I was playing Far Cry the other night and came upon those invisible dudes... Crazy. I almost crapped myself. The way they used that "predator-like effect" was awesome. Yet another reason why this currently is the top contender for "Game of the Year".

You know... It almost brings a tear to my eye to know that Half-Life 2 will definitely take the top game award. As much as I have anticipated Half-Life 2, something in me wants to see this little guy Crytek win. But hey, there's no arguing that they created one helluva game and definitely raised the bar for first-person shooters across the board!!

I'm amazed at the level of freedom Far Cry gives me.

Nearly every 1st person shooter I've played has had the tendency to create blatantly obvious and for the most part remedial looking borders in their game maps. There's nothing worse than seeing a car blocking your path that you know in real life you just as easily climb over or go under or a knee high barrier that you for whatever reason are unable to jump high enough over.

Far Cry does a superb job at creating natural borders that give me a feeling that I'm in control and I'm choosing the route. Even when I decide to drive a boat out into the open ocean at least the programmers had the courtesy, the decency of thinking up an idea that radar will pick you up and send a chopper to disperse you. Instead of making you hit an invisible barrier, or just plainly not insult my intelligence by creating an obviously passable barrier.