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Far Cry 2 is not your typical game. It does very little to shelter you, and will almost never treat you like a newcomer. In fact, it will frustrate you unmercifully long before it becomes enjoyable. Fortunately, not far into the adventure you soon realize that the problem has less to do with the game, and more to do with your willingness to conform to what's being presented. Once you snap to your senses and make the appropriate adjustments, however, you'll find a massive free-roaming playground with your name written all over it. Not giving up and foregoing any initial setbacks will ultimately reveal one of this year's most finely-tuned shooters.
To be perfectly honest, I wasn't overly impressed with the first few hours of Far Cry 2. After a somewhat tame opening sequence I found myself alone with very few resources, and only a handful of indications on what to do and where to go. A civil war has been shredding Africa to pieces, with two opposing factions fighting tooth and nail for the remaining resources, and it's my job to locate and execute The Jackal, the mysterious figure behind much of the turmoil. At this point, this is really all the information that's been provided for me. Armed with only a few select weapons and a run-down car, I set out on my journey with very little back-story or understanding of why I'm currently a guinea pig for hire. Several frustrating attempts later, my mission is completed. Little fanfare ensues, and once again clear knowledge of what lies ahead is virtually nonexistent. Things aren't looking good for my escalated expectations, at least so far. Thankfully, I decided to skip the next recommended mission, and head out into the jungle for a little time on my own. Little did I know, this was the best choice I'd made so far.
Moments later I suddenly realized just how epically recreated the land of Africa is in Far Cry 2. Somewhere in the 50 square kilometers of vast deserts and lush jungles I found myself. I came to the realization that this is exactly what the game intended for me to do; slowly explore this massive land while uncovering safe houses, random missions, hidden diamonds, and shady faction members who had agendas of their own. I could come and go as I pleased, and I loved every second of it. I spent hours upon hours stalking my prey, hiding patiently in the brush as they strolled by, unaware of the fact that their lives would soon end. I can recall the hours spent in the darkness waiting quietly in my jeep with the lights dimmed, hoping and praying that a single vehicle would appear on the distant road, so that I could speed towards them, initiate contact, and watch as they went hurling off the cliff onto the rocks below. These are the types of scenarios that make Far Cry 2 so enthralling, and the best part is most everyone will have separate experiences, or figure out their own twisted way to torment enemies.
Of course, while you could inherently spend an eternity lackadaisically trotting around the game's beautiful landscapes, sooner or later you will have to take on some responsibility if you wish to advance the plot. Thankfully, once you decide which path you'd like to take, you will be glad to know that there's quite a bit of variety associated with the mission structure, which is broken down into multiple categories (Story, Underground, and Faction). Probably the most crucial to your survival are the Underground Missions; the Malaria you've contracted puts some serious limitations on your fatigue levels and ability to sprint for long periods, so performing jobs in exchange for some much-needed medicine is a must. While those seem to feel somewhat excluded from the main narrative, the Story and Faction Missions will work together and play a huge role in determining that outcome. And since the Story Missions are often a direct result of your actions while working for the two factions, you may want to pay particular attention to whom you befriend, or who you betray for that matter. Any buddies that you may have accumulated along the way will also chime in from time to time with their own agendas, so choosing between your pal and a faction warlord is something that does come up occasionally.
Luckily, most of the buddies you encounter throughout the land end up becoming especially useful. Not only will they rescue you during times of need, but they often offer advice on certain missions that can make it easier to execute efficiently. Keep in mind, though, that if a buddy comes to your aid, you'll have to return the favor occasionally. Failing to heal or save one of your friends can mean permanent death for them, in which case they will be erased from your story forever. While there are potentially 12 buddies in the world (minus yourself of course) it doesn't mean that all of them will be unlocked, or be on call anytime you need them. Each one has a personal history rating that reflects the quality of your relationship, so doing everything in your power to keep them safe is often crucial.
Once you delve a little deeper into the firefights you will find that the enemy AI is just as smart as your CPU controlled allies. They will flank, discuss strategy, and hunt you to their last dying breath. The usual tactics of going off road or hiding amongst brush won't hinder them either; they patiently wait and search until you manage to slip away under cover or they happen to stumble upon you. Causing a brushfire (although really impressive) will only deter them until it's extinguished; jumping off a ledge into a waterfall below will only encourage them to find a way down; and trying to stall them with bursts of gunfire will only cause them to take cover until help shows up, in which case they will proceed to use tactics once again. Death is the only escape most of the time.
You do have an impressive number of weapons to discover and purchase, thankfully. With 30 in all, I'm pretty sure there will be something for everyone; sniper and assault rifles, shotguns, SMG's, hand-made bombs, flamethrowers, and rocket launchers are just a few, and to top it off there's a very deep upgrade system that can increase each one's effectiveness. This is accomplished by visiting any one of the weapon shops located throughout the area, where you can then spend your hard-earned diamonds on everything from silencers to larger ammunition cartridges to more effective scopes. There's even a chance that your weapon can jam in the middle of an intense firefight (mostly occurs with lesser-quality ones carried by enemies), so taking the time to upgrade your firearms is crucial if you wish to survive.
Unfortunately, Far Cry 2 isn't perfect. Although the environments are downright beautiful, seeing wildlife for the most part is often few and far between. This is a bit odd, too, because you can clearly hear them scamper all around you, but they somehow manage to disappear on cue. Sure, you can spot the occasionally zebra or buffalo, but not having an abundance of animal life to accompany the beautiful ambiance certainly detracts from the experience more than you would initially think. Also, since the game actually encourages you to explore the near-endless amount of nooks and crannies, it's somewhat disappointing that your character has such a difficult time executing the most rudimentary of jumps. Often times a ledge or pathway is only a few feet in the air, and yet you fail to make the leap. This often leads to unneeded levels of frustration, especially when the environment is very user-friendly for the most part.
Minus the somewhat secondary problems, Far Cry 2 manages to mostly live up to the hype that has engulfed it for the past several years. The insanely-deep map editor is among the best ever created, and the although the game does have a playability factor that's less attractive than some other shooters on the market, deciding to see this experience through is a decision that anyone even slightly interested should make. Far Cry 2 is a rousing journey that will leave you wanting more long after it's finished, even if it does frustrate from time to time.
