Far Cry 3: How to merge the best of both worlds

Better multiplayer

Whilst I don’t like to subscribe to this view in the slightest, it seems nowadays that no FPS game can get away with having anything less than a stellar suite of multiplayer modes. The Far Cry games so far have all been renowned for their single player experience over their online components. With Far Cry 3 set to have the experience of hindsight in regards to monumental online shooters like the Modern Warfare games, Halo Reach and Bad Company, There’s no reason why it can’t take a leaf from some of these games books. Things like unique class abilities, more ways of rewarding team players and the ability to upgrade guns with new weapon attachments and upgrades. Far Cry 3 could also do with some better tutorials to accompany the level editor. The level editor has always been an enjoyable staple of the FC games, but better sign posting would help newer players get to grips with it. I’m not at all saying that either Far Cry title has less than stellar multiplayer but, with a bit of tweaking here and there, it’s possible that Far Cry 3 could be a real CoD killer.

Immersion that doesn’t break the pace

Having to pull bullets out of your wounds was cool, but it sure as hell slowed things down

If Far Cry 2 had any one thing in spades, it was immersion. The game sucked you in beyond the standard run and gun action by throwing vehicle degradation, guns jamming and even malaria into the fray. Having to contend with these elements helped retain the suspension of disbelief throughout the game, but it also had a series of negative side effects that I would not wish upon the upcoming FC3. Having to constantly stop and repair weapons and vehicles. Having to hunt down more malaria medicine every couple of hours of playtime. It all added to the realism, but it also detracted from the gameplay and made for a slow paced wilder-beast of a shooter. These immersive elements would be more than welcome in Far Cry 3, but they’ll need a bit of tinkering to make sure that they don’t interfere with the pace of the game.

More destructible environments

Burn baby burn, disco inferno

One thing that Far Cry 2 had, and that no other game has been able to achieve since, was realistic fire physics. You could set some trees on fire outside an enemy hideout and watch as the wind carried your fiery justice into the lair of the beast. It was satisfying, tactically useful and looked damn good. Far Cry 3 definitely needs this element in its arsenal, but it could also do with a whole lot more. Giving this kind of treatment to destruction physics could really put the Far Cry series on a whole new level. Just imagine the fire physics of Far Cry 2 in conjunction with the Frostbite engine of the Bad Company games, or Red Faction’s Geo Mod technology? It’s very unlikely these technologies will be used, but if Ubisoft could come up with their own, Far Cry 3 could be a genre defining revolution.

Any other thoughts on what you’d like to see in Far Cry 3? Let us know in the comments below.