Far Cry Instincts

When it was released on the PC a while back, Far Cry was praised by game reviewers and loved by computer gamers that enjoyed the first-person shooter/survival game and with good reason, too. Not only was it an addictive shooter set on a tropical island filled with dangerous mercenaries and a deranged scientist but it’s also a game that can easily have you go from hunted to hunter if you’re not careful. Now Far Cry Instincts for the Xbox is here and island paradises will never look the same again.

The game’s main story revolves around Jack Carver, an ex-mercenary that bought a good boat to take vacationing tourists for a ride. Yet fate has a funny way of rearing its head during the most inconvenient moments as his one passenger, a pushy journalist that has taken him as far as the mysterious Jacutan islands, borrows his jet ski and takes off. Taking a quick siesta, though, we see through Carver’s eyes the events that turn the trip into a nightmare. A military helicopter hovers over his boat and suddenly a gunner opens fire, destroying your boat just as you manage to jump into the water. Confused, Carver manages to find shore and soon discovers that if he doesn’t put his survival training skills to good use he will not live to see another day.

Luckily for us, Carver knows a lot about surviving in the wild terrain and, as he encounters dangerous and armed mercenaries, he also knows his way around weapons - be it a knife or twin handguns. It is kill or be killed on the islands. If you are not the hunter than you will quickly become the hunted. You can run and gun your way out of situations in this game but it is in your best interest to use stealth as well as traps to survive. In short, this is not your usual first-person shooter and that is a very good thing.

The islands feel vast and there’s plenty of space to explore your surroundings. The lush jungles are rich with vegetation, many of which have thick tree trunks you can set up spike traps that will impale any hapless mercenary that just so happens to be taking a stroll. There are pockets of water throughout the game and there are even areas you can reach by boat if you want to get there faster. You’ll also encounter enemy camps and military-styled installations on these huge islands.  Like the PC game, the islands are like a secondary character … a character you have to probe completely to know well.

But exploration is not the theme of this game, rather, it’s survival and in an environment overrun by armed men, your best bet is to use stealth to eliminate those that get in your way using your trusty knife. Once you’ve killed a wandering mercenary or two, you can pick up their weapon and use it against them. There are various weapons at your disposal and Carver can wield two guns for faster kills. The best part yet is that there are a nice variety of vehicles to use. There are boats, jeeps, transports and even hang gliders. While it takes some getting use to, the vehicles are welcomed additions to the gameplay.

What sets the game apart from other first-person shooters, though, is the fact that as a hunter Carver makes good uses of his ability to stalk and lure (you can throw rocks to catch the attention of enemies) and - as the game progresses - make use of his new endowments: an animalistic primal powers. These powers allow him to run faster, night vision, tracking (Carver can see an enemy’s scent trail) and powerful claws. That’s right, Carver can swat enemies and send them flying back. While these powers can be used for a limited time, they make the game all the more interesting and fun.

You will certainly need the extra help seeing as Carver is not only outnumbered and outgunned but also up against enemies that will not hesitate to seek you out or use teamwork to flush you out of your hiding place. Their tactics work well enough that you will have to watch your back. Then again, the enemies are also not the smartest opponent you’ll face. Toss a grenade and they will not jump out of the way sometimes. Get caught setting up a trap and the enemy will still run right into it. These are merely minor faults that don’t get in the way of the game’s brightest and numerous moments.

While the single-player game will keep you entertained from start to finish it is the game’s multiplayer features that will consume you. You can play the game split-screen or using a System Link setup with multiple Xbox consoles. The Chaos and Team Chaos are your basic deathmatch modes and the Steal the Sample mode is a great capture the flag mode. It is Predator, a mode complete with the feral powers. These modes can also be played online. There’s also a Map Editor that allows you to create your own map using a few templates (jungle or military installation) as well as a number of items and vehicles you can add. It’s quite tricky to use but once you learn the basics you can create a pretty wildly unique map.

On the graphics front, Far Cry Instincts is a gorgeous-looking game. Taking advantage of the graphical capabilities of the Xbox, the game brings the islands to life. The foliage is beautifully detailed and the water is the best I’ve seen on the Xbox. The characters also look good. The enemies move naturally enough but when it comes to the actually killing the rag-doll effects seem more outrageous than usual. One enemy I shot slumped over a rail, his body crumpling back like a wet towel as if death in this game means you lose your skeleton. Other than that, though, this is an impressive looking game.

The game’s sound is another high point, mainly because the score is exquisitely cinematic and the dialogue (filled with profanity) is acted out well enough. The enemies stop and chat or report in using radios so listen carefully and you’ll catch useful information or funny bits of dialogue. The sounds of your environment is loud and plays with your senses, this is especially true when you play the game using a good surround sound system.

Far Cry Instincts delivers one of the most gorgeous and well-balanced first-person shooters you will find on the Xbox. This is an action-packed package with a great single player mode and an even greater multiplayer game that will have you playing this one long after your Xbox is traded in for the Xbox 360. A real Must Have if ever there was one, go out and buy this one now.

Gameplay: 9.2
What more can you ask for in a game that brings gamers a fully interactive environment complete with drivable vehicles, two-fisted gunplay and adrenalin pumping survival tactics? Really, this is one of the most solid first-person shooters that will keep you addicted from start to finish.

Graphics: 9.0
This is certainly one lush and gorgeous tropical island that, thanks to the wonderfully detailed graphics, seem to be breathing with life. The character models look especially good despite the wild rag-doll effects. This is by far the most attractive Xbox game available.

Sound: 9.0
With great voice acting and a marvelously cinematic score, Far Cry Instinct is the type of game you want to play with a good sound system hooked up to your system. While the game’s score is a delightful highlight, it’s the detailed sound effects that rein supreme.

Difficulty: Medium
The good news is that the game is delightfully challenging thanks to your enemies ability to fan out and look for you and they’re also pretty good shots. The bad news is that they are also dumb enough to walk into obvious traps and many of them don’t have the common sense to jump out of the way of a grenade.

Concept: 9.0
A lot of the elements from the PC version are present and accounted for in the Xbox version. The game’s single-player story mode is a great one but it’s the game’s multiplayer features that steal the show. The Map Editor feature requires some patience with its awkward design tools but once you get the hang of it you’ll be able to design unique playing maps you can share with other gamers.

Multiplayer: 9.5
Be prepared to forget about sleep, work and girlfriends because the online multiplayer is what multiplayer dreams are made of. There are split-screen and System Link options but online the game is fast, furious and completely addictive. You can create your own maps and play them online.

Overall: 9.2
If there is one Xbox game you should not miss this year it is Far Cry Instincts. It is one of those genuinely original and completely engrossing first-person shooters that joins Halo as the Xbox’s finest games. If this is the system’s last hurrah it is a good one. Do yourself the favor and buy this one right away.