[Official] Far Cry 2

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

Developer: Ubisoft Montreal

Publisher: Ubisoft

Distributor: Ubisoft

Designer: Clint Hocking

Composer: Marc Canham

Engine: Dunia

Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Release dates:

NA October 21 2008

EU October 24 2008

Genres: Action, First-person shooter, Sandbox

Mode: Single-player, Multiplayer

Preview - 24 Sept 2008

Preview by Simon Parkin

This is not the Africa of the brochures, of mustard savannahs, shimmering waterholes and slow-motion cheetah kills. There are no excitable anthropologists roaming these villages, no jeeploads of middle-class safari goers heading out in search of big game. This is not the Africa of the National Geographic.

This is, rather, the Africa of an unassuming sidebar story at the back of the international news section, of indecipherable conflicts waged on forgotten grounds. This is the Africa of the guerrillas, those who fight over a carcass land stripped of resources by long-gone colonialist vultures. This is the Africa of potholes, of rusty AK-47s, worthless money, dusty shantytowns, sweltering poverty and buzzing malaria.

Far Cry 2 is a third world FPS; a place where your guns might lock up and fail at any moment, where medical attention takes the form of prising bullets from wounds with heavy pliers and where, if you want to buy a round of drinks for your buddies, you better hope you brought diamonds for the down payment.

Gone are the sci-fi elements, the clicking aliens and Wolverine-like feral abilities of Crytek's Far Cry games. In their place Ubisoft Montreal conjures a heavy kind of realism beyond the stretch of most of the game's immediate rivals.

All this is made clear during the game's opening section, a long taxi ride from a small, makeshift airport to your hotel lodgings - 10 minutes and 3 per cent of the game away. The verbose driver delivers a near comprehensive overview of the socio-political situation that provides the backdrop to this most hyped and anticipated first-person shooter.

Your character, chosen from a roster of nine multinational options, lounges in the backseat. He admires whatever you point his eyes at in the 360-degree view that's rolling past: a farmer driving oxen through a shallow river, light aircraft streaking overhead ("they're not coming back...") or dusty military convoys.

En route checkpoints must be tactfully eased through ("You guys thirsty? You want me to pick you up a beer on my way back?") while on the radio you hear for the first time about the United Front for Liberation and Labour (UFLL) and Alliance For Popular Resistance (APR), two warring factions who control the area and your destiny in the game.

Your mission is to assassinate The Jackal, an arms dealer supplying both sides of the conflict with guns and ammunition, stoking the fires of ongoing conflict as he does so. And your mission, as your character spills from the backseat onto the sand and into the throes of early onset malaria, is over before it's even begun.

Sick and incapacitated. It's a brave way to begin a first-person shooter, a genre defined by violence, aggression and power. But make no mistake: the Portal-esque twisting of convention doesn't for last long. Five minutes later, dazed and blurry-eyed, you're staggering to your feet from a bed on the floor, groping for your pistol in an effort to fight your way out of a UFLL/APR skirmish that's erupted outside your bedroom window. From here on in, the rules are as old as videogame time: shoot them before they shoot you.

Of course, most gamers are less concerned with all this plot, premise and geography than they are with the game's much-vaunted visuals and, in this regard, the tested Xbox 360 version satisfies rather than amazes. Far Cry 2, the console version, certainly matches its closest system rivals - but it rarely surpasses them, save perhaps in the small details.

Continues at Eurogamer..

Screenshots:

Videos:

Ubidays 2008 Tech Demo

E3 2008 Trailer

E3 2008 How-To Trailer

Exclusive Jackal Trailer

GC 2008 Map Editor Trailer

PAX 2008 Exclusive Trailer

Dev Diary 1

Dev Diary 2

Dev Diary 3

Multiplayer Sandbox Interview

PC Requirements:

Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or Windows Vista

Minimum:

CPU: Pentium 4 3.2 GHz, Pentium D 2.66 Ghz, AMD Athlon 64 3500+ or better

Memory: 1 GB

HDD: 12 GB of free space

GFX: NVidia 6800 or ATI X1650 or better; must support Pixel Shader 3.0

Recommended:

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo Family, AMD 64 X2 5200+, AMD Phenom or better

Memory: 2 GB

HDD: 12 GB of free space

GFX: NVidia 8600 GTS or better, ATI X1900 or better

Xbox 360 Achievements

Stickin' it to the man 10

Kill a Faction Captain in Leboa-Sako - the Northern Territory

Wages of Conflict 10

Aquire all conflict diamonds in the game available through payment or exploration

Making friends 10

Save a Buddy from captivity

The best laid plans 10

Work with a Buddy to subvert a mission offered by a faction

Wanderer 10

Find all the Safe Houses in Leboa-Sako - the Northern Territory

Orienteer 10

Find all the Safe Houses in Bowa-Seko - the Southern Territory

Investigative Reporter 10

Turn over the first set of the Jackal's audio logs to the Journalist

Messenger 10

Complete all the available Underground side-quests in both the North and the South

Supply... 10

Unlock new weapons by hitting a Convoy

On the run 10

Escape the Town

Down but not out 10

Escape to Bowa-Seko - the Southern Territory

Weapon Specialist 10

Purchase the manuals and acquire the bandolier for one weapon

Bagman 10

Deliver stamped travel documents to the Underground in exchange for medicine

Lineman 20

Complete a Mission intercepted from a cellular tower signal

Dawa ya moto ni moto 20

Break the ceasefire and reignite the conflict

Lent a hand 20

Complete a Buddy side quest

Out of the frying pan... 20

Get rescued by a Buddy

Dr Livingston, I presume 20

Enter every 1 square kilometer map region of the world

Pulitzer material 20

Turn over all of the Jackal's audio logs to the Journalist

Weapons Expert 20

Purchase the manuals and acquire the bandoliers for every weapon

Playing both sides... 20

Switch sides in Leboa-Sako - the Northern Territory

...against the middle 20

Switch sides in Bowa-Seko - the Southern Territory

...and demand. 20

Unlock all weapons by hitting every Convoy

Prison escape 20

Escape torture at the old slave outpost

Last man standing 30

Wipe out the senior leadership of both Factions and determine who will be the new Warlords

...into the fire. 30

Save a Buddy from a mortal wound

The third faction 30

Rescue all the Buddies from their respective predicaments

Ruthless 30

Subvert all the main faction missions in Leboa-Sako - the Northern Territory

Cold Blooded 30

Subvert all the main faction missions in Bowa-Seko - the Southern Territory

Utility Man 30

Complete all Missions intercepted from cellular tower signals

Good night sweet prince 40

Comfort a Buddy and ease his passing

Heart of Darkness 40

Enter the Heart of Darkness

The horror... the horror... 40

Resolve your conflict with the Jackal to facilitate the exodus

First Response Team 10

Get highest revives count in a ranked match

Hired Gun 20

Reach Rank 5 (Ranked Match)

Superior Captain 10

Win a round as the Captain in Uprising mode (Ranked Match)

Best in Class 20

Get highest xp total in one match (Ranked Match)

War Party 20

Win a match with 16 players (Ranked Match)

Upgraded Player 20

Upgrade one class 3 times (Ranked Match)

Safari Tour 20

Play at least one full round in every Official Map (Ranked Match)

Battle Hardened 20

Play at least one full round in every Game Mode (Ranked Match)

Professional 30

Reach Rank 10 (Ranked Match)

Mercenary 30

Reach Rank 20 (Ranked Match)

Field Hospital 40

Get 500 revives (Ranked Match)

Warlord 40

Achieve Rank 30 (Ranked Match)

Soldier of Misfortune 40

Unlock field manuals for all weapons (Ranked match)

Mapper 10

Create a map and get it validated in all game modes

Adventurer 20

Download and rate 25 usermaps

PS3 Trophies:

Bronze Trophies:

* Stickin it to the man -- Kill a Faction Captain in Leboa-Sako - the Northern Territory

* Wages of Conflict -- Aquire all conflict diamonds in the game available through payment or exploration

* Making friends -- Save a Buddy from captivity

* The best laid plans -- Work with a Buddy to subvert a mission offered by a faction

* Wanderer -- Find all the Safe Houses in Leboa-Sako - the Northern Territory

* Orienteer -- Find all the Safe Houses in Bowa-Seko - the Southern Territory

* Investigative Reporter -- Turn over the first set of the Jackal's audio logs to the Journalist

* Messenger -- Complete all the available Underground side-quests in both the North and the South

* Supply... -- Unlock new weapons by hitting a Convoy

* On the run -- Escape the Town

Bronze Trophies:

* Down but not out -- Escape to Bowa-Seko - the Southern Territory

* Weapon Specialist -- Purchase the manuals and acquire the bandolier for one weapon

* Bagman -- Deliver stamped travel documents to the Underground in exchange for medicine

* Lineman -- Complete a Mission intercepted from a cellular tower signal

* Dawa ya moto ni moto -- Break the ceasefire and reignite the conflict

* Lent a hand -- Complete a Buddy side quest

* Out of the frying pan... -- Get rescued by a Buddy

* Dr Livingston, I presume -- Enter every 1 square kilometer map region of the world

* Pulitzer material -- Turn over all of the Jackal's audio logs to the Journalist

* Weapons Expert -- Purchase the manuals and acquire the bandoliers for every weapon

* Playing both sides... -- Switch sides in Leboa-Sako - the Northern Territory

* ...against the middle -- Switch sides in Bowa-Seko - the Southern Territory

* ...and demand. -- Unlock all weapons by hitting every Convoy

* Prison escape -- Escape torture at the old slave outpost

* Last man standing -- Wipe out the senior leadership of both Factions and determine who will be the new Warlords

* ...into the fire. -- Save a Buddy from a mortal wound

* The third faction -- Rescue all the Buddies from their respective predicaments

* Ruthless -- Subvert all the main faction missions in Leboa-Sako - the Northern Territory

* Cold Blooded -- Subvert all the main faction missions in Bowa-Seko - the Southern Territory

* First Response Team -- Get highest revives count in a ranked match

* Hired Gun -- Reach Rank 5 (Ranked Match)

* Superior Captain -- Win a round as the Captain in Uprising mode (Ranked Match)

* Best in Class -- Get highest xp total in one match (Ranked Match)

* War Party -- Win a match with 16 players (Ranked Match)

* Upgraded Player -- Upgrade one class 5 times (Ranked Match)

* Safari Tour -- Play at least one full round in every Official Map (Ranked Match)

* Battle Hardened -- Play at least one full round in every Game Mode (Ranked Match)

* Mapper -- Create a map and get it validated in all game modes

Silver Trophies:

* Utility Man -- Complete all Missions intercepted from cellular tower signals

* Good night sweet prince -- Comfort a Buddy and ease his passing

* Professional -- Reach Rank 10 (Ranked Match)

* Mercenary -- Reach Rank 20 (Ranked Match)

* Field Hospital -- Get 500 revives (Ranked Match)

* Warlord -- Achieve Rank 30 (Ranked Match)

* Adventurer -- Download and rate 25 usermaps

Gold Trophies:

* Heart of Darkness -- Enter the Heart of Darkness

* The horror... the horror... -- Resolve your conflict with the Jackal to facilitate the exodus

* Soldier of Misfortune -- Unlock field manuals for all weapons (Ranked match)

Platinum Trophy:

* Iron-guts Earn the highest honors

Links:

Official Home Page

GameTrailers Game Page

Eurogamer Game Page

Gamespot Game Page

IGN Game Page

Edited October 7, 2008 by DrunknMunky

[White Cuban]

wasen't already posted? anyway, looks friggin Badass man.

[Ayepecks]

I really wish there was a demo of this coming out... alas, there will not be :(

[Draken]

ohhh I want it!!!! the Dunia engine looks awesome, what about a poll to know which version ppl will be buying? (PS3, X360 or PC)

[The Laughing Man]

I remember back when games had demos out before the full game came out it made more sense then . I remember the Try before you Buy games that came in PCGamer magazines back in 97 like Quake and Doom packaged in EXE's that when you open them you would dial out your CC number and walah game downloaded .. ahhh i just had a relapse

[+Mystic MVC]

I remember not being able to play the original very well when I was pretty young but this time I'm going to rip through it. This will be awesome.

[ThisSiteHasLostItsCharm]

looks amazing, I hope it doesn't turn out to be a buggy un-optimized mess like crysis. *prays for playable fps*

[notuptome2004]

looks amazing, I hope it doesn't turn out to be a buggy un-optimized mess like crysis. *prays for playable fps*

i highly doubt it will since it does not use the same game engine and if you have watched any up-to-date gameplay video for the PC version ya can see it runs damn good

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

I'll be getting this on the console.

My PC CPU/Memory/Mobo are all good, but my graphics card is a huge bottleneck.

[Orange]

WOW Pictures look amazing and nice i got a dualcore pc, Crysis plays very well, so this game will too :D

[acies]

I can't wait to get into this game. It's probably the only game I'll for the rest of the year.

[ViperAFK]

can't wait, I loved crysis and crysis warhead and this looks like 10x better.

[Minimoose]

Damn, i'm going to have to buy a new computer for this and fallout...

[(Spork)]

give me NOW please !!!

[deep1234]

I got the NVidia 8600 GTS, and I am worried that if it will fit or not for the game as they told in the recommended pc requirements.

[soniqstylz]

Two things:

1) can you change the "XBox 360 Achievements" part to reflect that yes, "PS3 Trophies" will be in the game? It's nitpicky, I know, but true notheless.

2) I was horribly unimpressed with this game, both the 360 version shown off by Ubisoft, as well as the PC version being shown on an Intel show system. The graphics seemed kind of bland, I think most of the issues were with lighting not being very dynamic. Normally, with a lot of games, screenshots don't do it justice, but in this case, I think it's the other way around. I was much more visually impressed with Gears of War 2. I have no idea how old the build was, but I didn't play it long before getting bored with it overall.

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

PS3 trophies added, I had no idea they were already announced.

(Y)

[Green_Eye]

I R WHANT DIS!!!1!

I R SARMT GAEMR!1!

Cannot come soon enough (Y)

[sin-ergy]

This is gonna be awesome!!

For those with lower end PCs, remember this is not the same engine as Crysis. I like the name of the engine, Dunia. I'm Iranian and it's pronounced Donya, meaning world :)

Anyway, very close to release now and looking forward to playing!!

[Xerxes]

Sure the recommended specs are not a typo? sure it's not meant to be a 8800GTS? If it isn't a typo, they must of really optimized the engine to get those visuals on a 8600GTS!

I'm still up in the air about this one though, I loved the first one but not sure about this...the African savanna just seems boring somehow :/ would of been nice if there was a demo though, would of made it easier to decide :p anyway, still got some time to ponder about it :)

[notuptome2004]

Two things:

1) can you change the "XBox 360 Achievements" part to reflect that yes, "PS3 Trophies" will be in the game? It's nitpicky, I know, but true notheless.

2) I was horribly unimpressed with this game, both the 360 version shown off by Ubisoft, as well as the PC version being shown on an Intel show system. The graphics seemed kind of bland, I think most of the issues were with lighting not being very dynamic. Normally, with a lot of games, screenshots don't do it justice, but in this case, I think it's the other way around. I was much more visually impressed with Gears of War 2. I have no idea how old the build was, but I didn't play it long before getting bored with it overall.

One Thing

1) the game is set in Africa so yes it will look bland cause that is how Africa looks in real life bland . and who knows ya may have also caught the game in a bland time of day he he

[+Mystic MVC]

I forgot to mention something before guys. I have both a 360 and the gaming computer in my signature. What does everybody think I should run it on, high effects (hopefully maxed) at 1280x1024 on my monitor or 1080P (through component) on my Samsung 32A550 using my Xbox 360?

[.KICK]

I think the game does look awesome however there are far too many games coming out within the time period so may have to wait and see if I will get it.

[soniqstylz]

One Thing

1) the game is set in Africa so yes it will look bland cause that is how Africa looks in real life bland . and who knows ya may have also caught the game in a bland time of day he he

lol.

No, but really, it just seemed kind of... "flat".

[Skulltrail-old]

I just ejaculated looking at the screenshots... :D

EDIT: Pure sarcasm ppl... :hmmm: