LGR Plays - Far Cry 2
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Date: 2022-04-14
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Comments and reviews: 10
Garrett
Underrated gem, and probably still my favourite FarCry. It's one of the most bleak and hostile games I've ever played, and really establishes it's world. Later games polished it up but got too bloated, and following waypoints and checking off to-do lists just isn't as gripping as trying to read a map while driving a jeep off-road as machine gun fire bounces off trees and rocks around you. The gun degradation and malaria were one of my favourite parts as you were always paranoid and on your toes knowing that even the most perfectly-planned attack could go sideways at any second. Even though all the characters were randomly-assigned opportunistic assholes, I still felt more connection to them than anyone in the later games, and the Heart of Darkness storyline that they keep rehashing was at its most subtle and pure here. Even collecting gems was interesting because most of them had a unique scenario explaining why they were there. Later games relied too much on padding - it doesn't matter if there are a thousand things to do in a huge world if it all feels bland and grindy. Stop giving me meaningless Achievements and make me feel like I'm actually achieving something if that's going to be your focus.
If this game allowed for ungrouped weapon selection and integrated mantling objects, climbing ropes and takedowns from the later games it'd be the peak of the series, but alas, those innovations were squandered on much less compelling settings. I enjoyed FC3 and Blood Dragon but FC4 was just way, way more of the same and turned me off of the series for good.
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Underrated gem, and probably still my favourite FarCry. It's one of the most bleak and hostile games I've ever played, and really establishes it's world. Later games polished it up but got too bloated, and following waypoints and checking off to-do lists just isn't as gripping as trying to read a map while driving a jeep off-road as machine gun fire bounces off trees and rocks around you. The gun degradation and malaria were one of my favourite parts as you were always paranoid and on your toes knowing that even the most perfectly-planned attack could go sideways at any second. Even though all the characters were randomly-assigned opportunistic assholes, I still felt more connection to them than anyone in the later games, and the Heart of Darkness storyline that they keep rehashing was at its most subtle and pure here. Even collecting gems was interesting because most of them had a unique scenario explaining why they were there. Later games relied too much on padding - it doesn't matter if there are a thousand things to do in a huge world if it all feels bland and grindy. Stop giving me meaningless Achievements and make me feel like I'm actually achieving something if that's going to be your focus.
If this game allowed for ungrouped weapon selection and integrated mantling objects, climbing ropes and takedowns from the later games it'd be the peak of the series, but alas, those innovations were squandered on much less compelling settings. I enjoyed FC3 and Blood Dragon but FC4 was just way, way more of the same and turned me off of the series for good.
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Celtanarchy
I really feel like Far Cry 2 was meant to be something like STALKER, the mechanics just weren't implemented as well. You can see all the same mechanics, like the factions, weapon traders, open world with limited fast travel, lots of exploring a detailed atmospheric world, developing relationships with other characters, the side quests, even the weapon jamming and condition degradation, right down to the enemies all having crappy weapons! All the mechanics are there, I could go on with similarities for ever, the main difference is that the mechanics are far better implemented in STALKER. If you can imagine Far Cry 2's systems fully fleshed out, it would be an incredibly similar game, and a great one too.
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I really feel like Far Cry 2 was meant to be something like STALKER, the mechanics just weren't implemented as well. You can see all the same mechanics, like the factions, weapon traders, open world with limited fast travel, lots of exploring a detailed atmospheric world, developing relationships with other characters, the side quests, even the weapon jamming and condition degradation, right down to the enemies all having crappy weapons! All the mechanics are there, I could go on with similarities for ever, the main difference is that the mechanics are far better implemented in STALKER. If you can imagine Far Cry 2's systems fully fleshed out, it would be an incredibly similar game, and a great one too.
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omglollmao123
The fact of the matter is, ever since Ubisoft Montreal got a hold of the Far Cry franchise, it's turned into a respectable series.
FC2 was a massive step in the right direction and FC3 basically takes out everything everyone hated about FC2 and replaces it with more enjoyable side-quests & diversions from the main story missions.
My point still stands: all Crytek are good for is game engines. They cannot make anything that will stand the test of time
Crysis looks & plays horrible in hindsight
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The fact of the matter is, ever since Ubisoft Montreal got a hold of the Far Cry franchise, it's turned into a respectable series.
FC2 was a massive step in the right direction and FC3 basically takes out everything everyone hated about FC2 and replaces it with more enjoyable side-quests & diversions from the main story missions.
My point still stands: all Crytek are good for is game engines. They cannot make anything that will stand the test of time
Crysis looks & plays horrible in hindsight
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omglollmao123
And one other thing; why do people always compare this to the first Far Cry?
Far Cry does have a proper sequel.
It's called CRYSIS (and it's a boring, consolized, linear POS that only served as a tech demo.
Far Cry 2, even though it disregarded pretty much everything in Far Cry aside from the necessity of driving/boating to objectives, is really a MUCH, MUCH better direction for the series (We've seen enough Alien/Monster FPSs)
Crytek are great at gaming engines but shit at everything else
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And one other thing; why do people always compare this to the first Far Cry?
Far Cry does have a proper sequel.
It's called CRYSIS (and it's a boring, consolized, linear POS that only served as a tech demo.
Far Cry 2, even though it disregarded pretty much everything in Far Cry aside from the necessity of driving/boating to objectives, is really a MUCH, MUCH better direction for the series (We've seen enough Alien/Monster FPSs)
Crytek are great at gaming engines but shit at everything else
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omglollmao123
It's amazing how many people think Crytek is some sort of demigod developer.
They haven't done anything game play wise that wasn't accomplished since before 2002.
I'll give them some credit for their game engines but even then not many other devs have actually licensed them for other games; so they're nowhere near as revolutionary as say the Source Engine or the UT engines which 100's and 100's of games use.
Crysis 2 is THE definition of consolization and the shows the true colors of Crytek.
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It's amazing how many people think Crytek is some sort of demigod developer.
They haven't done anything game play wise that wasn't accomplished since before 2002.
I'll give them some credit for their game engines but even then not many other devs have actually licensed them for other games; so they're nowhere near as revolutionary as say the Source Engine or the UT engines which 100's and 100's of games use.
Crysis 2 is THE definition of consolization and the shows the true colors of Crytek.
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HMClagi
I'm sorry, but just as everybody else your only complaint is the respawning of the guards at those checkpoints. Yet U are so negative throughout your video, especially in the beginning. Played this with my buddy when it was just released and we thought it was awesome, with the day/night cycle and all, especially. Farcry3 is awesome too, but if you stand still, clouds do not move. Night comes in a second. No dawn. I love all FC games. I think in this vid your opinion was clouded by earlier mainstream opinion
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I'm sorry, but just as everybody else your only complaint is the respawning of the guards at those checkpoints. Yet U are so negative throughout your video, especially in the beginning. Played this with my buddy when it was just released and we thought it was awesome, with the day/night cycle and all, especially. Farcry3 is awesome too, but if you stand still, clouds do not move. Night comes in a second. No dawn. I love all FC games. I think in this vid your opinion was clouded by earlier mainstream opinion
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omglollmao123
What actually made this game great was the amount of RESEARCH Ubisoft Montreal did during development to give a real authenticity to the environments, characters, and equipment you deal with.
Not many people know in 2007 during development a team of devs from Ubisoft Montreal actually went to Africa, and traveled throughout Kenya on a camping safari documenting the terrain and wildlife; carrying out research for the game.
FC2 really has some environments worthy of a National Geographic cover.
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What actually made this game great was the amount of RESEARCH Ubisoft Montreal did during development to give a real authenticity to the environments, characters, and equipment you deal with.
Not many people know in 2007 during development a team of devs from Ubisoft Montreal actually went to Africa, and traveled throughout Kenya on a camping safari documenting the terrain and wildlife; carrying out research for the game.
FC2 really has some environments worthy of a National Geographic cover.
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unconsidered1
I just watched Theme and Mechanics in Far Cry 2 and Far Cry 4, and I got to wonder how the hell did people think of this game as a playful sandbox fun time GTA game in First Person? The environments are unforgiving, weapons jam, you got malaria, cars get damaged, there isn't alot of fast travel, there really isnt' any checkpoints. It's a recipe for so methodical movement of actually being aware of your mortality, like Dark Souls. So how the hell do you see this as suppose to being a fun quirky game?
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I just watched Theme and Mechanics in Far Cry 2 and Far Cry 4, and I got to wonder how the hell did people think of this game as a playful sandbox fun time GTA game in First Person? The environments are unforgiving, weapons jam, you got malaria, cars get damaged, there isn't alot of fast travel, there really isnt' any checkpoints. It's a recipe for so methodical movement of actually being aware of your mortality, like Dark Souls. So how the hell do you see this as suppose to being a fun quirky game?
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omglollmao123
Half-Life 2 was both a generational leap in story-telling and graphics. It doesn't compare.
The first Far Cry had no story. It was about as fleshed-out as Quake. Guy in a Hawaiian shirt stuck on tropical island; must kill his way out.
It was very broken and Crytek seemed to think the best way of fixing it was bringing back the things everyone despised: linear corridor sections, non-human enemies with ridiculous awareness, broken stealth and arguably an even more cheesy and cliched story.
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Half-Life 2 was both a generational leap in story-telling and graphics. It doesn't compare.
The first Far Cry had no story. It was about as fleshed-out as Quake. Guy in a Hawaiian shirt stuck on tropical island; must kill his way out.
It was very broken and Crytek seemed to think the best way of fixing it was bringing back the things everyone despised: linear corridor sections, non-human enemies with ridiculous awareness, broken stealth and arguably an even more cheesy and cliched story.
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LGR
That wasn't my only complaint by a long shot. There's also the annoying gun jamming, the malaria thing, the crappy fast travel system, the often -psychic- AI (though it's still better than FC1 I think, certain huge areas with nothing to do, the useless animals, etc. All that on top of the aggravating guard checkpoints. Despite all this, note that I still said I thought it was quite a good game in the video. But it's also quite flawed and could have been absolutely amazing instead of just good.
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That wasn't my only complaint by a long shot. There's also the annoying gun jamming, the malaria thing, the crappy fast travel system, the often -psychic- AI (though it's still better than FC1 I think, certain huge areas with nothing to do, the useless animals, etc. All that on top of the aggravating guard checkpoints. Despite all this, note that I still said I thought it was quite a good game in the video. But it's also quite flawed and could have been absolutely amazing instead of just good.
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