The new game from Ubisoft is much more than a first-person shooter

Dec 4, 2012 12:22 GMT  ·  By

Previous Far Cry games focused only on shooting from a first-person perspective but Far Cry 3 adds a variety of other elements on top of this rather simple premise, effectively turning the game into a role-playing shooter similar to the likes of Mass Effect 3, for example.

While Jason Brody's adventure lacks the scope of Commander Shepard's own missions in space, and he can't select his replies by using a dialog wheel, Far Cry 3 manages to deliver a shooter experience with the depth and mechanics of actual RPGs.

Besides killing enemies by using a variety of weapons, from pistols, to SMGs, rifles, flame throwers, as well as grenade or rocket launchers or even a bow, you also need to develop your skills during the actual game.

Jason progresses through levels and earns points that can be invested in three different skill trees, each represented by various animals: the Heron, Shark, and Spider.

The Heron mainly deals with abilities that make you move faster and give you the edge in combat. The Shark is recommended for those that go in gun blazing, as it gives you increased survivability and abilities that take out more enemies.

Finally, there's the Spider, which focuses more on stealth and taking out your opponents in sneakier ways than the more direct Shark or the more agile Heron.

While a leveling and skill tree mechanic aren't enough to turn Far Cry 3 into an RPG, the game has other mechanics that make you feel like you're dealing with such a game.

These include the looting system that gives you items you can sell for money as well as things that can be used to craft other items. This crafting mechanic manages to impress mainly because it's rather simple.

You need the skins of various animals or the leaves of various plants found on the island to craft different items, from pouches and holsters to syringes filled with various liquids.

You even have a few choices during the main storyline of Far Cry 3 so, while the game may seem like a rather simple shooter, it's a much deeper role-playing experience.

Did you get a chance to play Far Cry 3? Did you enjoy these RPG-like elements or do you think the game should focus just on being a shooter?