How to Have Fun Playing Far Cry 2
So you bought Far Cry 2, the new PC video game. Heard about it, heard about the whole open-world, go anywhere, anytime thing. Thought you'd give it a try. And you did. And let me guess... You got about halfway through and you found it extremely repetitive. The game seems to consist of one endless litany of encounters with guard posts that respawn too fast manned with guards equipped with telescopic vision and backed up by enemy patrols that always manage to take you by surprise and shoot your vehicle into a smoldering chug-a-lug. The game is just drive, stop, shoot, repair, drive, stop, shoot, repair, occasionally complete an objective and then more drive, stop, shoot, repair, et cetera, ad nauseam, ad what-the-hell-how-is-this-fun?!?
Well let me tell you friend... Been there, done that. But now things are different. Now, believe it or not, I happen think that Far Cry 2 is, far and away, the best video game EVER.
How did I make this miraculous transformation? I'm not sure exactly what sparked this revelation but about halfway through Far Cry 2, after experiencing gameplay very similar to that outlined in the first paragraph above, I suddenly had an epiphany of sorts and realized, hey wait a minute... I'm going at this all wrong. And I was actually so excited that I immediately restarted the game because I wanted to experience the game from the beginning with my new 'legs'.
And here's how I learned to have fun playing Far Cry 2.
First and foremost, I learned to...
Slow the F#@k Down
The first and most important change I made to my approach was I just simply slowed down. The epiphany I had was that Far Cry 2 is a game that doesn't lead you about by the nose but rather responds to you and the way you play. It waits for you to act and then it reacts. So if you go at the game hard and fast, it will come at you hard and fast. ALL the time. If, on the other hand, you slow down, and I mean really slow down, you will take the game by the balls, you will own the landscape, you will own the guard posts and you will own the enemy patrols.
And when you slow way the f#@k down, you have time to do things like...
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Awesome guide on how to play Far Cry 2! When I first started the game, I never even finished it because I was tired of being shot up all the time and I just left it collect dust in my drawer! Now, I started playing it again using the Sniper and the game has changed! Drastically! I'm still a little bit confused on how to stealthily raid a guard post without them hearing me. I have done it once or twice but no more than that. Maybe make a guide on how to stealthily raid a guard post/ Mission with minimal kills, minimum shots fired?
Comment by Naz — June 30, 2009 @ 1:50 am
Thanks for the feedback, Naz.
As for stealthily raiding a guard post without them hearing you, hmmm, wow that's a tall order. I only specialize in approaching a guard post without putting them on alert so you can recon their position and get the drop on them. But if you want to go super stealth, you should consider using silenced weapons such as the dart rifle, the silent Makarov and the silent MP-5. There's also a silenced shotgun in the Fortunes Pack DLC.
Comment by Major Slack — June 30, 2009 @ 5:30 am
Silent makarov's crap been there done that. You may want to consider the M72 Granade Launcher cause you need an explosive there somwhere and not evrything can be done in stealth. THe makarov takes like Fu**ing 7 bullets just kill a guy with nothing but a shirt on. Messed up the makarov is.
Comment by Teh Buer Gamer (LoL.. pwnagespree youtube account) — July 9, 2009 @ 12:03 am
this is so useful, i was FLYING as fast as i could and i just kept dying. so then i tried slowing down (and watching your vids) and im now 60% past the game. thanks so much for the advise
Comment by azlanberesford — July 28, 2009 @ 5:05 pm
When i start playing a prefer to go stealth this is my loadout dart gun quiet mp5 and c4( or whatever it's called in-game haven't played it yet) tell me if it's good.
Comment by Matthew(toxicflood on youtube) — July 31, 2009 @ 9:41 pm
@toxicflood,
I don't know if I can advise you on that. It all depends on what YOU feel comfortable with. One thing though is you don''t have a long range anti-vehicle weapon so I would go with the M79 grenade launcher instead of the IED (C4).
Comment by Major Slack — August 2, 2009 @ 8:36 am
Man, all I would do is mess around the whole time :D
And yeah, that's about it.
Sure, I'll do the missions... when I need cash XD
Comment by Patrick10152 — August 25, 2009 @ 11:22 am
Remember to buy the Camo Suit, which is the most expensive item (45 diamonds) but very effective for stealth playing especially with the Dart Rifle. If you stay crouched in the grass, without any movements it will practically makes you invisible to the enemies. I found that even when they search you after you're discovered, if you ran for another cover and crouch again, it's tough for them to find you. Enjoy
Comment by Cyril Thomas — October 12, 2009 @ 4:20 pm
man i hope this works ive been trying to leave u a comment for ages stupid youtube so any way ur fukin awsome seen all ur vids ive completed FC2 3 times but somthing is awsome about watching u i mean its sooo cool most awssme saying "lets get the fuck out of dodge" lol montreal must be ace.....
soooo any way what do u think the best wepon set is thats not got a sniper pr an ar-16 in it
wb man !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
dude plz e-mail me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by 8Ball — October 26, 2009 @ 5:30 pm
I need your help with something. I am 12 % done with the game. I went to get an APR mission and it started me on another mission that said Free the captive from the back room at the slaughterhouse. I went to the slaughterhouse and went into the room with the captive. He told me we needed to split up and he would see me back at Mike's Bar. I left the room but he didnt move, and the mission did not say accomplished. I went back to Mike's Bar and the guy who was in the back room was there but I couldnt talk to him. I went back to the slaughterhouse and the guy is not there. I did have to shoot my way back in again, though. No matter what I do I cant get this mission to end. Please help!!!
Comment by Aaron Schaal — November 16, 2009 @ 11:57 pm
Aaron,
Go to town and see if you can get into the APR HQ to get another mission. If not then you have a corrupted save game. You'll have to delete your current saved game and start from a previous. Keep doing that and running through the 'save the buddy' mission until you can get it to completion.
Comment by Major Slack — November 17, 2009 @ 9:12 am
Thanks for responding. I did try to get another mission from the APR, but was unable. Fortunately I had another game saved in which I was 8% done so I picked up with that one, and I seem to be back on track. I'm now at 20% done, but I'm doing things in a little different order this time. I also read your essay on how to enjoy the game and it is definitely helpful in getting the most out of it. I still have much to learn but my frustration level has gone down, while the fun level has gone up. I am keeping two congruent saved games as I go along just in case anything like that happens again.
Comment by Aaron Schaal — November 19, 2009 @ 10:05 am
You are awsome.You mare better than me.
Comment by jOHN VITO CENTANNI — November 28, 2009 @ 12:31 pm
nice guide and it was funny to expacly the balls part the best was when u yelled funny crap man keep it up
Comment by dunefang — December 29, 2009 @ 1:06 am
I CANT SLOW DOWN BECAUSE OF THE PILLS ARE REQUIRED TO PLAY THE GAME
Comment by AARON — January 4, 2010 @ 9:21 pm
what i mean was malaria pills in the game they make you have to keep going to get more before doing more missions and exploring the game world
Comment by AARON — January 5, 2010 @ 7:05 pm
I'm currently doing the second UFFL mission. When I get into the fort the King isn't in the upstairs room (as he is in your walkthru)...any suggestions. Thanks.
Comment by taB — January 11, 2010 @ 5:01 pm
Hi, Major Slack, have a lot of fun, after 18 months doing other games, I started FC2 for the 2nd time. It's like it's all new, found roads & passage ways I didn't encounter before, and benefited especially from the Jeep with the grenade launcher, makes dealing with roadblocks much easier! One remark, though, there's ANOTHER jeep with g.launcher available, apart from the one on patrol near the N.E busstation. After helping out my buddy at the airfield (I had a jeep with launcher with me then), I found a 2nd jeep with a g.launcher, parked there ON the airfield! And a question too, the jeep in the NE on patrol, is that one only available once you arrive in that sector by bus and the area is reset? Because I once waited 15min. for the patrolling jeep to appear...it didn't! Let me know!
Comment by RayCis — January 12, 2010 @ 6:40 am
@RayCis,
Yes, there's g-launching jeeps all over Act 2. There's one parked in the airport, there's one near the weapon shop in the west sector, etc.
Also be advised that enemy patrols sometimes get stuck. So if you're waiting for a patrol and it hasn't come by in, say, about 5 minutes, then it got stuck somewhere. Save the game and exit, restart and try again. That might fix it.
Comment by Major Slack — January 13, 2010 @ 6:53 am
Thanks, Major, I did find out that multiple g.launcher jeeps are available. I do lament it when I myself wreck one, or drive it unintended into a gully and can't drive out anymore, a thing that happened on my way back to Mosate to apply for a mission...Well, than take a boatride back, and with the mission on hand (c4 pickup at mines) take the bus to the SW, pickup the buggy, park it near the crossing, and patiently wait for 1) patrol, not the right jeep, let it go, 2) second jeep, not the right one, go on your way, 3) and presto, the 3rd is the right one -shoot the gunner from a long distance -don't want to be on the receiving end of these g.launcer shots, then let the driver come closer -hate to walk- and shoot him as well...and I've got my favorite jeep again. Must give the enemy their dues, to deliver a needed vehicle...damn nice of them, don't you think?
Comment by RayCis — January 13, 2010 @ 11:34 am
Hi, Major, just watched your video of the APR mission where you have to blow up the pipeline. Just before that you unlocked the nearby safehouse. As I had done that mission yesterday, when unlocking this safehouse I found a g.launcher jeep PARKED AT THIS safehouse location, quite convenient, I'd say. But watching your video, I didn't see this Jeep, can it be that the game sometimes provides one or more safehouses/locations at random with these g.launcher jeeps?
Comment by RayCis — January 15, 2010 @ 10:33 am
Hi Slack!
Great job!
I don´t know what is more fun - playing farcry2 ot watching you doing it ...?
Greetings from Kassel, Germany
Comment by Björn — January 27, 2010 @ 4:25 pm
i've just done the last underground mission (im playing on the 360 and i got an achivement for doing all underground missions) will i die when i run out of pills
Comment by josh4b — February 4, 2010 @ 4:13 pm
heyy slack
i enjoy youre vids more than playing the game btw i LOVE the game and its still more and more fun to start over with different load out and such bt i love the way u play it and i try to mimick that as much as i can and the more i do that i enjoy it more but i have the 360 verison and i love it more there than the PC but i love em both
1st question do you have the xbox version
2nd do you play online
3rd do you know about any ither free roaming game that happens in africa if u do let me know i love the concept of it
4th do you have msn. if you do id love to have it
greetings from Iceland ;) love youre vids
Comment by Ragnar Eðvarð Kristinsson — March 9, 2010 @ 5:59 pm