I was surprised by how challenging this game ended up being, even on medium. With enemies that hit hard and hit fairly accurately and some that take insurmountable amounts of damage, the gunplay can be pretty tough but also very rewarding once you get through a more challenging portion. That being said, unavoidable damage can be an issue at times and can become incredibly frustrating, especially when enemies see you and are shooting you perfectly through the sides of tents and buildings. Far Cry's biggest positive goes towards its action through the strong variety of interesting settings and solid level design, getting the most out of its island setting and opening the door for multiple ways to tackle a level. Each environment feels unique and distinct and the levels don't feel like rehashes.

Perhaps the greatest downfall of Far Cry is its writing, perhaps purposely goofy and over the top. It comes across as incredibly awkward every time Jack Carver utters a hammy, strange and out of place one-liner. Nothing about the voice acting or dialogue brings any emotional involvement or investment to any of the elements of the story, with it all being so contrastingly goofy with the intensity and grit of the game. Another downfall is the total failure of the stealth elements, where the game seems to encourage you to sneak up on enemies to get the jump on them, only for them to hear you from seemingly miles away and blow you away.

Far Cry succeeds in offering a fine, challenging FPS experience. I would definitely recommend a lower difficulty to start unless you like a true challenge. Just don't expect anything real meaningful beyond fun gameplay and good level design.