Far Cry

77%
Game Brain Score Based on 3,924 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Far Cry Game Cover
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In Far Cry, players assuming the role of Jack Carver must survive on a tropical island filled with danger and mystery. After his boat is destroyed by a militia group, Jack must navigate through the jungle-filled paradise to uncover the truth behind the militia's true intentions. Along the way, players will encounter strange and disturbing sights, and must make difficult choices to progress through the game's narrative.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Gog Com
  • Uplay
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

77%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,924 reviews
story273 positive mentions
stability107 negative mentions
  • The game features a nostalgic experience with engaging gameplay and a variety of weapons.
  • The graphics were impressive for its time and still hold up reasonably well today.
  • The AI provides a challenging experience, requiring players to strategize and plan their attacks.
  • The AI can see and shoot through walls, making stealth mechanics nearly impossible.
  • The difficulty spikes are frustrating, especially in the later levels where enemies can kill you in one or two hits.
  • The checkpoint system is poorly designed, often forcing players to replay long sections after dying.
  • story1,115 mentions

    The story of *Far Cry* is often described as generic and clichéd, resembling a B-movie with its over-the-top action and predictable plot twists. While some players find the campy dialogue and absurd scenarios entertaining, many criticize the narrative for being shallow and poorly executed, with forgettable characters and laughable voice acting. Overall, the story serves primarily as a backdrop for the gameplay, which is where the game truly shines, despite its frustrating difficulty and linear mission structure.

    • “The storyline and dialogue are pretty funny and charming; I liked it; it was not too dramatic and too long.”
    • “The story follows Jack Carver, a former special forces operative turned boat skipper, who is stranded on the islands after his boat is destroyed.”
    • “The story is engaging, the weapons are numerous, and the bosses are mostly balanced.”
    • “The story is as generic as you can imagine.”
    • “The story is boring and too simple in my opinion.”
    • “The story is predictable and you could see the 'plot twist' from miles away.”
  • gameplay728 mentions

    The gameplay of "Far Cry" is a mixed bag, showcasing innovative mechanics for its time, such as open-world exploration and a blend of stealth and action, but it suffers from significant issues like broken stealth mechanics, frustrating AI, and outdated design elements. While many players appreciate the game's challenging combat and tactical options, others find the experience marred by bugs and inconsistencies that detract from the overall enjoyment. Despite its age, the game remains a notable entry in the FPS genre, particularly for those interested in its historical context and foundational gameplay elements.

    • “Far Cry's combat system is a masterpiece of tactical gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay in Far Cry offers a mix of action, strategy, and exploration.”
    • “The gameplay is where the game shows its strength and where you don't notice its age.”
    • “The stealth mechanics don't work, the guns are horrible, and the controls are appalling.”
    • “The gameplay is extremely unfulfilling and unfair.”
    • “Many mechanics are just outright broken (such as stealth); even with patches, difficulty was just blatantly unfair at times, like even more so than average classic shooters.”
  • graphics722 mentions

    The graphics of *Far Cry*, released in 2004, were groundbreaking for their time, showcasing the capabilities of the CryEngine with impressive environmental detail, realistic water effects, and expansive draw distances. While many players acknowledge that the visuals have aged and may not compete with modern titles, they still hold up reasonably well, particularly in terms of atmosphere and immersion. Overall, the game is often praised for its visual achievements relative to its release period, despite some technical glitches and inconsistencies that can detract from the experience.

    • “For a game released in 2004, Far Cry’s graphics are nothing short of breathtaking.”
    • “The most striking aspect of Far Cry is its breathtaking visuals.”
    • “Far Cry, released in 2004 by Crytek, is an iconic first-person shooter that redefined the genre with its expansive open-world design, intelligent AI, and stunning visuals.”
    • “The graphics are old, as expected.”
    • “In the first five minutes of this game, I experienced graphical glitches, terrible character animations, voice acting that ranges from bearable to awful, and I got stuck in terrain three different times.”
    • “The graphics are too good to be retro and too bad to be looped in with modern shooters like the sequel.”
  • stability110 mentions

    The stability of the game is widely criticized, with numerous players reporting a plethora of bugs and glitches that significantly detract from the experience. Common issues include AI behaving erratically, enemies shooting through walls, and various graphical problems, leading to frustration during gameplay. While some players managed to enjoy the game despite these issues, many recommend using unofficial patches or mods to mitigate the instability.

    • “The game runs great and is bug-free.”
    • “Classic game still runs great!”
    • “I've played it at least five or six times, and for its age, it looks really nice on high graphics. It plays smoothly and is virtually bug-free.”
    • “In the first five minutes of this game, I experienced graphical glitches, terrible character animations, voice acting that ranges from bearable to awful, and I got stuck in terrain three different times.”
    • “The big problem with the game is how stupidly buggy it is; AI can see and shoot through walls, hit you through fog from across the map with pinpoint accuracy when you can't even detect their presence with binoculars.”
    • “This game is not bad if you can be patient with a seriously buggy older shooter.”
  • humor98 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its campy dialogue, absurd AI behavior, and laughably bad voice acting, which many players find endearing and entertaining. While the storyline is often described as cheesy and filled with clichés, it provides a backdrop for amusing moments and one-liners that evoke a nostalgic charm reminiscent of 80s action films. Overall, the combination of unintentional comedy and over-the-top character interactions contributes to a fun, if flawed, gaming experience.

    • “The storyline and dialogue are pretty funny and charming; I liked it; it was not too dramatic and too long.”
    • “There were hilarious moments, like when I took cover behind a rock, which actually made it fall right on an enemy, or the classic rocket launchers dying from their own rockets.”
    • “The voice acting and dialogue of the main character is laughable and it is made more apparent by the fact that everyone else sounds and talks reasonably, it has a distinct feel of satire to it that I'm not sure is intended but is actually kind of charming and funny.”
    • “The difficulty is so inconsistent, it's not funny.”
    • “It's not funny.”
    • “Funny bugs.”
  • music91 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising the soundtrack for enhancing the atmosphere and tension during gameplay, particularly in action sequences. However, some players find the music repetitive and uninspiring, noting that it can become a droning background noise over time. Overall, while the soundtrack is often described as good and fitting for the game's setting, it lacks memorability for some players.

    • “I loved all the background music that plays in the game.”
    • “The soundtrack enhances the tension and excitement, making every encounter feel epic.”
    • “The environment and soundtrack were awesome and deeply immersive throughout the game, it reminded me of the 'Predator' movie more than a few times.”
    • “The music quickly becomes a droning noise that never goes away from the duration of your journey.”
    • “Honestly, even after just finishing the game, I have already forgotten the music tracks.”
    • “Even the soundtrack is awful and uninspired.”
  • atmosphere58 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning graphics and immersive sound design, effectively blending beauty with horror elements to create a captivating experience. Players appreciate the richly crafted environments, from lush jungles to intense combat scenarios, which contribute to a unique and memorable atmosphere. While some aspects, like voice acting and certain gameplay elements, may detract from the overall experience, the game's atmospheric qualities remain a standout feature that enhances its appeal.

    • “The game masterfully blends the beauty of the island’s flora and fauna with the horror of its hidden dangers, creating an atmosphere that is both enchanting and terrifying.”
    • “From dense jungles to sprawling vistas, each location is meticulously crafted to immerse players in its vibrant and atmospheric setting.”
    • “The atmosphere, mood, and setting are superb; providing a tense and exciting experience almost every second of the game.”
    • “The atmosphere varies a lot, from enemy camps and military bases, forests, waters, and mountains.”
    • “However, as you're progressing throughout the story, it gets a lot darker and you can feel the slight horror atmosphere.”
    • “But here, as in the Borderlands games, the art direction is more graphic design than realism, leading more towards a comic book or pulp fiction thriller atmosphere.”
  • optimization41 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its smooth performance on modern hardware and high frame rates, while others report persistent issues like stuttering and crashes, particularly during menus and cutscenes. Although the game can run well on capable systems, its reliance on single-core processing limits its optimization for today's multi-threaded CPUs, leading to uneven performance in certain scenarios. Overall, while some players enjoy a seamless experience, others find the optimization lacking, requiring tweaks and patches for better performance.

    • “The game is also very well optimized.”
    • “I played the game on Windows 10 2560x1440 on modern hardware and had no issues with the performance whatsoever.”
    • “What's even more impressive is that while Doom 3 and Half-Life 2 have rather small, linear, and confined levels, Far Cry renders complete islands, including dozens of enemies with a more than serviceable AI at the time, without any drop in visual quality or performance.”
    • “Constant stuttering while in the menu and during the cutscenes.”
    • “Great game, horribly, horribly, horribly optimized.”
    • “Despite potential improvements through patches and community mods, Far Cry's limitations in fully harnessing modern hardware can result in uneven performance, with some areas experiencing frame rate drops or instability.”
  • grinding36 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and frustrating, often describing it as a time-consuming exercise in trial and error. Many reviews highlight the repetitive nature of encounters, particularly in closed spaces, and the challenges posed by the AI, which can lead to a lack of enjoyment and a feeling of wasted time. The game's difficulty, combined with awkward save checkpoints, exacerbates the grind, making it a less favorable experience for many players.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “I did have fun, but it became very tedious.”
    • “Overall, I do not recommend any player to start a playthrough on hard difficulty; it just renders encounters insanely tedious.”
    • “The game just gets tedious and repetitive after a while, especially when large open maps get replaced with linear corridors in bunkers where there is no real room for experimentation.”
  • replayability29 mentions

    The reviews on replayability are mixed, with some players praising the game for its high replay value and immersive experience, while others criticize it for lacking collectibles, challenges, and meaningful choices, leading to a limited replayability. Overall, it appears that while some find it infinitely replayable, others feel it is more of a one-time experience with minimal incentive to return.

    • “I played it when it came out and it still has excellent replay value.”
    • “An old all-time classic with rivaled single-player AI and tons of replay value!”
    • “It has tremendous replay value which keeps me coming back again and again.”
    • “Not much replayability since there are no collectibles or challenges that I know of.”
    • “Overall, while this is a good game, I would only recommend buying it second-hand or during the Steam sales as it isn’t worth paying full price because it is a single campaign that can be completed in a short time with little to no replay value.”
    • “It took me only a few hours to complete on normal difficulty and there's not much replayability to the game.”
  • emotional18 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a mix of frustration and unexpected moments of connection, with players expressing feelings of sadness and anger due to challenging gameplay mechanics, such as overwhelming enemy detection and poor AI. While some moments evoke a sense of triumph and excitement, particularly in the early stages, the overall experience often leads to tears of frustration and disappointment, making it a polarizing emotional journey for players.

    • “It also made me cry.”
    • “The penultimate level 'dam' made me cry!!”
    • “10/10 would cry again”
    • “Really predictable and boring story coupled with bad voice acting to boot, I'm just glad it's over.”
    • “This game features AI shooting through walls, a really bland map, a very boring story, 5km enemy detection range, tons of enemies rocket spamming you with infinite ammunition and ridiculous damage taken from enemies on normal difficulty.”
  • monetization12 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is generally viewed positively, with many players appreciating the absence of intrusive ads and microtransactions, reminiscent of older gaming experiences. While some mention the presence of in-game ads, they are not seen as detrimental to gameplay, and the overall sentiment leans towards a nostalgic appreciation for a simpler, less commercialized approach to gaming.

    • “It's your classic point and shoot with no ads, aside from guns that have sights.”
    • “I love shooting and no ads was not a problem.”
    • “The in-game ads are far from perfect and using this mod would greatly enhance your gameplay.”
    • “No long-winded tutorials, pop-ups, gizmos, silly tech, microtransactions… ah, these were the days.”
    • “Things like native widescreen HUD support + actual ads instead of the old school zoom, enemies are toned to 11 with the ability to shoot and see through certain materials, making the game a slog.”
  • character development3 mentions

    Reviews indicate that while Far Cry excels in visual design and environment detail, it falls short in character development, with many players noting a lack of depth in the characters and story. Additionally, the voice acting has been criticized, further detracting from the overall narrative experience.

    • “There was no character development.”
    • “The voice acting is terrible, there is zero character development, and the story is lacking so far.”
    • “The stealth mechanics feel a bit 'cheaty', and the sound design makes it difficult to determine the direction and distance of voices.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

13hMedian play time
17hAverage play time
13hMain story
19hCompletionist
7-17hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 18 analyzed playthroughs

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