Ubisoft has had its ups and downs with the Far Cry franchise over the years, with a few games outperforming the others, and some that players even avoid talking about. One particular title that has received mixed feelings from players over the years is Far Cry 2, a game that Clint Hocking might have had a different vision for before it was finally released.
For those who do not know, Hocking was also responsible for the development of Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell series, which primarily focused on stealth-based missions and just might have been where the director got his experience with the said play style.
What Did Clint Hocking Envision For Ubisoft’s Far Cry 2
Unlike Splinter Cell, the level design in Far Cry 2 does not support pure silent takedowns as the enemies ultimately have better awareness. In an interview via Rock Paper Shotgun, Clint Hocking was asked to what extent the game title supports stealth-based gameplay, to which he replied-
“Well, it’s not Splinter Cell – but stealth, observation and surprise are important elements to successful play. Simply charging in blindly without regard for where the enemies are is insanely fun, but – at the higher difficulties especially – it becomes suicidal. If stealth is your thing, play on a harder difficulty and you’ll really be forced to observe, take out snipers and long range patrollers, scout the location using your map and monocular, and then try to make a big ‘first strike’ that disorients the enemy and takes out several of them in a single hit.”
The director comments on the fact that several factors come together to make a successful play. While a simple open-world game where you can cause chaos by simply busting inside sounds fun, it is simply ‘suicidal‘ according to Hocking. However, It would also be hard to deny that Far Cry 2 has a strategic stealth layer to it, which allows the player to experience the game from a unique perspective if they choose to master the style.
The title was the first installment which came out after the franchise was acquired by Ubisoft, which would explain the shift in the gameplay caused by Clint Hocking being the director of the game. However, there were many other factors due to which gamers consider the title has aged well over the years.
Why Far Cry 2 Was A Significant Release In The Franchise
While Far Cry 2 might not be considered the best release in the video game series, it is still one of the most significant installments, opening the path for the franchise to go further, especially with its successor, Far Cry 3, which is often asserted as the highlight of the whole franchise by players. The game was also appreciated for its extreme realism and well-integrated multiplayer mode, which was comparatively better than all the other games at the time.
Fans are now eagerly anticipating the launch of Far Cry 7 by Ubisoft, the next installment in the beloved series. Players are hopeful that it will introduce fresh mechanics and storyline, continuing the tradition of delivering great experiences that the series is known for.
Far Cry 2 is available to purchase on Steam.
