If you like the early works of Sir Peter Jackson, you will probably love this game. It is an odd mix of hilarious splatter, psychological horror, and a melancholic story. However, some people might be put off by the unfair puzzles, the gratuitous brutality, and the occasional breaking of the fourth wall.
Far Cry 3 takes you on a drugged-out trip to a vacation club. That's great for the youth of today. But Far Cry 2 will take you on a memorable journey that gives you PTSD. Far Cry 2 takes immersion to a new level. The sense of bleakness and futility is enhanced by the oft-critizised features of the game engine: permanently respawning checkpoints, repetitive missions, persistently aggressive AI, jamming weapons. After a few hours, you feel exactly like your character - exhausted and fearing the next firefight. Far Cry 2 is not "frustration-free gaming". It makes you sweat and requires you to plan ahead. This is the only FPS where I have spent most of the time running away from enemies. And I was loving it.
You don't buy this game for its RTS - the RTS part is mediocre. You don't buy this game for its political (ahem) simulation - that is just a small stat modifier. You don't buy this game for its RPG - that is just a short filler story to give the game some ambiance. You buy this game to have fun. Rushing across the battlefield in dragon form and incinerating pesky enemy units is fun. Talking with everybody aboard your ship is fun - the voice acting is superb, and the colorful characters add to the charm of the game, which never takes itself too seriously. The problem with this game is replay value: The battles quickly become repetitive, and at full price, you want a game that you can enjoy playing more than once. But for a short while, it is great fun.
