Why Far Cry 3 is my Game of the Year for 2012
As Christmas of 2012 came near, I felt excitement in my tummy. I knew that I would be scoring some sweet games from my fat and jolly friend Santa. What games you may ask? Well, that’s another story but only one of these games has really stood out. To the point I had almost forgotten about the others haha. This game allowed me to explore, like most games now a days. It allowed me to feel like a badass, live like a boss, and find my animal instincts that I never knew I had. No, not Red Dead Redemption, it was Far Cry 3.
Oh, Far Cry, how we have had such a love/hate relationship. I loved you in Predator Instincts. I wanted to burn you alive after the most boring experience of malaria. (Yes, there was some action, but come on, it was pretty boring.) Now, Far Cry, somehow, you have found a way back into my heart. It is almost as if you told me you had the last box Twinkies in the entire world: I fell for you again. What is it about you that makes me say these things? It could be that you give me an entire island to explore. Or maybe I actually care about saving your friends. Here are some of the reasons I feel this game has raised the bar for all sandbox style games.
Exploring
Well, it is a fricken island. Usually, when exploring you can lose track of time by just admiring the detail. This game gives you all that detail. From scaling mountains in a little car to swimming with sharks off the sandy beaches, a tropical island is at your hands. Even the little caves and abandoned war bunkers are a nice treat to find. It is an island of adventure, just make sure you don’t get mauled by tigers.
Gameplay
The mechanics here work very well. Using a FPS cover system was a great idea being used in these games. Far Cry just made sure to use it smartly and smoothly. Without hesitation, I’d say shooting bad guys just became a little more fun in the virtual world. The reactions of the AI based on how you move is pretty good – they always try to flank me. Let’s not forget the bow and arrow. Taking out an entire outpost with just your bow and knife makes you inner Rambo come out.
Story
I don’t know exactly why, but I love the story. I actually care what happens to your friends. I care that you
catch the bad guy. I wonder how your guy is dealing with all these tattoos and drugs going on. It almost sounds
like a movie/rock star life but just a tad more serious. In all seriousness, the story is original to a point. Friends are kidnapped and you find your inner Rambo urges to save them. Other than that, Vaas is gonna go down as bad guy of the year.
Overall
Far Cry 3 has a lot of things going for it: An entire fricken island to explore, lots of treasures to be found throughout the jungle, and fierce animal prey that not afraid to fight back. With an AI that actually feels like it has intelligence, and controls are tighter than ever (for a FPS). And let’s not forget the epic story gives you the cherry on top of the sundae. Far Cry has seemed to achieve something a lot of companies push so hard for: a game that will be talked about for years. I strongly believe this will be one of those “sweet games” stories for many years to come.
