I'm in about 4 hours into Far Cry 3 and thought I'd share my impressions of the game for those of you still on the fence.
Just a bit of history first, I passed on Far Cry 2 because the original Far Cry left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. I didn't like how the AI always knew where you were even when hidden in vegetation or thick under brush and sometimes without even making a sound.
I also felt the first Far Cry was a bit too linear and unless there is something in the game that immerses me in the world, I get bored fast and move on. I never did finish the first Far Cry so passing on Far Cry 2 was easy.
Then comes Far Cry 3 and it had a lot of things going for it from the get go. It appeared to have a good story, great visuals (as always), a more open world and non-linear experience and crafting.
I really enjoyed this in Skyrim especially once it was modded; it just felt like a completely new game and I got lost well over 100 hours into that world.
In fact, it may be Skyrim that made me interested in Far Cry 3 the most.
Now about 4 hours into Far Cry 3 I can sum it up in just one word, WOW!
The Intro, the training/familiarization sequence has a few holes in it but overall is very well done. It also helps get you somewhat emotionally invested in your character which is a huge plus.
After completing training and the first mission, I pretty much got lost for two hours screwing around in the world. The crafting isn't the most flushed out I've ever seen but it's pretty good and what you don't use for crafting can be sold.
There is plenty of wildlife in Far Cry 3 and it's not just for show. The animals hunt and attack one another and animals actually behave as you'd expect them to. For instance, there are Komodo Dragons on the island and their next to impossible to spot in heavy brush sometimes. If you can kill them without getting hurt you're usually ok but if you take any damage, Komodo's come from all directions and put you in a world of hurt.
Animals also hunt one another and the best part of that is that they won't give up the hunt just to attack you. I thought this was a really nice touch because a lot of games have the AI turn against you even when their engaged in combat, Far Cry 3 doesn't.
Speaking of AI focusing on the task at hand, the Islanders and the Pirates are engaged in civil war against one another so its not uncommon to end up in the middle of one of these fights with Islanders fighting along side you.
Pirates are driving all over the Island so you're constantly either fighting them or hiding from them. I found myself in all out warfare with Pirates for the better part of an hour (maybe more) because their just so much fun to fight.
This one particular fight had me stuck and exposed on the beach and all I had for cover was some boulders to flank around. I'd kill the Pirates out to get me and more would come because they respond to sound, in fact, everything in the game seems to.
I must have killed a dozen or so Pirates before running out of ammo and having to swim underwater to safety. Most AI gives up once they lose line of sight but they don't in Far Cry 3, they keep looking for you for the most part.
I swam back with my C4, took out a guard and Jeep then re-armed as the guard had dropped his AK (for obvious reasons). Unfortunately the AI swarmed me and there was no choice but to hop in a Jeep and make a run for it.
I drove off, then circled back only to find the AI in a Jeep chasing me down which was excellent.
Outnumbered, outgunned and in a Jeep about to explode, I drove into the water and swam away. To my amusement, the driver of the Jeep pursuing me ended up driving into the water as well but drowned.
I think the whole fight itself was a bit Hollywood in feel but I'd be lying if I didn't say it was tremendous fun. In fact it's probably one of the best battles I've been in with AI since Max Payne.
I've only met a few characters in the game because following the story takes me forever, I always get lost in the exploring first. I did however finally complete the second mission in the story where you are tasked with getting some mushrooms for a doctors potion.
The doctor himself is a very good character, in fact, the character development in Far Cry 3 is nothing short of amazing. I really did like this doctor and the quest he sent me on is something I'd love to share but I don't want to spoil it for those of you who may still be considering picking the game up.
I will say though that this quest the doctor sent me on once again made me think back to the original Max Payne. It is simply an amazing mission and so well done it gave me shivers up my spine playing it. I'll probably re-load and play it again, it was that good.
Combat is awesome! There are just so many ways to approach a situation that no fight is the same as the previous. You can mix stealth take-downs and Rambo like mayhem or you can avoid the fight all together, it's up to you. You can even get animals involved and have them take care of the Pirates which is always fun to watch.
The biggest issue I noticed in the original Far Cry is completely gone in that the AI loses sight of you if you're in thick brush. They'll keep looking for you and can find you but it's clearly difficult and there have been times when I've gotten away without anyone being the wiser.
So far, the cover system is very well done so the Jungle finally plays a major role in combat. For that matter, the entire environment can be used to your advantage.
If the rest of the game has even a portion of what the beginning does it will be truly epic.
Now, it's obvious that I love Far Cry 3 however it is not without issues.
Some of the more glaring issues is the weather system is not synced properly. The weather effects themselves are amazing and very immersive however they lose marks as the rain, thunder and lightening sometimes roll in before the clouds do. The same can be said for the storm ending as the sky is usually blue before the storm ends.
Also, some of the environmental sounds are bugged. I noticed this particularly around cliff faces or anywhere that has direct sea to land access. The sound cuts out depending on what direction your character faces so quick movements make the sound issues obvious, hopefully they patch this.
Finally, the AI Pirates all drive the same vehicle and are dressed pretty much identically. It's not a deal breaker by any means but it does detract from the game as it stands out as sloppy when compared to the overall detail put into Far Cry 3.
Also, trading sux horribly. You can quick sell your junk but the items left over all have to be selected individually, click to sell, click to confirm you want to sell, rinse/repeat one item at a time and the end result it carpal tunnel.
BTW, default field of view sux. This is one of the first things you'll want to change. I have mine set to the mid 80's but the fact they allow you so much control over FOV is actually a plus.
Lastly, it's a bit odd that your character can go from complete pussy to badass within minutes. The fact the Islanders think you're some kind of legend for escaping kinda makes you feel a bit sleazy because, well, it's not true (I won't say why).
...
While there are clearly some issues that I hope they address, they pale when compared to the total package. Far Cry 3 is an amazing game and there is no way to play it, there is no way to pace it; the game works at your pace and caters to your tastes.
Linearity is mostly a thing of the past so the story becomes what you make of it and your experience is a reflection of how you choose to play.
At the end of the day I really believe that if you are in even the slightest bit interested in Far Cry 3, you owe it to yourself to play it. It's a really well designed game that gives you unparalleled personal freedom and a sh1tload of fun.
Just a bit of history first, I passed on Far Cry 2 because the original Far Cry left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. I didn't like how the AI always knew where you were even when hidden in vegetation or thick under brush and sometimes without even making a sound.
I also felt the first Far Cry was a bit too linear and unless there is something in the game that immerses me in the world, I get bored fast and move on. I never did finish the first Far Cry so passing on Far Cry 2 was easy.
Then comes Far Cry 3 and it had a lot of things going for it from the get go. It appeared to have a good story, great visuals (as always), a more open world and non-linear experience and crafting.
I really enjoyed this in Skyrim especially once it was modded; it just felt like a completely new game and I got lost well over 100 hours into that world.
In fact, it may be Skyrim that made me interested in Far Cry 3 the most.
Now about 4 hours into Far Cry 3 I can sum it up in just one word, WOW!
The Intro, the training/familiarization sequence has a few holes in it but overall is very well done. It also helps get you somewhat emotionally invested in your character which is a huge plus.
After completing training and the first mission, I pretty much got lost for two hours screwing around in the world. The crafting isn't the most flushed out I've ever seen but it's pretty good and what you don't use for crafting can be sold.
There is plenty of wildlife in Far Cry 3 and it's not just for show. The animals hunt and attack one another and animals actually behave as you'd expect them to. For instance, there are Komodo Dragons on the island and their next to impossible to spot in heavy brush sometimes. If you can kill them without getting hurt you're usually ok but if you take any damage, Komodo's come from all directions and put you in a world of hurt.
Animals also hunt one another and the best part of that is that they won't give up the hunt just to attack you. I thought this was a really nice touch because a lot of games have the AI turn against you even when their engaged in combat, Far Cry 3 doesn't.
Speaking of AI focusing on the task at hand, the Islanders and the Pirates are engaged in civil war against one another so its not uncommon to end up in the middle of one of these fights with Islanders fighting along side you.
Pirates are driving all over the Island so you're constantly either fighting them or hiding from them. I found myself in all out warfare with Pirates for the better part of an hour (maybe more) because their just so much fun to fight.
This one particular fight had me stuck and exposed on the beach and all I had for cover was some boulders to flank around. I'd kill the Pirates out to get me and more would come because they respond to sound, in fact, everything in the game seems to.
I must have killed a dozen or so Pirates before running out of ammo and having to swim underwater to safety. Most AI gives up once they lose line of sight but they don't in Far Cry 3, they keep looking for you for the most part.
I swam back with my C4, took out a guard and Jeep then re-armed as the guard had dropped his AK (for obvious reasons). Unfortunately the AI swarmed me and there was no choice but to hop in a Jeep and make a run for it.
I drove off, then circled back only to find the AI in a Jeep chasing me down which was excellent.
Outnumbered, outgunned and in a Jeep about to explode, I drove into the water and swam away. To my amusement, the driver of the Jeep pursuing me ended up driving into the water as well but drowned.
I think the whole fight itself was a bit Hollywood in feel but I'd be lying if I didn't say it was tremendous fun. In fact it's probably one of the best battles I've been in with AI since Max Payne.
I've only met a few characters in the game because following the story takes me forever, I always get lost in the exploring first. I did however finally complete the second mission in the story where you are tasked with getting some mushrooms for a doctors potion.
The doctor himself is a very good character, in fact, the character development in Far Cry 3 is nothing short of amazing. I really did like this doctor and the quest he sent me on is something I'd love to share but I don't want to spoil it for those of you who may still be considering picking the game up.
I will say though that this quest the doctor sent me on once again made me think back to the original Max Payne. It is simply an amazing mission and so well done it gave me shivers up my spine playing it. I'll probably re-load and play it again, it was that good.
Combat is awesome! There are just so many ways to approach a situation that no fight is the same as the previous. You can mix stealth take-downs and Rambo like mayhem or you can avoid the fight all together, it's up to you. You can even get animals involved and have them take care of the Pirates which is always fun to watch.
The biggest issue I noticed in the original Far Cry is completely gone in that the AI loses sight of you if you're in thick brush. They'll keep looking for you and can find you but it's clearly difficult and there have been times when I've gotten away without anyone being the wiser.
So far, the cover system is very well done so the Jungle finally plays a major role in combat. For that matter, the entire environment can be used to your advantage.
If the rest of the game has even a portion of what the beginning does it will be truly epic.
Now, it's obvious that I love Far Cry 3 however it is not without issues.
Some of the more glaring issues is the weather system is not synced properly. The weather effects themselves are amazing and very immersive however they lose marks as the rain, thunder and lightening sometimes roll in before the clouds do. The same can be said for the storm ending as the sky is usually blue before the storm ends.
Also, some of the environmental sounds are bugged. I noticed this particularly around cliff faces or anywhere that has direct sea to land access. The sound cuts out depending on what direction your character faces so quick movements make the sound issues obvious, hopefully they patch this.
Finally, the AI Pirates all drive the same vehicle and are dressed pretty much identically. It's not a deal breaker by any means but it does detract from the game as it stands out as sloppy when compared to the overall detail put into Far Cry 3.
Also, trading sux horribly. You can quick sell your junk but the items left over all have to be selected individually, click to sell, click to confirm you want to sell, rinse/repeat one item at a time and the end result it carpal tunnel.
BTW, default field of view sux. This is one of the first things you'll want to change. I have mine set to the mid 80's but the fact they allow you so much control over FOV is actually a plus.
Lastly, it's a bit odd that your character can go from complete pussy to badass within minutes. The fact the Islanders think you're some kind of legend for escaping kinda makes you feel a bit sleazy because, well, it's not true (I won't say why).
...
While there are clearly some issues that I hope they address, they pale when compared to the total package. Far Cry 3 is an amazing game and there is no way to play it, there is no way to pace it; the game works at your pace and caters to your tastes.
Linearity is mostly a thing of the past so the story becomes what you make of it and your experience is a reflection of how you choose to play.
At the end of the day I really believe that if you are in even the slightest bit interested in Far Cry 3, you owe it to yourself to play it. It's a really well designed game that gives you unparalleled personal freedom and a sh1tload of fun.
