Kracht and rattles inspiring without rhyme or reason

INTRODUCTION
Wiedermal is a game on the shelf, on which there is to read a lot of contradictions. "Still very good" to "absolutely outstanding" on the Internet just to find tests of independent games magazines of such comparisons with the games GTA, Crysis and STALKER (which probably no one would think of that last game turn to directly compare).
Origin of all this is on the one hand the result of some true and false promises of the creative minds behind Far Cry 2, and on the other hand of the game itself, the one in the first season to be quite something else pretends, as it is then ultimately. This uncertainty with the question "What is a kind of game at all?" then results in a variety of interpretations and evaluations.
To come to take: Unlike it was conveyed in the announcements, it is in Far Cry 2 is definitely not a game that tries to be realistic in every way, a profound story tells much depth has or violence-soaked "Africa simulation "conveys. Actually, it is a game in a very old tradition: it attracts a certain framework to apply in the specific rules and mechanisms act, with which the player can handle - and over and over again. And strange as this has a sound: this principle was already Tetris successfully, and in some ways, Far Cry 2 is the stud game similar as the top title mentioned: it makes little sense, however, has for more than a few ground rules that all before do only one thing: fun. At least if you manage not to constantly remember what game you would have liked to desired titled "Far Cry 2" because of the promises and the missing elements constantly missing.

STORY
Choose one of several (only male) characters from, start the game and find the Waffenhänder "Jackal" to finish him off. That's it really. The choice of character is secondary because without consequences, the goal equally direct and first unspannend. Everything else, what is told as a "story", is actually negligible. The important thing is: You play in a torn by civil war, fictional African country, where two factions for supremacy rings (short-Apr and UFLL). The factions are not really matter: Work only for one or both - has no influence. Outside the ceasefire zones (with a few exceptions) anyway anyone an enemy, no matter what faction he belongs.
2 stars

DRAIN
Once you have struggled through the short tutorial that want an even convey a story to tell, you should immediately stop that now a game starts, obeying the simple rules. The emphasis is on "rule" and "game mechanics". Small examples:
1. "primary missions" you get in the central city, which is no more than a three-dimensional representation of a mission selection screen. Fittingly, therefore live the factions almost next door to each freidlich side by side in the ceasefire zone. As I said: Story counts for nothing. The reward for main missions are diamonds.
2. weapons from opponents are scrap metal, as they quickly have stoppages and then fail completely their service. If you want new, you play it with (scattered on the map) arms dealers through special missions free, where you have to turn each a moving convoy. Then one can imagine the weapon (or certain upgrades) buy diamonds against the arms dealer. In an adjacent shed the gun is then ready constantly. The mission to destroy "convoy" therefore corresponds to the concept of "free games", the storehouse the concept of "fitting screen".
And so it goes on and on really. Learn the game mechanics and apply it in your favor in order to more easily made emissions. That's it. Sounds really bad, but now comes the crux: it has accepted that Far Cry presents 2 50 square kilometer playground where one can properly let out the sow according to certain rules, so a pure sandbox, in which the developer the players toys in hand give to let off steam to their hearts content - only then one can see the appeal of the game. The control system without depending too chic staged script, tubular level and consistently told stories has a simple consequence: The player is free. To illustrate an example: I have often been annoyed at Assassin's Creed about the fact that the main opponents in a special - be introduced cutscene - pseudo-interactive. Why? In the sequence I'd like to intervene several times, but was not allowed there. Often I would have liked approached me from a certain direction is happening, but I was not allowed, otherwise the sequence would not start, and the opponents would not be published. Positive result: The villain was introduced dramatically. Negative result: The game prohibits me in this moment of freedom.
In stalking to the target and then depending on the play more or less wild shoot-from Far Cry 2 you are spared such restrictions. One rushes under heavy fire with a jeep directly to the destructive goal of jumping under a shower of bullets out shortly before the collision and brings everything with a targeted shot from an anti-tank missile to explode? Creeps you look at the night undetected zoom and blasts with a single grenade? If you switch from a distance as an invisible hunter all the guards with a sniper rifle from? If you put on the west side of the camp with a few Molotov cocktails a major fire and uses the following confusion to bumble to the goal? While it's all about the fight, but this is Far Cry 2 is terrific and leaves plenty of room for experimentation. I have long experienced no game where you advance observed the target of a hill, the landscape spying, elaborated a plan, this then leads - and, of course, is something in between. In wild panic the player starts to improvise, to use around stopped vehicles as pre-placed bombs by blasting or by boarding the flight to abuse trees as an ideal distribution of chaos-creating large fires - or to use the worst case its own set of wheels as a mobile cover, to haste to provide a wound that is just about to suck the last bit of life energy from one. And so on fire, shooting, ballert, Rest and rages of the players in a continuing through the world of Far Cry 2 and ignites an action-packed fireworks, in which some scripted cutscene with envy turns pale. Here, the AI ​​of the enemies behave (at least in my experience) overall very good. It was to read that opponents through your permanent dropouts as X-ray eyes (see the player through obstacles), pure player or other unjustifiable behavior Ignore considerably nervous. Fact: Completed one (albeit quietly) a person in the ceasefire zone, all of which are in the field now enemies. It may be illogical, but result of simple mechanics. If one does the same in enemy territory, then accesses only the AI ​​and not the switch "player has done something bad" and thus get only the opponents with some who have seen or heard something. The fact is also that the opponent can see through objects, through which you can also walk (tall grass, bushes). This is annoying, but I'm glad if I, a player may give a hint to what 3D shooter that is not so. In Far Cry 1 it was in any case the same way. Behind rocks or walls is you really do not see the enemy and take clear at the Call audible search to. Dropouts that I ignore opponents, I've never experienced. Instead, go to the opponent in front of similar, as it is known from Far Cry 1 (even if another developer studio behind it): Individual force opponents the player with constant fire for cover, start the other, to flank the player. Chance throw grenades in order to lure the players from the cover, and finally breaks under the enemies utter chaos when the environment suddenly catches fire. All in all, I feel the computerized opponent as clever enough to guarantee varied battles.
4 stars

PRESENTATION
Graphics and sound are breathtaking backdrop. Rarely has the existing performance was employed to conjure up such a coherent and self-contained representation of a location on the screen. In the evening will flash between the branches of the dense jungle in blinding rays through the golden sun, chirping urges deafening ear, rustling underfoot at every step, the dense, dry grass. The branches swaying in the breeze, a large fern leaf is pushed aside while crouched the road ahead is observed. The calm before the storm is overwhelming, the tension so gripping and the presentation so believable that they seem to feel the sweat from the sticky heat on his forehead. At night, shredded clouds push against a gradiosen moon, it occurs at noon from a building, hidden in the glare of the first second so strong that you can see very little. The morning sun leaves the fine traces in the dunes so realistically emerge that you want to feel the sand beneath his feet. Is the fireworks going on, conjures Far Cry 2 is nothing less than the most impressive representation of itself, propagating fire on the screen that has ever existed in the history of computer games. The audible roar of explosions or meditative rustle of swaying grass doing this the rest of his to be a completely forgotten, to sit in the quiet safety of their own living room.
5 Stars

CONCLUSION
Far Cry 2 is a strange game. Do you want to leave to be captivated by a story, play a hero with the face (or even a hero) be, or trapped in a world where everything is somehow interrelated and makes sense? If so, then stay away from this game. It's only about one thing: through impressive technology to create a stunning atmosphere that should help in those empathize that runs straight into battle. The necessary framework mechanisms help to create a framework in which (replaceable) missions are located and where they can operate freely. (Be a target must also only once reached on foot or by car) If it is enough for you to breathe in the five minutes of rest before the storm to enjoy the tension in this moment feel no rush to then quietly as invisible shadows to meet a goal or to experience a breathtaking adrenaline rush between violent explosions, then Far Cry 2 is currently the game of choice. What to do, is neither moral nor gives deeper meaning, but satisfied everyone who already had fun with it, after work is finished tear home-made wooden block castles again.
Far Cry 2 could have been a lot more - but it is not. It uses all its Fähigekeiten to fight out an impressive and incredibly dynamic with Geballere similar to Far Cry 1 active opponents and to have a field day. That is certainly not the ultimate goal of a medium which has now been elevated to the status of cultural property, is by no means in Kinderhänder. But - I freely admit - it got me entertained for hours dazzling.