It's been somewhat quiet on the first person shooter front for sometime. Besides the occasional glimpse of excellence from games such as Call of Duty, there hasn't been much to get excited about. Last year saw the release of some fun, if not overwhelmingly memorable FPS games; Unreal 2 started off the year, promising lots but delivering little, Chaser was a surprisingly fun shooter that didn't exactly do anything new, Tron 2.0 provided a visual feast with some excellent levels design, yet the game failed to captivate quite as much as the graphics and Halo finally came to the PC but didn't manage to live up to extraordinary hype that had built up around its console release. It was an altogether disappointing year for the FPS, a year that was supposed to see the release of some really important and revolutionary games.

Twelve months on and the cycle begins again, with desperate waiting for new info on Doom 3 and Half-Life 2, in the meantime leaving us occupied with lesser know games that don't share the same phenomenal hype. But history isn't going to repeat itself this time, as this year sees the release of not only two of the most anticipated sequels of the last five years (unless delayed) but also the release of some new and exciting looking FPS games that stray from the norm and aren't sequels, which makes a nice change. The first of these games is Far Cry, which could be best described as this year's first big FPS.

Graphics are the biggest selling point of this game and graphically Far Cry is a game that manages to distinguish itself from the majority of the current FPS herd. Visually there's nothing right now that looks as good as this game and while future releases are looking slightly prettier, Far Cry still has an edge over its competition in that it's the first of this year's releases to finally put that £300 graphics card to work. Originally Far Cry was developed as a technology test demo to show off an impressive graphics engine, yet as with other games that mirror Far Cry's infancy (such as Max Payne and Serious Sam) the developers saw potential in these humble beginnings and decided to take things a little further. The difference with Far Cry compared to other games that began in similar circumstances is that rather than make a plain and simple shooter, Far Cry actually goes a bit deeper, offering something more than just straight action, although action still remains the dish of the day.

The environment chosen for the setting of Far Cry is a distinctly different one, replacing dull and dank military bases and industrial complexes with a full tropical island paradise, complete with its own Caribbean sunset. It is the game's setting that perhaps explains why Far Cry looks as good as it does; while games such as Unreal 2 have always managed to produced visually stunning environments, their actual design and the way the graphics are implemented never really appears different from countless other similar looking games. Aside from a few graphical niceties such as reflective surfaces, they just end up looking basically the same, which often makes an FPS world a little dull to explore. There are only so many corridors you can walk down before they all start looking the same. Far Cry takes a different approach, giving you tropical islands that you can explore fully, reducing linearity with environments that are interesting enough for you to investigate, rather than just wade through.

The tropical vistas of this game look absolutely stunning; the jungle environments are rendered with so much beauty you can't help but feel like it would be an ideal place to live if it weren't full of mercenaries and half-ape creatures. The environments are very open - sometimes huge in their scale and the islands you travel across feel much less restrictive than many recent FPS games. You don't have total freedom, as you still have to complete objectives and get to specific locations, but again unlike the majority of games out there, Far Cry doesn't lead you by the hand and tell you which path you have to tread; instead, it gives you the general idea of where you have to go and lets you choose how you get there. There still remains the odd occasion where levels feel slightly restricted but even in these instances you never feel like you're closed off from the rest of the world and thankfully no cheap invisible walls are present to destroy the illusions of a huge game world.

However, Far Cry can't escape its shooter roots and as such many interior levels also require exploration. With such levels the freedom to choose your own path to explore is considerably reduced to following corridors that lead you to your destination. Interiors are one of the game's few faults, though more detail on that later, as far as interior environments go they are quite different from the dense tropical jungle of the exterior environments, producing some of the game's most impressive graphical effects. In direct contrast to the outside, inside levels are dark, dingy and very tense, bearing in mind you'll be battling strange mutant creatures that don't look particularly scary in the light but are terrifying in the dark. The lighting in this game is second to none; the lights themselves interact with their surroundings, reflecting off surfaces that can often show up the rough or smooth edges of walls and floors, while realistic shadows are cast. Shooting a light that's hanging from the ceiling shows this effect in full swing, as the light violently bobs back and forth, causing the shadows to move with it. While it may seem like a minor effect, it's hard not to be taken with such a simple yet extremely good-looking feature and it's a clear sign of what to expect when Doom 3 and Half-Life 2 finally arrive.

Far Cry isn't just about sight seeing though; there's fair bit of fighting to do as you journey through the numerous islands. Playing as, once again, a one-man army, you must navigate your way through the dense jungle of an assortment of islands and battle your way through hoards of mercenaries and some ugly looking mutants. It's all fairly standard stuff but Far Cry comes with a few tricks up its sleeves to make a bit more unique. For starters, there's the freedom of the environments, as I've already described. as has already been covered, the environments in which you journey through are fully open giving direct freedom to approach the game however you see fit. As you explore you'll find Aztec ruins and the remnants of old World War II bunkers and vehicles that litter the islands, which go a long way to suggest that there's plenty of history tied into these particular islands. With levels being as big as they are, there are a multitude of routes you can choose to take to get to your objectives, some of which are easier to traverse while others throw up a few unexpected but welcome bonuses. One path could bypass the bulk of patrols, sneaking you past trouble spots and avoiding the relentless fighting, though if it's fighting that tickles your fancy then the gung-ho approach works just as well. Alternative roads can lead to vehicles, which can then be used to navigate the rough terrain in half the time it takes to walk through, while climbing hills can sometimes reveal hidden outposts or guard towers where plenty of sniping opportunities await. Furthermore, with no map to navigate from, stumbling upon a hidden cache of weapons or happening onto a vehicle depot feels all the more rewarding and can often change a potentially sour situation to your favour.

In one such instance I spotted a group of mercenaries engaged with some very tough mutants and the only way I could see to get past this group was to fight through, which would have been incredibly difficult part considering the number of enemies. After a short trip around a hill to scout for alternative routes I found a glider nestled safely on top of a hill. I quickly made use of this device and flew my way over the mercenaries and their unwelcome guests, landing safely distant from the fighting, with most of my ammo and health still intact. It's cases like this where Far Cry really does come into its own. At first glance it does nothing new, with gun turrets in areas rife with enemies, sniper rifles at ideal sniping positions and the usual stealth sections too. But deep down Far Cry is a game that offers up more than the usual stereotypical FPS cares to offer.

No more is this true than in the AI of your enemies, one of Far Cry's much-vaunted features. The Mercenaries, who appear throughout much of the game, are the natural enemy of the tropical islands you have to explore. Combat-wise they prove quite a challenge. They can dodge your fire, use grenades to flush you out and run to call for assistance from nearby allies. However, they also use the terrain available to devastating effect. It's not uncommon to find yourself battling a group of foes only to find that one has broken away and managed to sneak up behind you. Getting into a fire fight in the denser parts of the islands can often be sporadic and deadly; sometimes you may find yourself shooting at nothing but foliage because you can't actually see who's shooting back at you. Alerted enemies will also negate mindlessly charging at you and actually call for reinforcements when possible, using radios to call in patrol boats or firing flares to get the attention of a nearby helicopter. The most dreaded of them all however is the Osprey Helicopter that many will remember from the Half-Life days and when called in it unloads a whole new group of bad guys for you to deal with.

Enemies in vehicles can prove to be even more troublesome than those on foot. Driving in vehicles yourself can attract the attention of nearby patrols, which more often than not will find the nearest jeep, hop in and give chase. Helicopters also prove to be quite a pain, not content with dropping off reinforcements the Blackhawks, the most common helicopters in the game, also provide excellent cover fire for their troops on the ground, unleashing a barrage of fire from the mounted mini-gun fitted onto the side of the helicopters. While rocket launchers can bring down these huge tin cans, it's much more satisfying to shoot the gunner out yourself. A perfectly aimed rocket or a sharp shot with the rifle can knock out the gunner from his position, sending him falling to ground beneath, while the helicopter beats a hasty retreat. The mercenaries' use of vehicles is almost as effective as their use of terrain and it actually makes for some damn exciting moments. Being chased down rivers by attack boats, trying to evade roadblocks with an enemy jeep firing at your rear, helicopters hovering in front of you to get a better shot, it's the gaming equivalent of Rambo; over the top, action packed and silly but extremely exciting all the same.

The AI isn't perfect however and though this was a prominent feature hyped up by the developers, it does disappoint in one, very common aspect. Stealth plays its part in the game, as you'd expect, but for all the things the AI gets right where action is concerned, for the stealth parts of the game it seems to get almost everything completely wrong. All the usual troubles apply; enemies have oversensitive hearing and the ability to spot you from miles away as well being able to find your exact position even if you've made little noise. It'll frustrate those who enjoy a bit of espionage action to no end. But even with these problems, the stealth still remains a tantalising method of approach to the game. You can mark enemies from miles off with a pair of binoculars (they then appear on your radar) while you also get the chance to survey and monitor patrols from a safe distance, deciding which way to approach. It's certainly no Metal Gear Solid and Sam Fisher can rest easy, his throne is safe from this game, but if you want stealth and are prepared to forgive the shortcomings of the AI, then Far Cry does offer an opportunity for tactics and tension.

While the Mercenaries provide an ample amount of intelligent behaviour in their many roles, their counterparts, the Tigrens (or mutants to you and I) are a little more primitive, though that is because they actually are primitives. The Tigrens are predators and as such do nothing but lunge out and attack anyone they come across. There are three different types of Tigrens, the most common being the apelike mutants that jump directly at their prey, while the biggest and slowest benefit from having arm-mounted rocket launchers. In the open the Tigrens are fairly easy targets, if not quite as challenging to deal with as the mercenaries, however when indoors they suddenly become the deadliest thing you'll likely encounter in the entire game. Interior levels are very atmospheric; hardly any lighting means everything is near pitch black while what little lighting there is only goes so far as to light a small area, rather than the entire level. Encounters with the Tigrens in such environments can be both truly terrifying and downright annoying. On the one hand the interiors make for some real Alien moments, with lots of jumps and a really unnerving atmosphere as you progress through the multitude of laboratories and Jurassic Park styled holding pens. On the other hand, fighting these creatures in such confined spaces can lead to many deaths and an unwelcome but quite common trip to the quick load key.

Fighting indoors just doesn't compare to fighting outside. Mercenaries lose the abilities that make them such a challenge outside, namely their use of cover and ability to call for reinforcements, while the Tigrens' simple attacks and behaviour proves to be quite a chore. Dodging attacks and making use of terrain is severely limited, cover just can't be utilized as effectively as it can in the jungle and many of the Tigrens' attacks force you to react fast in very tight spaces and in such instances it's not uncommon for the beasts to leave you near or completely dead. It gets even more complicated when you bump into the giant Tigrens with rocket launchers, as trying to dodge rockets in such tight spaces is no easy feat. It's even worse when there are groups of these creatures fighting in such small spaces with little cover, low health and sparse ammunition. It's at times like these you really need a quick save but unfortunately the saving is all automated. This only really becomes a problem when you die in a position where the last save was a few miles back, causing you to retrace your steps.

As far as other disappointments go, Far Cry's story leaves a lot to be desired. Essentially this is a budget version of The Island Of Dr Moreau, the kind of TV movie remake that only gets aired through the day so the TV channels can put something better on later at night when people are actually watching. Lack of originality isn't so much the problem, as Half-Life had a cliché-ridden story yet it managed to keep you hooked because of the way the story was told. A few FMV sequences and some horrendous voice acting sees the story plod along as nothing more than an explanation as to what's going on as opposed to giving you a purpose. Not that you'll stop playing simply because the narrative isn't there but it would have been nice to tie in a story with the huge and beautiful environments. I'll give credit where credit is due though, Far Cry is one of the few FPS games I've played recently that doesn't use or rely on scripted sequences and set pieces. Playing this game doesn't feel like you're playing some kind of interactive cut scene and while this does mean there are certain points that lack the cinematic punch of the competition, it nevertheless adds to the freedom the game gives you.

That freedom is extended to the multiplayer game. While standard game types are to be found here, the multiplayer side of things throws up a welcome Assault style game type that first appeared in Unreal Tournament. It's an attack/defend variant where one team is tasked with protecting three flags while the other team has to capture them. Added to this is are vehicles and a class system, which seems so popular in multiplayer games these days. While the classes in Far Cry are basic in their abilities, they do help add a bit of tactical play to an arcade game. In particular the engineer class proves to be the most useful, with his ability to build up structures from blueprints left lying around that can form bunkers, machinegun nests and most importantly walls, while engineers on the opposite side can use explosives to break through these.

The sniper class, which allows players to choose either a sniper rifle or a rocket launcher, also comes with a nice, if perhaps unwelcome addition for those who like to camp out and pick people off from afar. Sniper weapons no longer have the advantages they have in other games though; here in Far Cry it is possible for normal players to spot snipers thanks to the reflection of sunlight off the scope, highlighting any snipers in the area. For once snipers no longer have the advantage that makes them such a pain to deal with in so many multiplayer games and this in turn makes it a lot easier for those who prefer guerrilla type tactics.

While the multiplayer offers a nice distraction from the single player shenanigans, it's not Far Cry's most prestigious feature. It's still a fairly basic addition that does seem to have benefited from a lot more attention than most other games that concentrate primarily on single player, although it's doubtful that you'll spend as much time online as you will fighting through the jungle alone. It's a nice addition that ties up the package neatly and offers some much-needed escapist fun with some real human players, with the added bonus of the game's incredible exterior environments and luscious graphics. It'll be more interesting to see what fans will make with the game editor and the subsequent mods and additions that will undoubtedly come after it. Half Life's multiplayer wasn't exactly groundbreaking at its release but a dedicated community ensured its position in the charts years later; hopefully the same will come to pass for Far Cry.

There is one real problem that hampers Far Cry; attempting to play the game at minimum specifications will throw up problems, as this game does need a hefty PC to get things as pretty as they can look. It's a power hungry game and even on high end machines details may need to be tweaked to get an acceptable frame rate, although this doesn't necessarily mean the game will look any less stunning; I played with medium detail settings and it still looked better than any other game I currently play.

Graphically, Far Cry showcases some of the finest visuals you will have ever seen and whilst the enticing graphics might be what attracts you to the game, the gameplay really lives up to the looks. The wide open environments and free ranging gameplay provide a thrilling experience and make up for the at times patchy AI and lack of story. In fact, I haven't quite been as taken with a game like this since I first played the original Half-Life some six years ago. The excellent level design, tactic heavy AI and near perfect graphics make for a supreme package. We'll have to wait to see if it'll give Gordon Freeman a run for his money when he finally rears his head later this summer but in the meantime this is a Far Cry from what's on offer now and is definitely not to be missed.

Reviewed by Kieron Giacopazzi for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).