First Thirty: Far Cry 2

By Joe Haygood | October 28, 2008

First Thrity is series I hope to do on a regular basis with all the games I have to review and purchase.  It will give players some insight into the beginnings of the game, as well as a nice way to compare initial feelings about the game with the end review.  The debut game for this series is Far Cry 2, which I started playing on the PC.

Far Cry 2, starts off with an expanded intro sequence done completely in game, allowing you to look around at your surroundings, while giving you some backstory on the country that you have decided to visit.  The graphics in the game are stunning, with lots of detail in all areas you visit.  I am running the game at 1920×1200, with everything set to Very High, and it runs like a dream, easily clearing 30 fps.

As I started playing, a game mechanic kicked in, telling me that I have malaria.  Since I am in a third world country with a medical system that is broken, I have to complete missions to get medicine to stunt the malaria virus.  Also, in keeping with the theme of Africa, my guy gets paid in Blood Diamonds, which might offend some, but I felt it kept the game authentic.

So far, I have completed missions for one of the warring factions, and have met a few buddies.  Buddies are very important in this game.  Treat them right, and they will give you interesting missions that will garner you extra cash.  They can also pull you out of a firefight that you are losing.

At the end of my first thirty minutes of play, I am encouraged with the direction that Ubisoft took the franchise.  No sign of trigens makes me a happy player, and the open area play mechanic that allows you to approach a mission in several different methods looks fun.  Look for a full review of Far Cry 2 soon.