Far Cry 3 (XBox 360) Video Game Review

A beautiful and primal island in the Far East is visited by a group of college friends. At that time, however, pirates decide to invade the island and make it their own as a channel for their illegal activities, mostly human and drug trafficking — thus adding slight hints of The Beach.

Gameplay (Out of 10)

Overall, the gameplay is great, but it is certainly not without its flaws.

Unlike Assassin’s Creed III, which holds your hand for a substantial part of the game, Far Cry 3 doesn’t hold your hand beyond the first three missions. However, at any point, you are free to explore and trek the island on your own for the most part. Exploring the island has to be one of the most enjoyable — and time-passing — things to do in this game. You’ll find the island itself evolves and levels up with you akin to Fallout. It has elements similar to Assassin’s Creed III from climbing towers, crafting stuff to the random game of poker. The game itself also has elements of Cabela’s video games in which you hunt down animals. One last thing of note: throughout your exploration on the island, you’ll see the trials and tribulations of a couple if you pay attention.

Despite all these near-perfect mixes, this game does have its flaws. First, the AI of the pirates are a bit inconsistent. Sometimes, they are geniuses and almost too human; at other times, they are a few cards short of a full deck. Next, the AI sometimes does get lost — literally lost. Lastly, particularly around blind corners, takedowns don’t happen or aren’t permitted.

After all that’s said and done, it’s an 8.5 out of 10.

Graphics (Out of 10)

The graphics are generally fairly amazing. However, there are some minor issues. Sometimes, the NPCs (including the animals) get caught in the scenery — literally. I have experienced more than once already. The takedowns are particularly gruesome and brutal to watch. The cinematics, however, are simply amazing. The characters are too human to look and listen to. Overall, the graphics get an 8.5 out of 10.

Sound (Out of 10)

The sound is perhaps the best part of this game. You can hear animals growling at each other, and if you have 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound, you can pinpoint the direction from where it came. This deserves a 10 out of 10 in my book.

Overall (Out of 10)

If you can take the B-movie storyline with a grain of salt, this video game is fairly great minus a few glitches here and there. Rook Island is certainly more entertaining and breathtaking than what Liberty City of Grand Theft Auto IV or Steelport of Saints Row: The Third offers. The world is responsive in of itself and to you, and the vistas of the island are spectacular. Overall, I would give Far Cry 3 a 9.0 out of 10. This video game is well worth playing.