The slow waltz of your boat atop the crystal clear tropical water wakes you. Breathing deeply, you sit up and look at the flawless white beaches of the tropical island you are anchored near. You glance at your watch then strain your ears for the sound of the returning jet-ski belonging to the journalist you were hired to bring to this island. The whir of an engine breaks the serenity, but it sounds bigger than a jet-ski.

Suddenly you are surrounded by helicopters. “It’s ok!” you shout waving your hands. “I have a fishing license!” In response, the helicopters shudder slightly, then swing sideways to reveal two 30 caliber machine guns that immediately open fire on your boat. Leaping for cover, you look up to find your boat in flames. With nowhere else to go, you leap off your burning vessel and into the shark-infested waters and begin swimming to the half-mile distance to shore. You are completely and utterly screwed.

…And that’s just the intro movie.

Continuing from the first Far Cry on the PC, the Xbox exclusive, Far Cry Instincts, places you once again in the role of Jack Carver, a water vessel operator and tourist guide contracted to transport an energetic female journalist to a tropical island to shoot photographs.

Shortly into the game, Carver finds himself injected with the same experimental serum that is being injected into laboratory animals granting him feral abilities. With these powers, Carver is gifted with the use of night vision, increased sprinting abilities, and powerful melee attacks that will send enemies careening into the sky.

It’s important to note that the feral abilities don’t make for an unfulfilling cop-out of the original gaming experience, especially during the second portion of the game where dark atmospheres are prevalent, requiring intelligent use of night vision. Large environments with little cover also require careful use of the sprinting ability. The game is an enjoyable experience due to the intelligent level design that capitalized on the best of your new-found abilities.

Though maps are more linear than it’s PC prequel, multiple options are always present in Far Fry Instincts giving the “illusion” of a world that is larger then it is. If you encounter a river, you can either run across the bridge guns blazing, throw rocks to distract and lure away enemies allowing you to sneak across, take a hang glider across the chasm, a boat…

The multiplayer potion of the game is extremely solid, allowing for split screen and online play. The inclusion of a map-editor adds to the overall value of the game. Maps can be created and uploaded to Xbox Live for others to download.

Xbox’s Far Cry Instincts is a complete gaming experience. A solid single player game with new game mechanics makes for a unique gaming experience. In addition, the inclusion of a robust multiplayer mode and map editor makes Xbox’s Far Cry Instincts an instant winner.

Xbox’s Far Cry Instincts is a complete gaming experience. A solid single player game with new game mechanics makes for a unique gaming experience. In addition, the inclusion of a robust multiplayer mode and map editor makes Xbox’s Far Cry Instincts an instant winner.