New Far Cry 2 Screens & Interview

By Steve on Thursday, August 23rd, 2007 at 9:06 PM PST In Computer, Game Companies, Game Platforms, Games, Ubisoft

Far Cry 2 Burn Coming out of the wealth of new gaming info from the 2007 Leipzeig Gaming Convention are new in-game screenshots from Far Cry 2, developed by Ubisoft Montreal.

I had my doubts about this game due to the Far Cry IP being pawned off by Crytek. Also supporting my doubt was knowledge of Ubisoft Montreal’s choice to design a completely new engine for Far Cry 2. The developer of Splinter Cell and Prince of Persia games tackling a wide open lush environment 3D shooter? That’s quite a jump in game complexity. But wait, there’s more. Ubi is also dumping the Far Cry storyline and characters. Yep, no more Jack Carver (RiP). Oh yeah, I almost forgot… no tropical island paradise either. Ubi wants to take us on safari instead. Bloody hell! What are they smoking?

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist’s broker to see that Ubisoft just wanted to buy the Far Cry IP for the name. I guess we’ve gotten to the point where originality is so hard to sell that we have to try to trick people into buying it? Marketing for the win… (/rant)

Regardless, the new screenshots available have somewhat negated most of my doubts. For now, Far Cry 2 doesn’t look to be a Crysis-killer; however, if these screens are any indication, I’d bet this game can hold its own in the graphics department. Ok, Ubi, you’ve got a good looking game. Now, the real question is can you make something other than just another pretty game? To back that up, CVG scored a pretty good interview with Far Cry 2’s producer and creative director. The interview covers most of the things I’ve already mentioned; however, there are some note-worthy Far Cry 2 features worth mentioning:

African setting (safari baby!)
new custom engine
50 sq/km open world
650 meter distance views
new LivePosture animation system
dynamic environments (destructable vegetation and reactive elements)
dynamic weather system (time of day, rain, storm, procedural clouds)
real fire propagation (every flammable element can burn)
more than 30 weapons (with weapon wear)
14 vehicles with 40 variants (glider is back!)
completely unscripted AI
drama-management engine to drive a non-linear story (think GTA)
joinable factions (think S.T.A.L.K.E.R.)
more features coming…

Ok, now I’m even more interested. I must admit, Far Cry 2 is sporting some realistic looking fire there (which probably looks ten times better in motion). I can just see it now. Light up a cigarette. Toss it into some random straw house. Walk away and watch a whole village burn to the ground. Oooh, pretty fire. Oh how you glow with delight.

Ubi, if you can pull this off, the inner-pyro in me wants to say “You had me at burn”.