted the shirt off my back I would give it to you and go find another for me. I love to game and write. I am opinionated in my views....comes with age and life's environment - I guess! I love the sun and its warmth and people who can communicate without whining or getting offended easily. I am straight-forward and shoot from the hip. I say what I feel and hold back just enough to keep people from whacking me. I have been a gamer since they invented games or as long as I have been alive at least...in case you don't believe in past lives. Computers and electronics are my base hobbies. I am basically a jack of all trades, but a master of none. I know just enough about many subjects to converse intelligently with people or get into trouble working over my head. I do dive in and worry about getting out after the plunge. So far, I have survived very well with this my positive attitude and trust in human nature. I was disabled in a multi-car/truck accident that broke my neck, but I chose to carry on and not give up. I live a simple life and make my own complexities to add spice. My gaming abilities are only limited by some of my physical loses. My brain is fully functional and working 24/7/365. Sleep is for the weak - I will get enough sleep when they start throwing dirt on what’s left of me. My favorite skill is creating - whether it is artsy or mechanical.
