Doing justice to a game as deep and ambitious as Far Cry 2 in a handful of words is a challenge more daunting than the games 50 square kilometres of authentic African landscape and days of brutal combat. Then again, after sampling the incredible original, most gamers will already be gagging for another slice of Far Cry, no matter what we have to say about it.
Ditching the silly primal powers, weary hero and claustrophobic underground tunnels that blighted the original game, Far Cry 2 shifts the action from an island paradise to a realistic African playground complete with savannah, jungles and war torn border towns where the attention to detail is stunning, particularly when you get hold of a flamethrower and raze fields of crops to the ground.
But while the setting is remarkable, its how the open-ended action unfolds thats most gripping; working your way through the game brings players into contact with a wide range of potential allies, any of whom you can side with and meaning that every gamer will have a unique experience. And thats without even mentioning the sublime map editor and range of multiplayer challenges. Oh, just buy it, alright.