Far Cry Instincts Predator Review (X360)

Far Cry Instincts was one of our favorite Xbox games of 2005 so what has Ubisoft done to earn our $60 for a 360 version? Not much. The final product is still a good game but I can’t 100% recommend it. If you played Instincts on the Xbox already, be wary before you buy unless you love achievements. If you haven’t played a Far Cry title yet, Predator on the 360 is definitely the way to go.

If You Are New To Far Cry ...

Far Cry Instincts Predator is really three games all wrapped into one. You get the Instincts single player game that made up last year’s Xbox release, you get the Evolution single player which is brand new, and you get a fully-featured and amazingly fun multiplayer mode complete with a very robust map editor so you can play new maps from here until the end of time. Read our full review of Far Cry Instincts for more details on the gameplay and level design because it is all pretty much the same in this version. The Evolution story is more like an expansion pack rather than a whole new game and actually only takes about 5 hours to play through. It takes the same gameplay as Instincts and adds in a more open-ended level design and gives you some new weapons and vehicles but at no point will you really be blown away by it. The main difference is that unlike Instincts where you earn your Feral powers along the way, you have them at the start in Evolution so it isn’t nearly as satisfying of an experience. When you are done with single player, you can dive into Far Cry’s massive multiplayer mode, which is easily the best part of this package.

If You Played Far Cry Instincts ...

It would seem that this all adds up to a pretty good deal, and it does, as long as you haven’t already spent a ton of time on the Xbox version. Most FPS fans have seen and done the Instincts and multiplayer part of this equation already and what you find in Predator is mostly the same. Evolution is a fun continuation of the single player game, but it plays just like Instincts and is over pretty quickly. Most annoying about it all is that you have to play through Instincts to unlock Evolution. The sad truth is that if you have already played Instincts there just isn’t enough new content here to warrant a $60 purchase.

There are some improvements here and there that are worth mentioning. First up, and instantly noticeable when you boot up the game, is that the load times are way, way, way faster than in the Xbox version. The map editor is even better this time around with new pieces and features you can use. Also, the online multiplayer is just as good as ever and maybe a bit smoother now on Xbox 360. You also get a full plate of Achievements to earn, which does make playing through Instincts again a much easier pill to swallow.

Graphics and Sound

Graphically, Far Cry Instincts Predator is a letdown. For the most part it is merely a high-resolution version of what we saw on the Xbox. Sure, it looks better and you can definitely tell a difference, but it isn’t up to “next gen” standards. Some areas are improved – the draw distance is increased quite a bit and the lighting is better which can create some pretty nice looking scenes – but for the most part the graphics won’t impress you too much.

The sound is recycled from Far Cry Instincts so it is pretty good overall. Good explosions, gunfire, and music are the highlights.

Bottom Line

Overall, Far Cry Instincts Predator is a good game that brings a ton of content to the table and is worth playing. This is a two-tiered recommendation, though. If you haven’t played Far Cry Instincts or maybe you sold it off early when you heard about FCI Predator for the 360, I highly recommend it for a purchase. You get a good 15-20 hours of single player along with a huge multiplayer mode complete with a great map editor. On the other hand, if you have already played Instincts to death, there isn’t too much here that you haven’t already seen and done. The game is improved in many areas and is certainly better overall, but the $60 price tag is a bit too much to chew on. If the game looked “next gen”, then maybe the price would be worth it, but it doesn’t so it isn’t. So the two-part recommendation goes like this: Rent it first if you already played Instincts to see if the improvements warrant a purchase but definitely buy it if you are new to Far Cry because this is an experience that shouldn’t be missed.