The finished game’s graphics are better than the demo (at least for me, since I can use 4xAA and AF on my 9800 Pro), which means they are pretty much the best out there.
The game runs smoothly and flawlessly: no hitches, bugs or crashes.
And what a game it is. The intro is kind of weak, but once you are in the game you are IN the game. Realistic objectives and enemies, creative solutions to obstacles, and a VERY open environment. Different solutions to the same problem.
The checkpoint system of saves has generated some flak, but so far I’ve found that the CryTek boys have done an excellent job with this. There is usually a health and/or armor pack near the save, and they are ALWAYS positioned just when I’m saying “Man, I’d love a save game here.” The lack of a quicksave adds tension to the game, in a good way (unlike the “tension” in the sniper level of MOHAA:SH, which was a contest in pressing the quicksave button). The times I’ve had to repeat sequences have been fun in that the the enemy AI reacts differently.
As an example, there is a point where I enter a platform with three mercs below me on the bottom floor. They don’t attack until I do. Also, two Trigens (mutants) come out of the door I just left. At first I tried to shoot the Trigens with my machine gun. It worked for a while, until one time a Trigen slipped past me down to the lower floor…where the mercs and the Trigen fought to the death! I came in and mopped up one wounded Trigen…thank you very much!
This is the kind of dynamic AI and reality that I have not experienced since Half-Life.
Really, Far Cry is that good.
From what I hear it’s decently scalable, so people without killer rigs can still experience this game.
The graphics are amazing and add much to the mix, but the gameplay itself in awesome.
The universe has been conspiring to keep this game from me. I must have it. I needs it. It is my crack.
No, really, I’ve been without a game for a long time now. Deus Ex 2 was supposed to tide me over, but it sucked distended donkey testicles… and I’m too over WW2 games to get into Call of Duty. And Half-Life 2 isn’t out yet.
I have heard many good things about this game. I have read many good things about this game. I have seen many incredibly awesome screens (from non-review sources) from this game, showcasing the variety of prearranged graphics settings - including something that’s almost cel-shading! The vehicles. The weapons. The physics! The class-based assault multiplayer!
But the demos chugged along on my machine. I weep…
(And I just bought Thief 2 for three bucks! You can’t beat that!)
Pilot141: How does the full game perform relative to the demo. I’ve got a 2.4 gig machine with a 9700 Pro and when I went into the caves on the second demo I had an unacceptable framerate. But damn that demo was fun. I think it’s the best AI I’ve seen yet.
KidCharlemagne the game runs better than the demo did. The code seems to have been tweaked and optimized.
The biggest difference is the ability to specifically control your graphical sttings. IIRC in the demo you had about 4 or 5 options you could adjust. Also with the demo, I could run NO anti-aliasing at all. If I enabled it the game would crash. In the retail game, I’m running 4xAA.
The graphical options in the retail game are two pages long. Page one is basic resolution, anti-aliasing, game, etc. Page two has the following controls:
Texture, Texture Filter, Anisotpoic Filter Level, Particle Count, Special Effects, Environment Quality, Shadow Quality, Water Quality and Lighting Quality.
Between all of those I think you can find something that will work for you!
One more gameplay moment: There is a room right after a checkpoint where you are attacked by three, sometimes four guys. I died a few times, but finally finished them all off. As I was standing in the room I noticed something was different. Then it hit me…one of my stray bullets had hit a hanging light, and it was swaying and sending crazy shadows all over the place. I waited for it to settle down, then shot it again…and damn if it didn’t start knocking around in new directions, sending shadows all over the place. Amazing.
To me, the best path to immersiveness in a game is view distance. If I can see that there’s a massive world around me - instead of the omnipresent fog of most open-area FPS’s - I really feel that I’m in the world.
I can stand turning off most of the graphics options 'til I upgrade from my old GeForce 3… waiting for ATI’s next graphic card lineup to be released…
SPOOFE, are you sure you want to wait for the new ATI cards. They just released the Radeon 9800 XT last September, I believe, so you can find the 9800 Pro (128 MB) for some pretty good prices at Ebay.
After I finish Call of Duty (anyone care to start a CoD thread?), I’m going to crave this game like crack! What a great concept. Among other things, I particularly like the dense patches of grass and trees. The plant life looks great, and it really adds a refreshing flavor to the environment.