I got the game yesterday (why do they always miss the release dates nowadays?) and I have to say I am enjoying it quite a bit. Although it is undeniably repetitive and frustrating at times (enemies respawn too quickly and traveling from place to place can be a chore when you have patrols attacking you every 30 seconds), the sense of atmosphere is probably the greatest I have ever seen in a game. Although the graphics aren't quite up to the standards of something like Crysis, the world truly feels alive and organic (if a bit too brown at times), in no small part thanks to the dynamic weather and smartly-applied physics, which cause all the trees and grasses to blow in the wind. There are few games where it's enjoyable to simply wander around doing nothing at all, but Far Cry 2 is one of them. If there is one triumph Far Cry 2 can claim, it is that it is host to one of the most immersive, breathing game worlds ever constructed.
The shooting itself is fun, too; stealth is a viable option if you go about it the right way (it does seem a bit binary, in that the AI gains psychic awareness of your location as soon as you're discovered), and the weapons all feel unique. I quickly developed a set of favourites: Dragunov, MAC-10 and RPG-7. It's worth pointing out that sniping is incredibly satisfying, and that the rockets are very entertaining to use (especially when they misfire and go spinning out of control). There is a very visceral sort of feel to the action, and even though enemies tend to take too many hits before they go down, combat is still very enjoyable and has a good rhythm to it. It's just a shame that the AI can get a bit predictable, or just completely break down at times.
I should also point out that the audio package is incredibly strong. The music is a bit repetitious but can be turned off if you so choose, and this might be my recommendation as it really lets the ambiance shine through. The voice-acting is actually pretty weak, but the environment sounds thick, dense, and wet in the jungles, and open, airy and dry out on the savannahs. The vehicles all have distinctive rumbles on par with any racing game's, and the weapons all feel gutsy and distinctive, not a one of them lacking in character or impact. I'm not sure if it beats out Crysis (which probably does a bit better with positional audio, music, and dynamic environmental effects), but it's pretty damn close. Whoever designed the audio for this game deserves some major praise... and whoever hired the voice-actors should probably be fired.
