First Encounter

Welcome to paradise … it's a living hell. Or rather, it is in Far Cry Instincts™, a first-person shooter set on a sunny tropical isle. An expansion upon the award-winning Windows edition—which debuted to both critical and commercial acclaim in 2004—this exclusive Xbox® successor takes the action one step further, courtesy of several key feature additions.

You're Jack Carver, former military man, now retired and running a boat charter service in Micronesia. Approached by enigmatic but beautiful journalist Valerie Cortez, you accept a commission to ferry her to a remote, uncharted island. Upon arrival, your ship is suddenly attacked and torn asunder. Safely reaching shore, you find yourself adrift in every sense, lost on a mysterious island, head filled with questions, and no foxy female to be found. Some vacation, eh?

One big rumble in the jungle.

From there, things only devolve further. Alone in the wilderness, you're left to fend off murderous mercenaries, vicious pirates, and bloodthirsty mutants. The deeper you dig past sandy beaches and lush jungles, the greater the horrors you find and blow away using pistols, rifles, and rocket launchers. Although set in open environments, a la Halo® 2 and Half-Life® 2, the atmosphere has more in common with atmospheric surroundings like Area 51. Think DOOM 3® with Tiki torches and fruity drinks sporting little umbrellas; the overall tension level (surprisingly nail-biting) is completely at odds with the otherwise peaceful surroundings.

Improving upon the franchise's existing play mechanics, Far Cry Instincts introduces a lot more options for stealth and subterfuge. Hide in the undergrowth, watching enemies comb for signs of your tracks. Set up tripwire-based traps for unwary opponents, or throw rocks and shoot explosive barrels, creating a diversion while you sneak around to the other side of their camp. Tiptoe past sentries, shoot through floors, or just lie still as guards wander by, seizing opportunities to slit their throats while their backs are turned. All told, you've got way more underhanded ways to approach scenarios than ever before; a welcome addition, considering how much of a fight brainy enemies, who outnumber you to begin with, put up.

Confronting enemies head-on: not the smartest move.

In fact, hand-to-hand and close-quarters combat is something of a last resort. You can return fire from vehicles while piloting them. ATVs, gunboats, hang gliders, jet skis … all are available, and a real joy to tool around on. Eliminate hostiles using gun turrets and other long-range arms. For lack of a better descriptor, the sheer arsenal at one's disposal is almost as breathtaking as the sunlight shimmering across the ocean waves which dance in the background during featured firefights. Don't be distracted by the heavenly visuals, though; with adversaries such as snipers, stalkers, scouts, gunmen, and grenadiers hot on your heels, there's little time to stop and admire the scenery.

Bodies tumble with brutal realism.

What you find precious seconds for is employing environments as camouflage. Crawling around in the grass hones your wilderness skills, so you learn to locate targets at a glance or sniff out adversaries' scents. Foes react with crushing force when confronted head-on, assuring that guerrilla attacks are usually the preferred method of accomplishing goals. The upshot: you spend hours creeping around forests, docks, and enemy encampments, poking your head out only to take potshots at patrolling gunmen or purposefully raise a ruckus. While fully capable of butting heads with rivals directly, Carver's much more effective when he settles down and slowly but surely assumes the role of alpha predator.

Further enhancements include split-screen or online multiplayer options—support for up to 16 players is offered via Xbox Live®—plus a comprehensive map editor. Construct your own custom levels complete with hills, valleys, weapons, and vehicles, then take your creations for a test drive. Assuming they pass muster, you can trade creations with friends over a broadband connection, and enjoy personalized Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag encounters.

Life's a beach, then you die.

It's obvious the game will be something special. Neither as comical as Serious Sam nor straightforward as Pariah™, yet every bit as intense as Project: Snowblind, Far Cry: Instincts carves out its own niche in a crowded genre. Look for more on Xbox.com later, and keep some suntan lotion and high-caliber ammo handy—it's time to work on that virtual tan.

Article by Chris Zimmerman