Far Cry 2 - Make your old PC feel cutting edge

Posted by Tiberius Jonez

I think we'd all agree that good gameplay is what ultimately counts in making any great videogame, but there is no doubt that great graphics make any gaming experience that much more immersive. Unfortunately, modern games with directx 10 capabilities and all the bells and whistles are often unplayable for the average PC owner.

With Far Cry 2, the brainwizards at Ubisoft have somehow managed to make one of the most stunning graphics engines without requiring a $3,000 uber-rig to run the game.

The Far Cry 2 video below (recorded from my PC using FRAPS) features the game's opening sequence so you can see just how pretty this game is, even without maxing out every graphics option. While my PC is capable of running Far Cry 2 with maxed out settings, this video demonstrates that even if you don't have the latest tech in your PC, you can still enjoy beautiful graphics.

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Far Cry 2's manual recommends 2GB of ram to run the game with full settings, and as you can see, it runs well. My PC has 2 Gb of OCZ Platinum Rev 2 Ram (800mhz). The game's graphics settings are set to "very high" with 4x antialiasing, "ultra real" trees and lighting.

I am thoroughly impressed with this engine. It runs smoothly while making your eyes burn with glorious graphics splendor. The only downside is, if you weren't a graphics whore before playing this game, you will be after. You've been warned.

Enjoy the video.

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune extended gameplay Video

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune is out in a few days, and I've played through the PSN demo a few times now. It's been fun experimenting with different ways of approaching enemies and such and I thought I'd share an extended video of part of a play through of the demo. The video is after the break.

The video is about five minutes long and takes place in the full game's fourth level. It gives a good idea of what you can expect from the gun play and hand to hand combat in Uncharted. One of the things that makes this game so fun is the way Nate says little things under his breath while fighting...when combined with the staggering number of animations he has, it all comes together to create a level of immersion that is very satisfying. Enjoy!

Dirty Dancing Game Video - Oh God No!!

Just when I thought I had seen the worst idea ever for a video game, I am saddened by the knowledge that I was so, so wrong.

Feast your eyes on Dirty Dancing, the game. Just make sure you have an empty stomach first.

Anne Parducci, vice president of marketing at Lionsgate film says, "For two decades, girls and women have identified with Baby, and through this wonderful game from Codemasters, they will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in her world like never before." Uh, ok then.

Two things strike me after watching this debacle. First of all, there is almost no dancing in the game at all, dirty or otherwise. Secondly, how did Codemasters ever decide this was a good idea?

This whole thing brings to mind one of my favorite sayings...

You can't polish a turd. 'Nuff said.

Skate video interview

To follow up the Skate story below, here is a video interview showing some of the beautiful graphics of the game. Now you can see why I've been so excited about this game.

EA shows off "Flick it" controls in Skate

EA's Skate has been one of my games to watch for the past several months. It looks great visually and now seems to be taking the final steps to dethroning Tony Hawk as the top skating game with the introduction of it's new "flick it" control scheme.

Using the right analog stick to pull off moves looks very intuitive. Watch the video and you be the judge. Is there a new skateboarding king coming to town?

Halo 3 Video Leaked

This video features a map based on Halo 2's Zanzibar map. You can tell by the generator in the middle of the map seen in other parts of the leaked video which are available with a little searching.

The shield bubble is looking mouth-wateringly sweet. I did notice quite a bit of texture draw-in when crossing the steel grate flooring, but otherwise the game is shaping up very nicely. Enjoy this video as you can bet it cost (or will cost) someone their job.

"Win a Wii for a buck" or "Luckiest Kid in the World"

The following video is of the luckiest kid in the world. He actually won a major prize from a Stacker machine, you know those games you see in the mall, restaurants, arcades and movie theaters. And this kid didn't just win the biggest stuffed animal in the machine, he won a Nintendo Wii! Unbelievable.

Warning, the video is most definitely NSFW or school...the kids with him drop 20 megaton f-bombs in celebration of their friend's victory...and rightly f'n so!



I want that kid to come rub me for good luck! Wait, what I mean is...oh, never mind.

Grand Theft Auto IV Trailer

Finally...we've been waiting and it's finally here!




Whether or not the final game will look like this, I don't know, but i am hopeful that Rockstar can meet their own expectations. Either way, you know it's going to sell a bazillion copies worldwide come October.

Spiderman 3 The Game - trailer

It's Spiderman, it's cool, it's webtacular, and it's coming May 4th. Check out the trailer below. This trailer is for the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions. The PS2, Xbox and Wii will get a slightly different game.



My Spidey sense is tingling with anticipation!

Video Interview - SCEA's David Karraker talks Home

While at GDC, Sony of America's David Karraker was (cornered) interviewed by Gametrailers. He discusses Sony's (microtransaction) online strategy HOME, Little Big Planet and Killzone 2.

Watch the interview below.

Today's Latest "Lost Exclusive" Video

With the recent revelation that Devil May Cry 4 is no longer a PS3 exclusive (really, how long can it be before Metal Gear Solid 4 is announced for the Xbox 360?) and will appear on the Xbox 360, we present this DMC4 video from Gametrailers.com