Far Cry: Instincts

PC Action (Germany) (1 out of 7)

Der dornengespickte Ast schnellt hervor und schleudert den feindlichen Söldner durch die Luft: Ihr Plan hat funktioniert! Fallenstellen zu können ist nur eine der Neuerungen, die Far Cry Instincts gegenüber der PC-Fassung aus Coburg aufweist. Dass Ubisoft das Spiel höchstpersönlich in Kanada entwickelte, war nicht von Nachteil. Die technischen Grenzen der Xbox umgeht Instincts geschickt. So sind etwa die Levels kleiner und linear, um die 64 Megabyte Arbeitsspeicher zu kaschieren. Überhaupt handelt es sich im Grunde um ein völlig neues Spiel. Ein gelungenes, völlig neues Spiel. Nicht nur wegen der neuen Fähigkeiten, die etwa erlauben, Gerüche sehen zu können, die einem der böse Doktor per Spritze verpasst. Sich durch die Südseeinsel zu ballern, ist wieder herzallerliebst. Da dürfen sogar Kenner der PC-Version einen Blick riskieren.

Extreme Gamer (9.5 out of 10)

Far Cry: Instincts from Ubisoft and Crytek should not be over looked. Even if you didn't know it this is the shooter you've been waiting for. I highly suggest this game for any fans of first person shooters you will love the jungle exploration, stealth sneaking, vehicle driving, guns blazing action in Far Cry. Pick this sucka up!

XBox Front (94 out of 100)

Wer bei Neckermann, TUI oder Expedia bucht, erhält meist Standardreisen nach Mallorca, in die DomRep oder wenn das Geld reicht nach Dubai. Dass ein Abenteuerurlaub in der Südsee auch seine Reize haben kann, beweist nun Ubisoft mit der Umsetzung des PC Ego-Shooters Far Cry mit dem Untertitel ‚Instincts’. Doch dieser Namenszusatz ist nicht etwa eine schnöde und einfallslose Erweiterung, um die beiden Versionen voneinander zu unterscheiden, sondern bedeutet viel Neues und jede Menge Urlaubsflair. Unsere Tester haben sich Hawaiihemd, Shorts und Sonnenbrille in die Koffer gepackt, die Waffen geschultert und die Strände von ‚Far Cry’ unsicher gemacht. Unser Ergebnis findet ihr in den folgenden Zeilen.

4Players.de (92 out of 100)

Skepsis wich Euphorie und die Euphorie wich gnadenloser Spannung sowie Adrenalin pur: Far Cry Instincts zeigt, wie ein Xbox-Shooter spielerisch und optisch auszusehen hat. Ubi Montreal hat hier weitaus mehr abgeliefert als eine „simple“ Umsetzung: Von Grund auf neu, die technischen Grenzen der demnächst von der Xbox 360 abzulösenden Hardware scheinbar bis zum Letzten ausreizend und spielerisch bis auf kleinere Ausnahmen über jeden Zweifel erhaben, hat sich Jack Carver auch auf Konsolen den Award redlich verdient. Da zusätzlich auch Anhänger von Mehrspieler-Partien besser auf ihre Kosten kommen als in der PC-Fassung und weiterhin die Möglichkeit haben, mit dem ebenso gewöhnungsbedürftigen wie mächtigen Editor eigene Karten zu erstellen, dürfte die Online-Langelebigkeit von FCI garantiert sein. Kurzum: Wenn ihr ein Fan von First-Person-Action seid und eine Xbox im Wohnzimmer habt, sollten euch eure Instinkte ganz schnell zu Jack Carver führen.

GameSpot (9.2 out of 10)

When Ubisoft announced last year that it was going to port its hit PC first-person shooter Far Cry to the Xbox, the news generated a lot of skepticism. After all, Far Cry wasn't just one of the best PC shooters of 2004; it was also a technological marvel that pushed PC graphics to the limits. How could it possibly work on the Xbox? Well, it turns out that for starters, developer Ubisoft Montreal threw Far Cry out the window and created a new game from the ground up, one designed to take full advantage of the Xbox's hardware. That's all well and good, but what everyone didn't expect was that Ubisoft Montreal would create a game that's even better than Far Cry, and considering how good Far Cry was, that's saying quite a lot.

Quebec Gamers (9.2 out of 10)

Comme vous voyez, je n'ai pas grand chose à redire sur Far Cry, un jeu quasi parfait sur tous les points de vue. J'aime qu'on nous laisse libre et que le jeu ne triche pas trop pour être plus difficile. Seulement vers la fin c'est un peu plus difficile et les ennemis nous font plus mal, mais avec le système de "check point" réguliers qui sauvegardent la partie, on recommence jamais bien loin d'où on n'est mort. Far Cry est mon deuxième FPS préféré sur Xbox après Half-Life 2, mais il est très près de la première place. C'est vraiment un must pour tous ceux qui aiment ce genre.

Fragland.net (91 out of 100)

My instinct is telling me: “not again a port of a successful PC shooter?”. I shouldn’t be complaining actually, but I’m not a big fan of shooters that don’t bring something new to the table and only brag about their good looks. Far Cry Instincts looks to be such a game. Let’s see if an extensive playing session contradicts my instinct.

GameSpy ( )

When gamers found out that Far Cry Instincts would be a drastically different experience when compared to the PC version, many were worried. Would the Xbox's limited power force the developers to make the game more linear? Would it take hits in the A.I. or graphics departments? Thankfully, Crytek (with some help from Ubisoft Montreal) was able to work their magic once again, crafting a game that introduces plenty of new elements and improves on the original in many ways. If they can keep creating games as fresh as this one, it won't be long until everyone knows their name.

GameDaily ( )

When you convert a popular game series from PC to console, you're going to run into a number of hurdles. That's really a given in the game industry. It's one thing to translate a game that used the keyboard and mouse as its primary controls and convert it into something that would fit like second nature on a controller. But you've also got the design of the game itself. Some newer titles out there were designed with higher video cards and processors in mind, and to cram that kind of power into an already-existent console...well, try to think of it as trying to pack an arcade machine into the trunk of a Hyundai. Mostly, it can't be done. Starcraft 64 ring a bell?

3DAvenue ( )

The visuals of the game are nothing short of stunning. We don't think we're being overly optimistic in saying this game is one of the best looking games you will ever play. The draw distance is nothing short of mind blowing with the distance comparable to that of the PC. You can stand at the top of a mountain, whip the binoculars out and see the other side, including what people are doing over there. The game also doesn't suffer from frame rate fluctuations either which makes it even more amazing. The Xbox may be coming to the end of its lifecycle, but it’s hard to see 360 getting far ahead of this quickly.

PlayDevil ( )

"Far Cry Instincts" is probably one of the best FPS shooters available for X-Box and while it's still a different game then topper 'Halo 2', it still deserves the same attention. Beautiful graphics, top notch sound and a decent map editor will keep you going on and on. Besides the excellent stealth and sneak methods available in the game, it also boots well designed multiplayer modes. I was a bit sceptic at first when I heard that Ubisoft would make a Far Cry game for X-Box. Basically coming from the PC, I was afraid that the X-Box would not be able to handle such beauty. Still after playing Far Cry Instincts I must say, the X-Box handle it oh so well that it's one of the most enjoyable FPS games at this moment!

MAN!AC (90 out of 100)

Der Mensch ist ein visuell veranlagtes Wesen - daher kann der erste Eindruck des "Far Cry Instincts"-Erlebnisses nur lauten: fantastisch! Nie zuvor durften Konsolenbesitzer durch eine derart detaillierte Dschungelkulisse streifen, nie zuvor ein solch malerisches Südsee-Ambiente genießen - Blatt-Texturen von beeindruckender Plastizität und spektakuläre Wasserspiegelungen sind in der digitalen Abenteuerreise inbegriffen. [...] Wenn auch aufgrund schwankender KI blindes Drauflosstürmen in manchen Situation [sic] ebenso zum Erfolg führt wie taktische Raffinesse, leben vorsichtige Ego-Krieger meist länger. Bezahlt wird die polygonale Pracht mit unschönem Tearing und oftmals deutlich erkennbarem Bildaufbau - angesichts der riesigen Areale aber ein verzeihbares Manko, zumal die Spielbarkeit selbst im wüstesten Geballer nie darunter leidet. Der vorbildliche Editor schließlich setzt einem einzigartigen Spielerlebnis die Krone auf.

TTGamer (9 out of 10)

Far Cry instincts pretty much is a must own game for Xbox owners. The lengthy storyline will keep you going for some time and the comparisons to Halo in terms of quality are deserved.

IGN (9 out of 10)

When Far Cry was released on the PC last year it received praise from the critics, but was unfortunately released just before the tsunami of hype generated by Doom 3 and Half Life 2. The title's excellent AI and huge open-ended environments made for an experience that was consistently solid and occasionally bordered on fantastic. When Ubisoft announced that the tropical shooter would be coming to Xbox it only made sense that we were slightly skeptical. How could a game that recently pushed the hardware capabilities of the most powerful gaming rigs run smoothly on Xbox? The answer lies in that instead of attempting a direct port, Ubisoft took Far Cry's mojo and pumped it into an entirely new experience.

games xtreme (9 out of 10)

This is one of the best Xbox shooters out there, if you don't have it, you need to get it. Far Cry: Instincts is tonnes of fun and provides hours of top-notch gameplay.

X-Power (9 out of 10)

Far Cry is voor sommigen zeker wel het Xbox-termijn afsluitingsfestijn (de mooiste homoeoteleuton ooit!) waar velen van ons stiekem wat op rekenden. Je moet alleen voor jezelf uitmaken of je van een van de meest stoere singleplayergames in jaren wil genieten, of meent dat games alleen maar goed zijn van zodra je iemand anders online het leven zuur kan maken. Behoor je tot die laatste groep ben je (nog steeds) beter af met Halo 2 of Ghost Recon 2: Summit Strike. Al is dat helemaal niets waar Far Cry: Instincts zich voor zou moeten schamen.

Game Informer Magazine (8.75 out of 10)

Far Cry was a hit on PC, but I think it will find a better home on Xbox. Ubisoft Montreal has done a bang up job tailoring this release with all the bells and whistles that the will keep the Xbox faithful salivating for months on end.

Official XBox Magazine (8.7 out of 10)

When Jack Carver's relaxing day as a tour-boat operator on a tropical island turns sour, it does so with a mean-edged vengeance. A pulsating opening sequence sees Jack meet a photographer called Valerie, and ends with his boat turned into splintered firewood by a helicopter gunship. The explosions and the first-person perspective get Far Cry Instincts off and running with an intensity that it maintains for all 20-30 hours of its single-player campaign.

Game Revolution (B+)

Animals are people, too. Forget those intelligent design school board tyrants - it should be clear from the evidence that humanity has always had an animal side. I mean, look around! Proof of our mammalian roots is everywhere: in our sports, our music, and even in the wild. Yes, our civilized world is just a steak tartar away from jumping back into the jungle, and I, for one, can't wait to swing on a vine.

Netjak (8.3 out of 10)

Less than a month from the time of this writing, the Xbox will be replaced with Microsoft’s new Xbox 360, and I still don’t quite understand why... With games like Far Cry Instincts and Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, it’s quite obvious that developers are just now starting to truly take advantage of the Xbox, and it’s kind of sad to see it go so soon. If you are looking for that one last hurrah on the Xbox, Far Cry Instincts is a great place to start. I would venture to guess that it will still be entertaining you both online and off right up to and maybe past the Xbox 360’s release. Is it the greatest console FPS ever made? No, not quite, but it ranks right up there with the likes of Halo. It looks wonderful, it plays well, it tells a decent story, and it offers up enough variety in the multiplayer games to entertain for weeks on end. I do believe that this is truly the last great FPS that we will see on the Xbox so don’t miss it.

The Video Game Critic (B+)

I love the simple control scheme, but the lack of an "action button" can be frustrating when you want to do something simple like open a door or speak to a civilian. There's a nice four-player split-screen mode, but the expansive environments and worthless radar displays make it hard to locate your opponents. As a single player experience however, Far Cry is the most enthralling Xbox game I've played in recent memory. If you detest first-person shooters, this probably won't win you over, but if you enjoy them to any degree, you'll absolutely love Far Cry Instincts.

Eurogamer.net (UK) (8 out of 10)

Indeed, Instincts is a game of seeming novelties surprisingly well bound together. Cars, boats, guns, stealth, traps, super-strength, scent-vision - it's crowded, but its density is actually our delight, because while it may not play as strategically or controllably as something like Halo, or as evocatively and inventively as something like Half-Life 2, it's still atmospheric, involving, and empowering. There's plenty you could criticise, but that's not your first instinct.

Gamereactor (Sweden) (8 out of 10)

Far Cry Instincts ett vansinnigt snyggt, varierat och väldigt actionfyllt äventyr som bör attrahera såväl semestertörstande solbadare som hårdhänta actionfantaster. Det är inte fullt lika bra som PC-spelet men fortfarande ett varmt rekommenderat köp för alla med samma sug efter krutrök som jag.

G4 TV: X-Play ( )

Take the single-player nitpicking lightly. Though there are certainly kinks that could have been ironed out, Instincts is among the best Xbox shooters available. Unlike so many tossed-off gunners, it makes the most of the console and will tax most players in equal measure.

Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) (8 out of 10)

Ubisoft needs to send its game enemies to game-enemy college. Lessons learned there include how not to stare blankly at walls with your back turned toward the rest of the world, why you shouldn't run straight into machine-gun fire, and (sigh) why you shouldn't hang out near explosive barrels. So Far Cry Instincts' A.I. won't revolutionize the first-person-shooter genre, but the rest of the game is still pretty damn cool. You really feel like you can go anywhere you want, any way you want (walk or swim or swipe a jeep, ATV, jet ski, hang glider, gun boat...) in these supersized environments, yet you won't get lost as often as you ought to, thanks to clever level design. Some of the stages do tend to drag on, but then the story line picks up the slack by drip-feeding you supernatural powers (like night vision or superjumping) that slowly turn you into more animal than man--a dual-machine-gun-wielding, rocket-launcher-using, ass-kicking animal, that is.

GamePro (US) (4 out of 5)

Far Cry Instincts is one of the best-looking Xbox games yet, but does the gameplay live up to the series' PC fame? Find out in our full review. Far Cry Instincts, console version of last year's underrated PC powerhouse, is easily one of the best looking and performing Xbox titles to date. It's hard not to compare Crytek's original, completely go-anywhere PC FPS to a console-converted trim-down, but Instincts does a respectable job of sustaining the original's core style of play.

Game Informer Magazine (8 out of 10)

The feral abilities you develop during the game are cool and certainly serve to shake up the FPS formula, but loose control and a total lack of workable stealth mechanics hold back Instincts from the greatness of its PC forbear.

Jeuxvideo.com (16 out of 20)

Far Cry : Instincts n'est peut-être pas tout à fait le jeu que l'on attendait. La progression furtive est finalement un feu de paille qu'on laisse tomber très vite au profit d'une action bien plus nerveuse, parfois un peu trop. Mais fort de sa campagne solo musclée, variée et soutenue par un level design bien pensé, le soft parvient à vous tenir sur le pad sans soucis, en bonne partie en raison de son caractère bestial. Dommage que le bourrinage et l'IA dans les choux plombent un peu l'expérience. Quant au multi, il est prometteur, mais on jugera sur pièce. Si vous cherchiez un FPS qui tienne la route sur Xbox, vous l'avez.

Gamezine (15 out of 20)

En conclusion, Far Cry, c'est du bon et parfois du mauvais. L'atmosphère fait ici tout l'intérêt du titre, qui ne manquera pas de charmer bon nombre de joueurs. Malheureusement, son mode multi anecdotique, l’aspect infiltration pas assez développé et son IA vraiment déplorable ne lui permettent pas d'accéder au rang de hit. Un dernier mot sur la durée de vie, qui n'a rien d'exceptionnelle : comptez une dizaine d'heure pour venir à bout du dernier ennemi (déplorable au passage). Cependant, multipliez ce chiffre par trois grâce aux possibilités offertes par l'éditeur de niveau. Même si Far Cry Instincts déçoit sur certains points, il n'en reste pas moins le meilleur FPS solo du moment sur Xbox !

Games TM (7 out of 10)

Instincts gets better the more time you invest, and even after the relatively brief single-player stint draws to a close there's plenty more mileage to be had. The multiplayer seems solid enough (although we've yet to really go crazy with the Live elements) and if there's any justice the mapmaker alone will ensure that you'll be breaking out Far Cry well into next year. So kudos to Ubisoft for not only recognising the differences between console an PC gaming but developing Instincts around them. It's certainly the better game for it.

Thunderbolt Games (6 out of 10)

To conclude, Instincts had quite a bit going for it (good graphics, comfortable controls, unique setting) but then does a great job of screwing it all up and making you not care (repetitive levels, stupid enemy designs, slight unfinished feel in places). If you’re a FPS nut you might get some enjoyment out of this, but when there are so many better FPS’s out there (Halo, Half-Life 2, Riddick, Cold Winter, TimeSplitters 2) Far Cry Instincts is worthy of little more than a rental.