Dear Crytek..

User Rating: 6 | Far Cry PC
By Scavija | Review Date:
First of all, I would like to extend my earnest congratulations to you for your paramount success pertaining your highly acclaimed first person shooter, Far Cry. You seemingly emerged out of nowhere, and before long, were celebrated by hundreds of thousands of gamers and by the press alike. Furthermore, you arose to contend the two most anticipated sequels of all time of the genre, which in itself is an incredibly bold move, especially considering how Far Cry is your first released game. What's even moreso spectacular is that in the eyes of many, your game is the one that came out on top, effectively trumping both DooM 3 and Half-Life 2, both of which had not only spectacular and revolutionary predecessors, but were also under development by two prominent and experienced giants of the industry. Needless to say, your achievements are nothing short of amiable and impressive, and for this I respect you.

Now, all courteous and appraising affirmations aside, there is this one question that's been burning in my mind since I first played through Far Cry;
WHY?! WHY, OH GOD WHY?! Why did you ruin what could have been one of the most amazing and immersive games of all time?! It eludes me. But, before I elaborate on how, what, when and where you messed up, it would be unfair of me to not talk about the things I really did enjoy about your game, because it really isn't bad per se, it just falls short of its mark. Big time.

The gameplay in the beginning is exquisite; Your surreptitious "hide and seek" elements are fused seamlessly with your lush and gorgeous rendition of what could only be described as a paradise under siege, right from the very inception exuding a lavish and mysterious atmosphere thick as custard.
The "open" design of the outdoor maps work well enough at most times, giving me the opportunity to chose my own approach to a challenge (Although, ultimately, it doesn't have any impact on the game whether I chose to take on all the enemies at once, or lure them one by one into a deadly trap).
The occasionally quirky AI aside, the mercenaries usually put up a good fight, attempting to sneak up and flank me, frequently taking cover and shouting out commands to one another.
The weaponry, while somewhat underwhelming and paltry, provides fairly consistent and reliable ways to disposing of my foes. They feel just fine, and they sound pretty good.
The visual style and presentation is just great, especially the lush jungles and gorgeous sandy beaches.
Together, it makes for an excellent and immersive experience that's fairly unique and innovative. You let this run for a couple of hours into the game, ensuring me that I am in for one hell of a ride. As I progress, I am further presented hints pertaining to the Great Mystery of the paradise under siege, the plot thickens, yada yada, etc etc. This is where it all goes downhill. (Spoilers ahead) It starts off well enough with a gorgeous beach encompassed by cliffs and vegetation, and a good deal of mercs to shoot in the face. Once I have persevered through that encounter, I haphazardly stumble through a damp cavern/pumping station, shoot a handful of mercs in the face and finally ride an elevator. Cue to you "dropping the bomb" on me, and unleashing what could only be described as probably the biggest and most critical design flaw ever to be intentionally featured in a game, effectively savaging the entire experience in the most unabashed and repugnant fashion imaginable.

TRIGENS?!

Whoever conceived the idea of shoving MUTANTS down the throat of the unsuspecting player ought to be fired and labeled a moron on a permanent basis. I mean, seriously, HOW does one possibly justify the implementation of MUTANTS (Inexorable little bastards, too, I might add) in a shooter that which started off as a solid game of jungle-themed "hide and seek" with guns? It doesn't make any kind of sense, and only serves as a detrimental kick to the face. To top it all off, you decided to take the checkpoint approach on saving, which if done correctly could heighten the intensity of the gameplay and can provide an incentive to persevere through many of the game's challenges. This does not apply to your game, however. Far Cry's checkpoint system is, for the most part, severely broken. Some of the checkpoints are seemingly placed with absolutely no foresight, consideration nor any tangible logic, rendering a handful parts of the game just incessant and unrelenting. Also, the difficulty is extremely inconsistent. At times, it's a breeze, and at others, it's a frustrating "trial and error" procedure, which, coupled with the checkpoints, is not what I consider an integral nor an entertaining part of any game.

Asserting whether I like Far Cry or not is a very difficult thing to determine. The beginning is nothing short of incredible. Few games are as immersive and beautiful. However, once you cross paths with the TRIGEN, it's beyond salvation. So much potential, such an amazing concept, such an inexcusable way of treating it in the end.

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