These are the best reviews we can give. You can take it or leave it. Find out on your own if you have to. No matter what, it will be fun finding out.. we promise! Far Cry -Huge draw distances
-Lush, beautiful, tropical environment
-Good Cooperative AI
-Awesome Graphics (With great DX9 effects)
-Dynamic lighting
-Sandbox Editor which is fairly easy to use
These features by themselves make a decent game. Far Cry, however, does not stop there. Far Cry includes a few key elements that set it apart from all other FPS games out there. The first: Gameplay
Many FPS games on the market right now are typical run & gun. Some newer releases have made you think a bit, take cover, do some hiding, etc. but none have really made you strategize before and during battles the way Far Cry does. Once you are entering a new area, you should immediately bust out your binoculars. They are more important than you may think. Looking through the binoculars, you can locate enemies, thus tagging them so they appear on your radar. Without using these before a battle, you will be walking in completely blind as to the locations of your enemies. Once you've surveyed the area and tagged as many enemies as possible, now it's time to check surroundings and approach possibilities. You need to be able to get within a good distance to start taking down bad guys but be able to stay around cover. All this should be taken into consideration before you fire your first shot...because once you're discovered, it becomes a whole different ballgame. Now you have to get out of sight or just take them on. Now you have other things to worry about. Any enemies you may have missed with your binoculars or that may have been indoors may be circling around to flank you. Even though you may think you have tagged everyone in a particular area, there may be some you miss - you really have to look out for them because you can die very quickly from unseen foes. Not only are the enemies working together (very well I must say) to kill you, but they may be calling for reinforcements (which can get very ugly). The reinforcements they call vary depending on the level. Sometimes they may throw a smoke grenade to signal a nearby Osprey (helicopter/plane) to fast-rope in reinforcement mercenaries, or they may radio a helicopter to come and either drop in reinforcements or just maybe shoot at you with a side-mounted minigun. Each of these scenarios can happen very quickly once you are discovered. The Osprey is hard to prevent from coming, but if you get a chance (or have a sniper rifle) you can destroy the nearby radio that they will use to call in the gunship. All these elements set Far Cry apart from every other FPS out there. The unique style of gameplay isn't all Far Cry has to offer though. Another element that most FPS's seem to overlook is the element of immersion.
From sound to visuals, Far Cry gets you feeling very involved...like you're actually on the island being hunted by mercenaries and whatever else may be after you. The binoculars have a directional mic built in so if you point it at a couple mercs. you can eavesdrop on their conversation - If you point it at a pretty waterfall, you'll hear a much more detailed, clear sound of the waterfall. Speaking of waterfalls, sounds of pretty much everything in nature are in Far Cry - From chirping of birds to babbling of brooks to crickets doin' their thing at night. You'll hear it all. This makes for a very believable environment. Apart from just sounds in the environment, there's good dynamic music in the game as well. For instance, if you are spotted, the music will pick up and become more intense. This also adds to the whole atmosphere.
Far Cry is the first game I've been scared to encounter a monster. Once you meet one, you don't exactly look forward to meeting another. You may be creeping around a dilapidated faclity of some kind - it's pretty dark - you have your flashlight on - there's some flickering lights and a swinging light fixture as your only sources of light - there's creepy music playing in the background - then all of a sudden a Trigen (monster) growls and leaps out of nowhere and kills you with one swipe of its claws. After you jump out of your seat from the sudden scare, you go to the menu and click "Load" to try again.
The Saving/Loading system in Far Cry has brought up numerous complaints. Far Cry uses the Checkpoint Save system. Most of the people complain that checkpoints are too far apart. Some other people complain that they are dying just as they cross a checkpoint. I have had none of these problems enough that it could really bug me. Sure I've been upset when I die and have to go back, but that's just part of the game. As for dying as you cross a checkpoint, once you load, the game gives you some health back (I think you get about 1/3 of your full capacity). This usually gives you enough to get through your current situation. This won't even really an issue for too much longer because there will be a patch released soon that gives the player quicksaves to use.
Graphics in Far Cry are the best I've seen in any game...period. Water reflects beautifully, character models look great, the terrain and foliage looks beautiful, the indoor portions of the game are spectacular. DX9 effects shine through beautifully here. Your flashlight makes reflections off metal and other such surfaces. The Dynamic lighting really adds to the atmosphere as well. The only downside to these great graphics is that they really need a high end system to run all the way up. I have an AMD 2500+ Barton, ATI Radeon 9600 256mb, and 512mb pc2700 ram. This is enough for me to turn everything all the way up and still run the game just fine.
Far Cry is not without flaws though. There are the occasional graphical glitch (not affecting gameplay at all..just clipping sometimes), sound glitch (sometimes when I kill a guy while he's firing an M4 the M4 firing sound will continue) or maybe the AI will ocaasionally be kinda dumb (not very often). There are a few bugs in the game. None of which that I have seen to really affect my overall take on the game.
Far Cry also has multiplayer worked in as well. Although somewhat simple, it's still fun. there's 3 modes, FFA, Team Deathmatch and Assault. The first 2 you are no doubt familiar with, but Assault plays out pretty much like a typical point-capture kind of game. In Assault there are 3 classes to choose from and from those you can choose what weapons you will carry. To prevent camping, Ubisoft has implemented a lens glare effect. If you look directly at someone camping in the bushes, you will see light from their scope. This prevents camping very well.
Outside the actual game of Far Cry, you have the Sandbox Editor. The editor is much easier to use than any other editor out there. You have a real-time view of your map in progress. With the press of "Shift-G", you are dropped in the game and you can run around, shoot or anything. In an instant you are testing out your level. Even if you aren't big into mapping, you can just mess with things in the game. You can be in a paraglider being towed along by a couple of mercs. in a jeep. You could set up little buggy chases or just have some moving target practice with the rocket launcher if you wish. The possibilities are endless. I am looking forward to the interesting SP and MP maps that are released from good mappers out there.
Far Cry has great elements (Graphics, AI, Sound, Gameplay) that I feel really give it the right to be called the best FPS to date. Call Of Duty WWII, one of the most infamous wars of our time, has inspired hundreds of game developers and movie producers to replicate the terror, bravery, and bloody battles for their country. Ok, so we all know there are tons of other WWII series out there, but what makes this particular take stand out so very much?
Before you go to war, theres a training camp you must pass first. While for most experienced FPS players training is a breeze, this will get you solidly acquainted with the controls of the game. Once your done getting ready, the real battle begins. Starting out on the first of 3 campaigns, youre an American rifleman dropped into the cold dark night by parachute, and suddenly ambushed by Germans. Hiding behind dead cow carcasses and luckily missing the bombs dropped by plains ahead youre sucked right into one of the hottest war battles ever created.
If you thought the storm on Omaha Beach Normandy in Medal of Honor: Allied Assault was crazy, wait till you jump into some of these terribly realistic battle sequences, youll walk away shocked and amazed. You will continue story mode as the British, and then Soviet Union. The whole game tells you a lot of war, showcasing attitudes of the soldiers, and the different countries varying styles of war.
Weaponry is with a doubt a very important part of every FPS, and Call of Duty delivers. There are three completely different sets of weapons for each force, the Americans, Germans, Soviet Union, and Great Brittan. The guns react exactly how they would've during WWII, some you can't reload at all in the middle of a clip, and the weapons type consists of the normal sniper rifle, pistols, shoulder mounted rocket launchers, grenades, and many nasty automatics.
There are also a few automatic wall-mounted machine guns that spit out bullets very quickly, but the one piece of equipment that really stands out is the tank. When you inside you have an internal machine gun that picked off men like flies automatically, and a huge cannon that blasts other tanks into smithereens. Very cool.
If someone was to ask about the graphical performance, I would have to say it is stunning, utter eye candy bliss. Theres nothing more engrossing then the bombs going off, hundreds of Russian men storming the beaches to Stalingrad, the bullets whizzing by your head, the screams of your dying enemies, its just flat out insane. If you want smooth, crisp graphics with breathtaking visuals and particle effects, this is the perfect game to push that brand new Radeon 9800 Pro graphics card to the limit.
Now the sound is just as important of course, and it too, is just as mind-blowing (or should I say ear blowing?) of an aspect of the game as the graphics. Once again, the bombs going off, men yelling to, Get down! or Go, go, go!, bullets pinging off your helmet and so much more make this game have such beautiful sound quality. If you have surround sound for your computer, use it.
While you play, youll be introduced to powerful quotes of war by famous people such as Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, and Napoleon Bonaparte, adding greatly to the overall respect and understanding of the terrors of war, you wont leave this game unmoved. Both your friends and foes have an amazing AI system, leaving you to feel as if you playing with and against other people online. Oh yeah, and Call of Duty has a great online mode that will keep you coming back for more. But dont expect gameplay anywhere close to as powerful as single player here.
And when the game ends, youll be left feeling that you have to play it through one more time, and its totally worth seeing all the realistic aspects and revolutionary AI that you missed the first time through. This game is a must-have for any PC gamer, avid or not, for its simply breathtaking and completely immersive. Look for, Call of Duty 2 sometime around mid 2005. Halo You take control of Master Chief, a genetically engineered super soldier. The game is set in the future as the humans are fighting a war against an alien force known as the covenant. You are awoken from cyber sleep as your ship warps in next to an strange circular shaped world (hence the title). Its all typical sci-fi stuff but Halos game play more than makes up for the semi-generic plot.
Multiplayer is where Halo really shines. The first thing veteran Halo players will notice is that the co-op mode from the Xbox did not survive the port to the PC version. This is probably the most disappointing thing about the game (besides the save point issue) but never fear Gearbox tossed in a bunch of goodies to help ease the pain. The most significant is that Gearbox made it stupid easy to play over the Internet. You just click multiplayer, join Internet game, and then grab a list of servers. Find one with a low ping and youre off and fragging. I played a few games and even with high pings (over 100) I didnt experience any real lag.
Hosting games is also as easy and anyone with a decent broadband connection should be able to host a nice sized game. I was able to host an eight-player game without anyone experiencing much lag in the game. Like joining a game, hosting is simple. You pick the map, game type, number of players, and then start the server. Dead simple. The only thing I couldnt find was an option to setup a dedicated server. Hopefully this is something that Gearbox will release shortly.
To make the new Internet play more interesting, Gearbox tossed in a few new multiplayer maps, a new multiplayer weapon, and two new vehicles. The new multiplayer maps are a lot of fun and do a good job of taking advantage of the new vehicles. Like the classic Xbox maps, the new maps are nicely balanced and dont seem to provide either side with a clear advantage.
The new vehicles are a little hit and miss. The new warthog is your standard Warthog except with a rocket launcher instead of the chain gun. Its effective against infantry and vehicles but it is not nearly as fun as the other new vehicle, the Banshee. The Banshee is now available in multiplayer and it adds an entirely new aspect to the game. Now you have to watch the skies around your base along with the ground. The Banshee isnt going to win any speed awards (it would be too powerful if it were any faster) but it is an effective way to get from point A to B as well as providing support for teammates.
Halos multiplayer takes some getting used to. The action feels a little slower than some of the other PC FPS games but the action is still intense. The Banshees add a new layer to the game and force you to really work in teams as the Banshees can pick off single soldiers with ease. I had a ton of fun with the multiplayer side of Halo and I think it has the potential to quickly become an online favorite.
Halo for the most part is your standard FPS game. You run around, kill some things, and protect other things from the bad guys. What pushes it beyond your typical FPS is the plot, the graphics, and the gameplay. Halo provides users with a full end to end experience.
I covered a lot of the single player portion of the game in my preview. The single player portion of Halo is rock solid. There is a nice narrative and flow to the game although some of the missions do get a bit repetitive. There are a lot of nice touches in the single player portion (the interaction with the other marines provide a lot of entertainment and levity). The single player portion of the game moves you seamlessly through indoor and outdoor environments with only small load and save times to let you know that youve moved into another region of the game. I did experience a little slowdown in some of the larger areas but it wasnt much of a distraction.
The AI of the covenant is actually pretty good. They do a nice job of swarming you and dodging fire. The most fun you can have is chucking grenades at them and watching them run for cover or better yet sticking one of the plasma grenades to them and watching them run around before the grenade detonates.
The only real gripe I have is that Gearbox stuck with the single check point system. I realize there might be some purists out there but come on, theres really no reason why users shouldnt be able to save anywhere in the came. This prevents gamers from fully exploring levels and taking chances. Despite this flaw, the single player is icing on the cake compared to some other games. |
