Far Cry 3 Lost Expeditions Edition PC Games

Released on 30-Nov-2012

Visit a tropical island that's far from paradise in Far Cry 3 for PC...

Far Cry 3 puts you into the sandy shoes of Jason Brody, who's tropical holiday takes a turn for the very worst when your travelling companions are killed one by one, leaving you alone to survive on an island where surprises lurk behind every corner.

The Lost Expeditions Edition:

• 2 Suspenseful Action Missions - Forgotten Experiment and Ignition in the Deep
• MP: Type 10 Japanese Flare gun

Forgotten Experiment: Trapped inside a forgotten research facility, Jason discovers that the only way out is through the crumbling WWII ruins. But if Jason hopes to escape, he'll have to activate the old experiments and unleash the electric storm that could kill him.

Ignition in the Deep: Inside an abandoned WWII military silo, the only thing standing between Jason and freedom are pirates and a forgotten missile leaking a lake of fuel. One stray bullet and the entire complex goes up in flames, forcing Jason to rely on his wits and stealth to survive.

Key Features of Far Cry 3 on PC

• An immersive, open-world environment to explore
• Play your way to survive the island – and insanity
• Unique first-person combat
• Intense multiplayer with separate co-op campaign

Far Cry 3 is like no other first-person sandbox game. Balancing the light and dark elements of the first two Far Cry games, Far Cry 3 presents an island filled with dangers, and where staying sane amongst the insanity is the most important tool to survive.

The island itself is an immersive open-world environment ready for you to explore. Boasting stunning visuals that bring the sun, sand, sea and jungles of the island to life and environmental effects so real you practically feel the heat of the sun, the cool of the breeze, and the trees and underbrush of the jungle as you pass through it.

But that's just the beginning. The free-roaming, sandbox gameplay means that you can play Far Cry 3 your way on an island filled with friends, enemies and surprises - and where almost every turn will uncover something new. There are plenty of side missions to undertake, as well as the need to gather the materials you need to keep yourself alive as you make your way around the island. Play it safe, play it stealthily, or play it guns blazing. Take your time, or take it right to the bad guys. But whichever route you take, the goal is the same – win over the different territories of the island and liberate it from the vicious Vaas.

Far Cry 3 offers some very different combat to other first person shooters. The island gives you the opportunity for a wide choice of weapons, from the expected guns, rifles and rockets, to throwing knives and bow-and-arrow. The first person gameplay is further enhanced with the way you get around the island, with jeeps, hang-gliders, zip lines and more. As well as the nefarious forces at work on the island, there's deadly wildlife to worry about too. Wild dogs, sharks, shoals of fish, caged bears – all will require your own brand of animal control, and some maybe used against your enemies too!

As you advance around the island, you will gain skills and 'powers' that will enhance your strength, speed, shooting skill and more. A tattoo on your left arm will gradually evolve the more skills you acquire.

Multiplayer in Far Cry 3 offers a brand new co-op campaign that is just as immersive as the single-player experience. Four new characters are introduced, former cruise ship workers who were sold-out by their captain, who then snap and chase him across the island. Armed with makeshift equipment like burning oil and a gas that plays with your mind, multiplayer in Far Cry 3 rewards teamwork, with these rewards giving you the currency needed to enhance and customise your character to suit your playing style.

The multiplayer experience is an improvement on previous Far Cry games, with a greater in-depth map editor that allows you to build and share your maps with other players in the online community, and the bulletin board and stats kept out of the game itself, meaning there are no distractions from the mission at hand.

• Editor's Choice - Best of E3 2012

  
  

  

  Best of E3 2012

  Alas, there weren't any signs of the next-gen Xbox or PlayStation at this year's E3 - but fret not because there was still plenty on show to tempt us into spending yet more hours hunched in front of our tellies, causing pile-ups, roasting Redcoats and possessing, erm, murderous rodents:

  

  Watch Dogs

  What's It On? PC, Xbox 360 & PS3
  None of us were expecting it so we shouldn't have been surprised when Ubisoft's new IP duly brought the roof down at E3 with a 10-minute gameplay walkthrough of its astonishing third-person open world game. Players stalk the streets, able to manipulate and hack into all things 'connected' - from traffic lights and surveillance cameras to the personal details of city residents - with the aim of taking down the bad guys (whoever they may be...). With gorgeous graphics, incredible detailing and some genuinely original gameplay, this looks like a grown-up cyberpunk action thriller to die for.
  When's It Out? 2013

  Quick Mention: Xbox 360-exclusive Forza Horizon promises open-world racing mated to the outstanding physics and handling of the world-class racing series.

  

  Dishonored

  What's It On? PC, Xbox 360 & PS3
  This game's fresh, original setting sees you taking on the role of a betrayed assassin in a striking steampunk world. Labelling it as a 'stealth-based first-person shooter' doesn't quite cover it though because the amazing variety of tools and ways of offing the enemy is like nothing you've quite seen before. From possessing rats to stopping time and teleporting, the imaginative scope of Dishonored's gameplay means a title stinking rich with nefarious ways to murder and maim.
  When's It Out? 12th October

  Quick Mention: Go mental on a tropical island in the first-person sequel, Far Cry 3, whose trailer raised eyebrows at E3 because of its explosive, violent and explicit content. But based on the series' previous form, we know this latest entry will have the gaming chops to back up the sensationalism... fingers crossed.

  

  Assassin's Creed III

  What's It On? PC, Xbox 360 & PS3
  Out goes moody Ezio and in slips, err, moody Connor, a Native American with a mission to rip the scalps off the British army and Templars infesting the 18th Century US frontier. What this means for fans of the series is a distinct change in location and action with our killer hunting wildlife, slicing up wolves, leaping from tree to tree (as well as buildings) and clambering up cliff faces to toast enemy bases. Incredibly, the action demoed at E3 looked even more fluid than in previous franchise outings, and with its new setting, mechanics and hero, Assassin's Creed III could well be the best entry yet.
  When's It Out? October

  Quick Mention: Naughty Dog's post-apocalyptic thriller, The Last Of Us for the PS3 continues to show huge promise, boasting fantastic visuals and story-lead gameplay that features some seriously brutal action.

  Don't worry, Nintendo fans, we haven't forgotten you! We'll be focusing on the Nintendo Wii U games revealed at E3 next week.

  Published: 14/06/2012

• Far Cry 3 will explore what it means to be an action hero

  You play a Far Cry game expecting a certain amount of action but with the third entry in the tropical sandbox shooter series Ubisoft is hoping to add emotional layers you may not have experienced before. In an interview with gaming site Polygon, Mark Thompson, the Far Cry 3's lead level designer has explained that main character Jason Brody, a tourist searching for his girlfriend on a war torn island, will deliberately make you consider the impact of so much death.

  "We don't say whether something is good or bad," Thompson says. "We don't judge players. Ultimately the game is about killing, and we know that, so we don't want to condescend. The game asks you to shoot. The game is about killing people to win. So we wanted to make sure we wrote a story that understood that. The story is about killing, the story is about Jason ... Jason comes to the island and he's never fired a gun before, he's never killed before. So the story really explores what it means to become, the things he has to do to become a hero."

  Thompson went on to put the scenario in the context of popular blockbuster action movie Die Hard, promising that post-traumatic stress disorder will feature in the game and that it will offer something very different to the usual "fantasies about being the ultimate soldier". "We never see the scenes six months after the event when John McClane wakes up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat seeing Hans Gruber falling from Nakatomi," Thompson says.

  Far Cry 3 is definitely shaping up to be something pretty spectacular. It hits on November 30th for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.

• Far Cry 3 co-op missions explained

  Ubisoft has released a new video detailing the implementation of co-operative play in the upcoming Far Cry 3. This is the first time the series has offered co-op, and it's shaping up to be a blast.

  While the single player story mode casts you as a luckless tourist, stuck on a remote island with savage bandits, the co-op game offers a completely different tale with fresh characters. Set six months before the events of the main game, these missions follow four revenge-seeking mercenaries as they cross the island, exploring all new locations, on the trail of the man who betrayed them.

  You'll have complete freedom to customise your weapon loadout, as well as using five broad class types - Warrior, Rusher, Deadeye, Saboteur and Bodyguard. You'll also be able to use "battle cries" - stat buffing shouts that will provide helpful boosts to you and your allies.

  Missions will be objective based, and will support all-out firefights as well as stealthier approaches. Each stage will also feature a self-contained competitive scenario. The example shown has the players atop a cliff, sniping enemies below and earning points for each kill.

  Between an ambitiously strange openworld main campaign and this robust multiplayer offering, Far Cry 3 looks to be one of the most interesting shooters of the year. Look out for it from November 29th on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.

• Far Cry 3 - Preview

  
  

  

  The true definition of insanity, it seems, is getting excited for a first-person threequel. We've become so inundated with ways to shoot people in the face that it's hard to get enthusiastic when another one trundles along, but there's something special about Far Cry 3. It's something that threatens to make this one of 2012's most memorable games, and certainly one of its craziest.

  Far Cry's always a series that's done things a little differently. The first game, when Crytek was on the beat, was one of the pioneers of open world gaming, as well as one of the most technically impressive experiences of its age. Its island paradise stretched out into the distance, a shooting sandbox that spilt out across countless beaches.

  Ubisoft Montreal's sequel took a shift in tone, replacing the paradise with a bleak vision of Africa inspired in no small measure by Conrad's Heart of Darkness. Gone was the sense of combat as fun, and in its place was a game torn through with rife, presenting you at each turn with the grim consequences of your actions.

  

  Gangster's Paradise

  Far Cry 3 finds a middle ground, but it's smart enough to pluck only the best elements from its predecessors. You're on an island that resembles a paradise - there are the long stretches of sand, the crystal blue waters and breathtaking cliff-faces. Scratch away at the surface, though, and you'll find that it's a cruel world that's defined by its own insanity.

  The open world that's defined previous Far Cry games returns, and a tour from the peaceful heights enabled by a hang glider shows that it's as beautiful as ever before - played on a high-end PC, Far Cry 3's got the capacity to stun with its generous draw distances that lay out a sun-kissed heaven for as far as the eye can see. It's an effect that the consoles would do well to replicate, and we're told by Ubisoft that they're well on track to do so.

  And this time out the island's more alive than ever before. Away from the small towns and safe houses that act as a haven, wildlife stalks the shrubs and plains of Far Cry 3's island. There are packs of wild dogs, wildebeest and shoals of fish. What's absolutely brilliant about their inclusion is how they've been woven into the gameplay itself.

  

  Jungle Safari

  On one level, the wildlife acts as a new class of enemy. Those dogs are likely to attack you when you're out exploring alone. Go for a swim and you're likely to come into grievous contact with a shark. Then - and surely this will never cease to entertain - you can just punch the dumb fish in the face.

  It gets better. Wildlife can be turned upon your enemies if you've the know-how - at one point in our brief sojourn across the island we came across a camp of bandits who also happened to be stowing a wild bear in cages. A couple of well-placed shots on some shabby looking locks and all of a sudden Gentle Ben's not so gentle, savaging the bandits in a flurry of fur and claws.

  Compared to other shooters it feels a little unhinged, but Far Cry 3's a more than competent shooter in its own right. Gunplay's tight and punchy, complemented this time out by a bow and arrow that enables a more stealthy approach. It also proves extremely satisfying to stalk an encampment, silently dispensing with guards before moving in and going loud with an AK-47 to finish off the job.

  It's a taut game, then, that knows how to spread out its own insanity across an open world first-person shooter that's incredibly adept. What could make Far Cry 3 that little bit more interesting is that madness though - and goodness knows the genre needs a little crazy right now.

• Is your PC ready to play Assassin's Creed III and Far Cry 3?

  Ubisoft has released the minimum and recommended PC specifications needed to play its upcoming blockbuster third entries in the Assassin's Creed and Far Cry sagas.

  The first thing to note is that both games won't be supporting Windows XP, which has just passed its tenth anniversary. You'll need to be rocking Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8 in order to install and run either game.

  In terms of hardware, you'll require a 2.66 GHz Intel Core2 Duo E6700 or 3.00 GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ processor or better. Far Cry 3 demands a minimum of 4Gb of RAM, with 6Gb the recommended amount, while Assassin's Creed III will apparently run with 2Gb of RAM, but 4Gb is recommended for that game.

  As for video cards, both support anything from the ATI Radeon HD and Nvidia GeForce GTX ranges, so long as they are 512 MB DirectX 9.0c-compliant with Shader Model 4.0 or higher.

  Naturally, the higher above those specs your gaming rig goes, the better the games will look and play. If you really want to show off, the high performance specs for Far Cry 3 suggest Intel Core i7-2600K or AMD FX-4150 processors, 8Gb RAM and a 1024 MB DirectX 11-compliant video card with Shader Model 4.0.

  Assassin's Creed III arrives on PC on November 23rd while Far Cry 3 follows on November 30th. If you're really impatient, Assassin's Creed III hits Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 three weeks earlier on October 31st.

  Published: 26/09/2012

• GAME goes to the Eurogamer Expo

  
  

  

  Last week, the GAME online team took a trip to the Eurogamer Expo in London's Earls Court to get our many hands-on some of the top games that we'll all be playing over the coming months.

  The atmosphere at the event was a buzzing and bustling as ever, with gamers coming from far and wide to get their first goes at everything from the Wii U to Assassin's Creed III to Dishonored - which alone had people queuing for over an hour to play!

  With plenty of the team there, we were able to get a chance to play quite a few games. Here's what we thought...

  

  Aliens Colonial Marines

  Tom
  Colonial Marines has been a long time coming. It was announced 4 years ago, and from the time we had during the Eurogamer Expo, for us the wait has been entirely worth it.

  We got to go hands on with the multiplayer side of the game. Taking up arms as the Marines, we strode into the dilapidated area of the complex on LV 426. It is clear, especially with this level, that attention to balancing the levels is key to how the multiplayer will work.

  There were plenty of places to fight back-to-back and funnel the Xenos through giving the marines a sporting chance, but also plenty of narrow corridors for Xenos to get up close, making guns useless, and dark areas for Xenos to avoid detection and hide patiently.

  The weapons for the Colonial Marines are taken from, and inspired by, the film Aliens. Set just 17 days after the events of the film Gearbox haven't taken liberty with the groundwork laid down by the 1986 film, Pulse Rifles sound and look like their movie counterparts, the shotguns have a similar look to the pulse Rifles, not everyone packs a sawn off in space for close encounters!

  And then there is the Motion Tracker, taken straight from the film, this will be your most used tool if separated from team mates. The Motion Tracker will detect movement around you and give the classic beep when an enemy is close by. Only problem here is that you cannot wield a weapon when tracking your foes, and if they stop moving they don't get picked up.

  You'd think that the marines, with guns and motion trackers, would be superior to the Aliens. This really isn't the case! The Aliens are quick, agile and can crawl through ducts and up walls to avoid gunfire or sneak up on unsuspecting prey. On more than one occasion during our playtime in ACM, we'd have aliens attacking from the front whilst a few craftier players crept up behind us and attacked with tails and inner jaws.

  Gearbox has done a great job with Aliens Colonial Marines by using sounds and files from the film to create an authentic "sequel" to Aliens.

  Marc
  The only Alien game I have enjoyed before was Aliens vs. Predator on the Atari Jaguar - the others have always disappointed. I approached with some caution, and, I'm very happy to say this didn't let me down!

  I also played the multiplayer map very much based on LV 426. We had to play as the Marines against the Gearbox team as the Aliens, and first of all we had to pick the arsenal that we wanted to use. There was a choice of five classes, one of which had the infamous radar on the assault rifle with a shotgun. I didn't find this straight away but when I did I was rocking and rolling.

  The sound effects were fantastic and sounded just like the film, and the screams of the Aliens were cool too. If I had been at home I would even have partaken in a bit of Hudson shouting" you want some too..." at the point when my screen was awash with my Alien bloodbath.

  But for me, the best thing was that we were told that whoever managed to the score highest would win a t- shirt. As a team, we had lost against the Aliens... but I won that infamous t-shirt! After walking away I listened to customers and their thoughts, and it seemed pretty unanimous that it would definitely be on our radar.

  XCOM: Enemy Unknown

  Damien
  Fans of the original 90s X-COM games needn't worry that this reboot would be moving too far from the RTS traditions. This is still very much a turn-based strategy game, but one that now shines with enhanced visuals and animation to realise the alien-infested world and the XCOM team tasked with protecting it.

  The mission I got to try out was short and sweet, ideal for the pace of turn-based combat, which in turn makes it ideal for RTS fans. The isometric view works great for moving and controlling your team, intercut with closer angles during firefights and to reveal key evidence.

  The pace may be a little slow for those alien (pardon the pun) to turn-based strategy games, but if you are a fan of the genre, this game will surely be a delight.

  

  Rayman Legends

  Robyn
  I Played this in co-op mode with Kirsten. I had control of the GamePad, which mostly showed a replica of the main screen with prompts to guide me what to press/drag/swish etc. I played the supporting role as Murfy while Kirsten took the lead character using the Classic Controller.
  
  It reminded me a bit of Super Mario Galaxy where player two takes a supporting role of collecting stars while player one gets all the key action, but much more interactive and a greater sense of involvement and contribution. We had a great laugh. It was my first time using Wii U but I think I got the hang of it ok! It was hard to sync up our actions and we gave up completing the level in the time we had, but I could imagine my 10yr old LOVING it - this is definitely one for the kids.

  PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale

  Damien
  Fast, furious and utterly bonkers, PS AS BR was another addictive treat. Four of us played together and just had huge amounts of fun trying out the different characters and levels where skill very much took a back seat!

  The four-player scramble battles were very much the best way to showcase this game, and the choice of characters and fighting styles made it so much more entertaining than a standard beat 'em up. Dante, Kratos and Cole McGrath proved to be the most powerful, but the real fun was to be had with the likes of Nathan Drake and Sweet Tooth, who take the infinitely fun choice of shooting their opponents.

  With the interactive environment as likely to take you out as the other players, and a kill vs death ratio determining the winner, this takes the best of beat 'em up battles, multiplayer mayhem and SONY's excellent cast of characters to form a game that will keep you grinning every time you play.

  

  Assassin's Creed III

  Robyn
  I'd never played an Assassin's Creed title before, despite my friends' insistence.
  I was lucky enough to have a go at both the demos - first up, Naval Combat. Starting slowly (and that's being very generous!), I had a darn good go at taking control of the ship and unloading several rounds of cannon balls onto my target. Well, most went in the sea, but I got the gist in the end... just as my ship rubbed up against the rocks for the last time. Next time...

  It was such a unique experience with fantastic movement that was so fluid on the water. I didn't think about it at the time but when I think back, I got a sense of being on the ship and movement up and down with the waves, a sense of slowness and heaviness. Very exciting and different, I'd really love to have another go, but perhaps without a queue of not so novice gamers stood behind me whilst I batter the heck out of the ship!

  After this, I had a chance to play the 'On Foot' mission demo where I had to make my character climb a cliff face to carry out his stealth mission and assassinate three enemies. I managed to get to two of them but unfortunately my time ran out before I could get number three. Again, next time...

  I was knocked out by the gameplay and the the quality of the graphics and scenery was breathtaking. As someone far more at home with 2D platforms or racing games, I can't wait to have another go.

  Need for Speed Most Wanted

  Tom
  Most Wanted by name, Burnout Paradise by nature, and 20 Years of Convention out of the Window!

  Most Wanted sees you getting behind the wheels of some of the sexiest cars in the world to then throw them around the City of Fairhaven and the best part, most of the cars are unlocked as soon as you put the disc in, you just need to find them. Driving in Most Wanted is similar to Burnout Paradise, but the cars have a more defined sense of handling, acceleration and speed since they are based on real cars, and they look stunning.

  As you blitz through Fairhaven with up to 7 friends, Autolog will document everything you do so that you can send challenges to your friends for almost anything you do.

  

  Far Cry 3

  Damien
  Bright. Warm. Totally immersive. This first-person sequel has crisp graphics and gameplay that really make you feel like you're on the island, with everything from the effects of the breeze blowing to making your way through leaves and branches moving and reacting realistically. This is a game that truly gives you a sense of being in the first person - and one that really should be played on a high-end PC!

  As one of the more popular games I was only able to get about 10 minutes playing, but during that time I was able to take several different turns and explore several different parts of the island. From lookout posts, to knife-throwing challenges, to hang-gliding and some very vicious guard dogs, the choices of location and action all within mere moments of the respawn point were massive. If the world was this open in just 10 minutes of playing, I can't wait to see what hours of gameplay can offer.

  Plus it was fun to do a first-person game with a bow and arrow for a change!

  

  ZombiU

  Robyn
  First person + dark moody screens + jumpy horror = too creepy for me!

  I declined to play this as I could easily predict I'd upset Nintendo when I launched the GamePad in panic! (I know this as I did exactly that when I first held a real mouse. Ok I was 5, but..)

  So I was happy to watch Kirsten, and I did actually squeal when she was suddenly rushed by Zombies coming swiftly out of the water. She'd been distracted looking at her inventory (as instructed by the game moments earlier), and I can deduce from this that you need to become familiar with the GamePad and get used to referring back and forth swiftly or you'll not survive long.

  I'd like to have a go at playing this in the safety of my own home... if I'm lucky enough for the big fellow in red to drop a black Wii U down my chimney this Christmas. Or at least invite someone with a stomach so I can sit behind the sofa with my cushion and watch them through my fingers!

  God of War: Ascension

  Marc
  Looked fantastic, and played fantastically well, too. It was easy to get to grips with, even for a player who has never played one before. Fast, frenetic and with satisfying button bashing - just what you want in a hack and slash game! The executions were as satisfying as ever and the bosses were amazing - a must for all PS3 owners.

  F1 Race Stars

  Damien
  It's very difficult to talk about this game without comparing it to Mario Kart. many karting games have tried to fill the gap for non-Nintendo gamers, but this may be the surprise title to pull it off.

  F1 Race Stars offers classic karting gameplay, with simple controls and all the fun, charm and addictiveness you'd want - they even manage to throw in the bonus boosts, invincibility and throwing-stuff-at-other-drivers that makes it more than just a racing game. The F1 roots are still on show - get hit too many times or push your car too hard, and you'll need to quickly drive through a pit lane to get back to full working order.

  The drivers and cars may lack the individuality you'd normally get in a game like this, but the tracks - cartoony courses that are like crazy golf interpretations of the real F1 tracks - more than make up for it.

  All in all, this is a fun, addictive karting game that has raced to the top of my must-have list this year. The surprise treat of the day!

  

  Dishonored

  Marc
  The most impressive game at the show for me was Dishonored. Great graphics and gameplay. The multiple ways to complete a level is a great idea, but it was the diversity in how you can go about those multiple ways that I loved the most. it's not just open-world levels, it's open-choice gameplay.
  Everybody walking away from playing it were talking about how good it was, too.

  Robyn
  I really liked the look of this - great visuals giving a real sense of place and intrigue. Watching the others play it, I wanted to get my hands on it too! The swimming was really realistic, and , the effects of the sun in the water as age tried to swim up wowed me, felt errr swimmy! But I wasn't expecting to see Corvo get eaten by a fish in the river!

  Damien
  As well as getting the chance to play games, the developer talks gave us a chance to learn a bit more about the games. For Dishonored, Arkane Studios' Christophe Carrier (Lead Level Designer & Audio Director) and Dinga Bakaba (Assistant Producer & Game Designer) took to the stage to provide a bit of background about the game, and to show that there really are two ways to play it.

  

  In their introduction, Christophe and Dinga told us that Dishonored came out of a love of the first-person game and its combination of stealth and action, and a desire to push the genre further. Gone is the rail-like direction of each level, replaced with a series of open-world levels, designed in a steampunky-style and inspired by plague-era London.

  But the biggest point of the game is the choice is gives the player. You can play it stealthily, hiding in the shadows, using your supernatural abilities for minimal combat and fatalities. Or you can go all-out action, with brutal kills and make use of a brand new arsenal of weapons.

  They proceeded to demonstrate this with the same level we'd played on the floor, with heor Corvo out to kidnap the Royal Physician (described as part da Vinci, part Rasputin) . First it was done with stealth, using back passages and rooftops, and possessing people rather than elimintating them. Or at least that was the theory - one mistake and the whole place was alerted to Corvo's presence and bit more force was needed than originally planned.

  The level was then played in full-on brutal fashion, where no guard was left undamaged (heck, even the maid got it!) and all skills were on display. Decapitation, hacking people limb-from-limb, setting razor mines and stopping time to avoid being shot and take your enemy out were all shown to bloody effect - and rapturous applause in places.

  A few extra tidbits came out of the Q and A session at the end of the demo - it is possible to complete the game without a single kill (except bosses). And, most tantalisingly of all - in the later levels, you'll find out that you're not the only one in Dunwall with supernatural abilities...

  Everything we see makes Dishonored more and more tantalising. Cannot wait to play it!

  Published: 05/10/2012

• Far Cry 3 - Preview

  
  

  

  The true definition of insanity, it seems, is getting excited for a first-person threequel. We've become so inundated with ways to shoot people in the face that it's hard to get enthusiastic when another one trundles along, but there's something special about Far Cry 3. It's something that threatens to make this one of 2012's most memorable games, and certainly one of its craziest.

  Far Cry's always a series that's done things a little differently. The first game, when Crytek was on the beat, was one of the pioneers of open world gaming, as well as one of the most technically impressive experiences of its age. Its island paradise stretched out into the distance, a shooting sandbox that spilt out across countless beaches.

  Ubisoft Montreal's sequel took a shift in tone, replacing the paradise with a bleak vision of Africa inspired in no small measure by Conrad's Heart of Darkness. Gone was the sense of combat as fun, and in its place was a game torn through with rife, presenting you at each turn with the grim consequences of your actions.

  

  Gangster's Paradise

  Far Cry 3 finds a middle ground, but it's smart enough to pluck only the best elements from its predecessors. You're on an island that resembles a paradise - there are the long stretches of sand, the crystal blue waters and breathtaking cliff-faces. Scratch away at the surface, though, and you'll find that it's a cruel world that's defined by its own insanity.

  The open world that's defined previous Far Cry games returns, and a tour from the peaceful heights enabled by a hang glider shows that it's as beautiful as ever before - played on a high-end PC, Far Cry 3's got the capacity to stun with its generous draw distances that lay out a sun-kissed heaven for as far as the eye can see. It's an effect that the consoles would do well to replicate, and we're told by Ubisoft that they're well on track to do so.

  And this time out the island's more alive than ever before. Away from the small towns and safe houses that act as a haven, wildlife stalks the shrubs and plains of Far Cry 3's island. There are packs of wild dogs, wildebeest and shoals of fish. What's absolutely brilliant about their inclusion is how they've been woven into the gameplay itself.

  

  Jungle Safari

  On one level, the wildlife acts as a new class of enemy. Those dogs are likely to attack you when you're out exploring alone. Go for a swim and you're likely to come into grievous contact with a shark. Then - and surely this will never cease to entertain - you can just punch the dumb fish in the face.

  It gets better. Wildlife can be turned upon your enemies if you've the know-how - at one point in our brief sojourn across the island we came across a camp of bandits who also happened to be stowing a wild bear in cages. A couple of well-placed shots on some shabby looking locks and all of a sudden Gentle Ben's not so gentle, savaging the bandits in a flurry of fur and claws.

  Compared to other shooters it feels a little unhinged, but Far Cry 3's a more than competent shooter in its own right. Gunplay's tight and punchy, complemented this time out by a bow and arrow that enables a more stealthy approach. It also proves extremely satisfying to stalk an encampment, silently dispensing with guards before moving in and going loud with an AK-47 to finish off the job.

  It's a taut game, then, that knows how to spread out its own insanity across an open world first-person shooter that's incredibly adept. What could make Far Cry 3 that little bit more interesting is that madness though - and goodness knows the genre needs a little crazy right now.

  Published: 23/08/2012

• Far Cry 3 isn't afraid of the Big Bad COD

  It takes serious bravado to launch a shooter in the same month as genre behemoth Call of Duty, but that's exactly what Ubisoft will do when it releases Far Cry 3 in November, shortly after Black Ops II. Madness? Apparently not, according to Ubisoft brand manager Henri Guay.

  Speaking to games industry trade magazine MCV, he explained that Far Cry 3's open world design and tropical location sets it apart from the shooter crowd, and makes it the perfect choice for players looking for something different.

  "Far Cry has always been a little bit off the map in terms of the offer that it gives," he said. "People are going to continue to play Call of Duty and people are going to look for experiences that give them something a little bit different. We feel we're in a comfortable spot."

  Ubisoft has supported the title all the way, he says, to the extent that features that were in danger of being cut ended up staying in the game because the team wanted people to see them.

  "Far Cry 3 is a big game and there's an expectation," adds Dan Hay, the game's product manager. "We wanted to make it as great as it absolutely can be. There were a couple of things we were talking about cutting from the game that I just couldn't bear to take away from the consumer."

  Far Cry 3 is out for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on November 30th. Call of Duty: Black Ops II comes to PS3, Xbox 360 and PC on November 13th.

  Published: 22/10/2012

• Far Cry 3 - Preview

  
  

  

  There are so many first-person shooters out there that you'd be entirely forgiven for getting your Call of Duty's confused with your Medal of Honors, or your Modern Warfares with your Black Ops (Opses? Opsi?). That's not likely to ever be the case with Far Cry 3 - here's a game that's wilfully unique, and it's a colourful, eccentric alternative to the standard blockbuster fare.

  It helps that Far Cry comes from a long line of slightly off-kilter games - nuttiness, it seems, is in its genes. The first game, developed by tech wizards Crytek, offered a tropical paradise ravaged by mutants, and an experience that was equal parts Predator and Magnum PI.

  Cry Me A River

  The second, for which development duties turned to Ubisoft Montreal - the home of the Assassin's Creed series - was altogether darker in tone. The setting was no longer sun-kissed but instead one that was ravaged by the heat, a savage version of Africa that framed a gritty, downbeat game.

  

  For Far Cry 3 there's a neat balance that's been struck between the two prior extremes. The open world you're free to roam in is a wild one, full of hostile beasts and even more hostile people, but it's also one that's colourful and more than a little peculiar. This isn't the po-faced fare of many other shooters - instead, it's an FPS that's all about having fun.

  That said, the story's certainly no fairytale. You're Jason Brody, a carefree traveller who's out exploring the tropics with his mates. Things soon take a turn for the nasty, though, and your fellow fun-seekers are picked off while you're left to fend for yourself in the manner of the best teen horror films.

  Into The Wild

  The island that Jason Brody's stranded on is no theme park, then, but there are plenty of opportunities for gleeful chaos within its shores. Caged animals can be set upon packs of enemies with a well-placed shot on an iron padlock, and there's the option to either approach hostile camps with slow, silent stealth or with all guns blazing.

  And then there's the good old-fashioned thrill of exploration, an element that's been further fleshed-out for Far Cry's third proper outing. The island needs to be reclaimed, and it's separated into hostile territories that can be won over one by one.

  

  There are some quite surprising influences in the mix, too, and at times it's not Call of Duty or Battlefield that are the points of reference, but rather last year's incredible fantasy romp Skyrim. There are fetch quests and crafting, the latter of which encourages you to properly engage with the island's flora and fauna. You'll need to gather sticks and leaves as well as animal hides to conjure up the basic tools of survival, a feature that promises to make Far Cry 3 run deeper than any of its first-person rivals.

  A Smart Shooter

  The skills help do that too, with a variety of powers available to unlock that can help with your shooting or boost your athleticism. Neatly, the powers you acquire manifest themselves in an evolving tattoo that adorns your left arm, a constant reminder of your progression through the skill-tree.

  And for all this freedom, choice and borrowings from role-playing games such as Skyrim, Far Cry 3 still knows how to pack an explosive punch. There are still traditional levels that are more like those seen in Call of Duty or Battlefield - although, typically, they're delivered with a witty little twist. At one point you're asked to assist a mad doctor in his experiments, and you get a little too familiar with some of the hallucinogens he's concocting. What follows is a brilliantly warped psychedelic set-piece.

  So here's a first-person shooter with a difference, then - and one that looks like an interesting alternative to the usual suspects.

  Published: 25/10/2012

• Far Cry 3 will be weird but not

  Ubisoft's upcoming tropical shooter, Far Cry 3, has already attracted admiring glances for its surreal approach to openworld FPS action. Unlike the realistically parched African landscape of Far Cry 2, this sequel takes players into a more off-kilter world as a tourist caught up in bizarre circumstances.

  Things get pretty weird, but lead game designer Jamie Keen has told VG247 that it's important to the team that the game doesn't spill into outright wackiness. "The danger of broaching the notion of insanity in a game is that you go over a lip and end up with just full-on crazy and that's not what we're looking for with it", he said.

  "There's a particular feeling we're trying to get across, which is that sinking feeling that you sometimes get in the pit of your stomach as you realise 'Oh no, this isn't what I thought it was' and it's to replicate those times when you go into a situation and you think it's all good and all happy and then there's a switch where you suddenly realise there's something terribly, terribly wrong going on."

  Something terribly wrong will most certainly be going on, as unhinged characters pop up to both hinder and help hapless tourist Jason Brody as his tropical vacation takes a hellish turn for the worse.

  Far Cry 3 is out for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC from November 29th.

  Published: 26/10/2012

• Review Roundup: Far Cry 3

  Nestled in amongst such titans as Black Ops II, Halo 4 and Assassin's Creed III, offbeat tropical shooter Far Cry 3 could easily have been overlooked. That seems unlikely now that the game, which is out on November 30th, has attracted some of the best reviews of the year.

  Eurogamer is the most enthusiastic, dishing out a coveted 10/10 score and declaring it ""the new apex predator of open-world shooters". The review offers the game's open world freedom as its strongest asset, suggesting the game's unpredictable world makes it "a glorious anecdote factory, where you manufacture brilliant new memories every time you wake up in a safehouse and head out into the jungle."

  IGN scores the game 9/10, with particular attention paid to the dark storyline which casts you not as a rock hard supersoldier, but a terrified tourist trapped on an island with maniacal criminals. "As its unpredictable, often uncomfortable story comes unhinged," says the review, "Far Cry 3 challenges players' principles: How far would you go to protect the people you love, and what kind of person would you become to get them back?"

  PC Gamer joins the praise parade with an 89% score. "You've got a huge island to explore, ridiculously effective tools for scouting every hostile situation, and so many clever intersecting systems to inspire creative ways to conquer them," it reckons. "It's a better stealth game than Far Cry 1, set in an open world that feels richer than Far Cry 2's. That's an amazing thing to play."

  Far Cry 3 is out on November 30th for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
  

  Published: 22/11/2012

• Far Cry 3 - Review

  
  

  

  It's probably quite fitting for a game that's all about man's descent into insanity that Far Cry 3's probably the nuttiest thing you'll play all year. It's a hedonistic mix of guns, sun and madness - as well as a cavalcade of wildlife that takes this above and beyond your normal shooting experience. Here's a game where the balance of a gunfight can be tipped by an errant bear.

  If that's not enough to convince you - and really, it should be - then there's more. There's much, much more.

  Far Cry's always been a series about freedom. When Crytek's breathtaking original made its debut - a game that's still handsome today, some eight years on from its release - the tropical backdrop was a dizzying first. You could go anywhere, and explore any tactical option.

  The sequel carried on it that vein, although it may have been a bit too smart for its own good: Ubisoft Montreal's follow-up was an essay on the fallibility of man when faced against the wilderness, which is all well and good but, as your character's arm seized up through some strange illness and your gun jammed for the umpteenth time, wasn't actually that much fun.

  

  Sun, Sea And Sandbox

  Far Cry 3's still about freedom, but it couldn't be further removed from the strictness of its predecessor - this is a game that's been engineered at almost every level for fun, and one that's desperate to fix a big dumb grin on your face at all times. It pretty much succeeds at that, too.

  Ubisoft Montreal's case is no doubt helped by the fact that it's been taking notes from the king of open world games. Far Cry 3's biggest debt, and its biggest influence, isn't really the two entries that came before it. Instead, it's Bethesda's Elder Scrolls series.

  Yes, this is Skyrim with guns. If that sounds like an incongruous mix, well to be honest at first it is. When you're first scouring the jungle, looking for a goat to skin so you can craft a new pouch that'll allow you to carry more ammo, you may wonder what on earth is going on, but slowly Far Cry 3's madcap philosophy comes into focus.

  Every Rook And Cranny

  With the crafting joined by far-reaching and thoughtful skill trees, it turns out that this is a much deeper experience than you'd ever really expect of a first-person shooter. And like Skyrim, it's one that slowly sucks you in, until you find yourself spending more time in its fantasy world than you do your own.

  

  It helps that Far Cry 3's Rook Island has taken another leaf from Bethesda's book and filled its every nook and cranny with things to do. There are optional quest-lines, or even good old-fashioned rampages, and they're all unlocked in a pleasingly methodical way. The world's open from the off, but it's only really decipherable once you scale one of the many radio towers that grant access to a portion of the map, allowing you to see the dizzying selection of activities on offer.

  Paradise Lost

  So brilliant is the experience of traipsing around Rook Island - something that can be done on foot, by boat or car or, most pleasingly, by soaring across it in a hang-glider - that the actual story missions pale a little in comparison. They're tightly scripted and fairly effective, and they also deliver a story that while trashy is certainly compelling - but they're never quite as brilliant as the open-ended madness that defines the rest of Far Cry 3.

  It's a dizzying freedom that's typical of the best open world games. Oh, and let's not forget that it's a shooter too, and a pretty satisfying one. The guns are meaty - and all upgradeable, of course - and the enemy puts up a tough fight, often ensuring that you're forced down a more stealthy route in pursuit of victory. And if that doesn't work, you can always just hope and pray that a passing bear will help you out of your trouble.

  GAME's Verdict:

  The Good:

  • Incredible, packed open world
  • Fantastic open-ended stealth gunplay
  • Animals!

  The Bad:

  • Story missions aren't the measure of the off-script game

  Published: 28/11/2012

• The Best of 2012: PC

  
  

  If 2012 deserves to be remembered for anything - apart from the imminent Mayan apocalypse of course - it's as the year when people finally stopped bleating about the PC being a dying games platform. The past twelve months saw an astonishing run of top quality games for PC, as indie studios turned out fresh ideas by the dozen while mainstream developers fell back in love with the idea of pushing the flexible hardware a PC offers to the absolute limit. Here's our round up of the top PC titles that helped define the year.

  

  What's perhaps most noticeable is that some of 2012's biggest releases were PC exclusive, not just PC versions of hit console games. Blizzard's Diablo 3, for example, was arguably one of the most important games of the year, yet talk of a console version is still shrouded in rumour. Arriving a mere 12 years after the release of Diablo 2, it's fair to say that fans were absolutely desperate to get their hands on Blizzard's fast-paced tactical action RPG. Always a series driven by frantic combat and furious loot-grabbing, Diablo 3 streamlined many of the processes involved without making the gameplay itself shallow. Whether playing online with friends, or hacking your way through the horde alone, it's still one of the year's most frighteningly addictive games. If you get it for Christmas, be careful - you may emerge from your first session to discover you've missed New Year's Eve.

  

  But then this was a year for great RPG revivals on the PC. Fans of NCSoft's massive online role-player Guild Wars didn't have to wait quite as long as the Diablo faithful - a mere seven years separates Guild Wars 2 from its 2005 original - but the wait was still more than worth it. A rare MMO that requires no monthly subscription, Guild Wars 2 innovated in other areas as well, not least the fresh approach to quest design which allowed more fluid storylines to emerge based on player actions rather than strictly define dungeon encounters. With 400,000 players filling out its rich fantasy world, it's an excellent choice for anyone looking to try out an online RPG.

  

  Or, of course, you could turn to the top dog of the genre. World of Warcraft continued to dominate in 2012, with the release of the latest expansion, Mists of Pandaria. This not only introduces a whole new land to explore, it adds a deeper pet battling system, a new character class and a new playable race - the Pandaren, a monastic order of martial arts mammals that look suspiciously like a certain popular animated movie character. Don't mention that though. The fans get very upset.

  

  The best games of 2012 weren't only exclusive to PC, of course, but many of them were clearly designed with the platform in mind. Dishonored, the astonishing and compelling stealth adventure from the co-creator of Deus Ex, was a hit on consoles but a more perfect fit for PC. A game of painstaking plotting and careful progression, its dark and deliberate pace feels right at home on a keyboard and mouse, as you take control of supernatural assassin Corvus and set about unravelling a conspiracy in a steampunk world filled with detail and story.

  

  Similarly indebted to the PC was the superb strategy game XCOM: Enemy Unknown, in which you manage a global agency tasked with investigating and repelling alien invasions. A remake of the 1991 classic, it retained the methodical turn-based structure but brought it bang up to date with nailbiting extra-terrestrial encounters and a satisfying web of upgrades and abilities with which to arm your brave, loyal and very often horribly doomed soldiers.

  

  In certain cases, this shift back towards more PC-flavoured gameplay was especially useful. Far Cry 3 was great on consoles, but it pushed their fixed hardware to the limit. On PC, the tropical island setting is in full bloom, stretching into the distance in extraordinary beautiful detail even as you're prowling its open world, stealth-killing murderous bandits and trying not to be mauled by leopards.

  An excellent year for PC players then, and a trend that will only continue in 2013. It might be a good idea to put some of those Christmas spends towards that new graphics card you've been promising yourself...
  

  Published: 20/12/2012

• Far Cry 3 update brings harder difficulty and outpost respawns

  Ubisoft has a major free update planned for its acclaimed shooter Far Cry 3, bringing features much requested by the game's fanbase. The announcement was made on the game's official forum.

  Top of the list is the ability to reset the various pirate outposts dotted around the blood-soaked madhouse of Rook Islands. Arguably the best bits of an already excellent game, these outposts find you trying to clear locations of enemies, using stealth and guile where possible. And explosive arrows and lots of bullets when that fails. And sometimes a tiger.

  The sense of sadness you felt when you'd beaten all the outposts will now turn to elation once you can reset and respawn any completed location, allowing you to creep, sneak and slay as many times as you like. You'll need to have finished the story in order to do this, as only then will the option appear in the menu. Any incomplete side missions, such as hunting challenges, related to each outpost will also be reset.

  The update will also introduce a new Master difficulty setting. "Seasoned veterans will find themselves challenged by more aggressive wildlife, tougher pirates, and more deadly privateers," read Ubisoft's post. "Your skills as a master of the Rook Islands will be tested." Again, you'll need to have finished the game on Adventurer, Survivor or Warrior difficulty before the option is available.

  Ubisoft has yet to confirm when this update will go live, but it's great to see a publisher continuing to improve and support its games months after release, based on fan feedback.

  Far Cry 3, one of the very best games of 2012, is out now for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

  Published: 19/02/2013

• Dishonored takes home Best Game BAFTA

  The BAFTA Video Game Awards took place last night, with 53 games nominated for prestigious prizes across 17 categories. The winners are an eclectic bunch as well, handily illustrating the variety and scope of games as a creative medium.

  Bethesda's rich and rewarding steampunk stealth-em-up Dishonored walked away with the evening's most coveted prize, voted Best Game by the BAFTA panel, but the big winner was Sony's digital gem Journey, nominated in eight categories. Jenova Chen's chilled out game of exploration and contemplation won five of the awards, getting the nod for game design, artistic achievement, audio achievement, original music and, in one of the evening's nicest surprises, online multiplayer.

  Journey allows two players to explore together, but partners are placed together at random, cannot speak directly to each other and have no idea who they're playing with. For such a bold approach to co-operative play to snatch the multiplayer prize from the likes of Call of Duty and Assassin's Creed raised more than a few eyebrows.

  Telltale's gripping episodic Walking Dead adventure also dominated the event, winning two of the seven awards it was up for, winning for Best Story and Best Mobile or Handheld game. Far Cry 3 was crowned Best Action Game, while XCOM: Enemy Unknown won for Best Strategy. Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes claimed the prize for Best Family Game.

  Published: 06/03/2013

As a valued customer we now offer you the facility to sign up to email price alerts. Please enter the price you want to be, or below, and if drops to that level we will let you know...