Everyone Should Play Far Cry 3

The weekend is finally here and you know what that means...time for some hardcore gaming! I've been progressing through Far Cry 3 and hope to beat it this weekend. The game is fantastic and I regret not playing it sooner.

It's really not important to have played a Far Cry game before. This entry is its own story - and what a story it is. In fact, the game combines an incredible story with an open world not unlike that of Skyrim...with guns instead of swords and sharks, tigers, and komodo dragons instead of - well, regular dragons. Yes, this is is a game with komodo dragons. Yes, they'll attack you. Oh, and the game runs much better than Skyrim in terms of framerate.

I've always had a fascination with sharks and komodo dragons. They are two of nature's most fearsome predators. By fascination, I mean I'm terrified of them. I've yet to be attacked by a shark (in the game) and hope I can avoid it entirely (both in-game and in real life). As far as I have found, there's really no way to attack while underwater, which means you're incredibly vulnerable. At one point in the game, I needed sharkskin to craft a new item. I shot at the sharks from outside the water and then quickly dove in for the pelts. Luckily, no other sharks approached before I could return to the surface. I also had an untimely death at the hands of a crocodile that resulted in me throwing my controller and screaming like a little girl. My dog seemed rather annoyed that I woke her with my shout. My wife was also less than impressed.

In all seriousness, the game does a fantastic job of drawing you into the lush landscape of Bangkok. Each situation feels unique and what I love is how you can go about a mission in entirely different ways. You can be stealth or you can go in aggressively with your guns. But let's be honest, there's really nothing unique or innovative about offering you basic, cookie-cutter stealth and aggressive options. Fortunately, Far Cry 3 offers you hundreds of possibilities.

Get out of the way and watch the ensuing carnage. 

With Far Cry 3, your decisions are multilayered and you have a number of ways to be stealth or aggressive. For example, if you spot a caged animal right in the middle of an outpost, you can shoot off the door and watch from afar as a bear or leopard wreaks havoc on the enemy. Maybe you prefer a more aggressive approach, in which, one of my favorite options relies on the use of a vehicle. Depending on the outpost's layout, you may be able to take out everyone with your vehicle. If you want to be a little more creative, you can race straight for an outpost and allow the enemy to fire at your vehicle and eventually it will start smoking. Once you see the flames, you can bail out of what is now a very large explosion waiting to happen. If you time it just right, the vehicle will explode and take out a number of enemies.

This really just scratches the surface, but hopefully it's enough to whet your appetite. If you haven't already played Far Cry 3, I would highly recommend it. There's a ton to do, the story is engaging, and the gameplay is fantastic. I may also try and squeeze in some time with Link to the Past this weekend as well. How about you? What is everyone else playing this weekend?