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Archive Spelunker Wes Fenlon
From the archives: This review was originally published in ESportsBeat magazine #193 (UK, November 2008). The review appears as originally written, with only minor changes in formatting and presentation.
I've been diving into the back issues of ESportsBeat magazine to resurrect writing that never made it onto the older versions of PCGamer.com . And it's never a bad time to talk about Far Cry 2! If you're surprised by the 94% score, you're not alone.
In Issue #197's Letter of the Month, longtime reader Rik Muschamp wrote in: "I have to say I disagree with your reviews of Far Cry 2 and Spore. I was shocked at this and tried to persist with them and prove you right, but I'm afraid I can't... Has my attention span got shorter? Do I expect too much?" We reassured Rik that not every game is for everyone, even when they score a 94%.
Nearly 18 years later, I think Far Cry 2 is still just as divisive, right?
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No. Its appeal is in the moments beforehand—when, from some lofty perch, you think of what's to come. You check your ammo. You reload your weapons. You heal up. You anticipate .
It is the calm before the storm. You are the match before the flame. In the most player-centric world yet created, in a game that you know is about to surprise, delight and enthral you, standing still, waiting to strike, is one of the finest pleasures you can experience.