It takes a while to get into, but this varied open-world shooter is worth the effort

, and this game to internal studios. But the results have been impressive and while the last game moved to a rather drab African savannah setting,

Ubisoft heads back to the tropics with their third interpretation of the expansive Far Cry series. More than a simple shooter, Far Cry 3 is an adventure, and one that should be explored by any fan of the genre.

Expansive open-world environment to explore, Great storyline with some outstanding characters, Lots to do, lots of ways to do it, Solid combat mechanics; with some excellent stealth mechanics, Excellent character development and customization, Production is spot on.

This destination might be too big for some gamers; Some of the side missions are too basic; While mindless fun; the co-op seems unnecessary

Far Cry 3 is a delightful and harsh tropical wonderland, crawling with wildlife and threatened by the pirates and drug runners that disrupt its peace. The troubled paradise you explore is colorful and wild, enticing you to investigate its ravines and discover new ways to enjoy the open-world...

A huge tropical world stuffed with fun things to do Ecology and unpredictable creatures make the world come alive Stealth and action come together in rewarding ways Role-playing elements and difficulty curve give a sense of momentum Great structure leads you from one activity to the next

Some design quirks lead to minor frustrations Certain story elements break the immersion

Far Cry 3 is a delightful and harsh tropical wonderland, crawling with wildlife and threatened by the pirates and drug runners that disrupt its peace. The troubled paradise you explore is colorful and wild, enticing you to investigate its ravines and discover new ways to enjoy the open-world...

A huge tropical world stuffed with fun things to do; Ecology and unpredictable creatures make the world come alive; Stealth and action come together in rewarding ways; Role-playing elements and difficulty curve give a sense of momentum; Great structure leads you from one activity to the next

Some design quirks lead to minor frustrations; Certain story elements break the immersion

Make no mistake, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is ridiculous. That's obviously a completely intentional decision and it's a beautiful thing. It's wonderful whenever a large publisher puts out a game that is perfectly happy to just be ridiculous and fun.

Concept and presentation are brilliantly executed; Dialogue is often laugh-out-loud funny; Blood Dragons offer an opportunity for a decent new stealth mechanic

Occasional glitches; Pacing is a little erratic; More could have been done around the new Blood Dragon mechanics

Why is it that seemingly deserted tropical paradise islands are full of danger, terror and usually pirates? It's why I've never accepted any of Richard Branson's invites to attend a party at Necker Island as I fully expect it to be full of pirates, mad tribesmen and women, with one particular...

A very strong story and character dialogue; Graphically beautiful.

Multiplayer doesn't have the same story strength

I woke up groggy and sweaty in my safe house, an island beat and delightfully deluded voices clamoring outside my hut. Kicking open my door and hauling my rocket launcher and silenced MP5 over my shoulder, I looked down at my map as the other villagers greedily snorted their cocaine and smoked their...

Open world; open-ended gameplay; First-person mechanics that put you in the jungle; What do you want to do first

The characters; The campaign

There is so much to do in Far Cry 3 that doesn't feel like filler, and that's saying a lot for an open-world game. It's worth noting that some of the side missions feel extremely disconnected from the overall campaign, but I like to view that as something to do after the story is over.

Terrific setting full of worthwhile things to do; Excellent singleplayer experience; First-person platforming at its best

Occasional graphic issues; Mediocre multiplayer; Vehicle use is hit or miss

If you've watched or read any of the advertisements for Far Cry 3 , then you likely remember this short quote used for comparison: "Like Skyrim with guns!" But let's be real here, people. That's Fallout 3 . In fact, the better description would be "Like Fallout 3 but vice versa!

Fantastic gunplay and takedowns; Serviceable stealth mechanics; Gorgeous environment; Plenty of mini-games and activities to do; Solid multiplayer and cooperative modes

Disconnection between protagonist and player; Non-interactive NPCs; Repetitive objectives