Game review: Far Cry 3

The list of failed games based on movies is a long one, as is the list of failed movies based on games. The solution: make a game that blurs the lines between watching a great action flick and playing an intense survival shooter. That game is Ubisoft's Far Cry 3.

Players step into the shoes of Jason Brody, a man alone at the edge of the world, stranded on a mysterious tropical island cut off from civilisation. In this savage paradise where lawlessness and violence are the only sure thing, players dictate when, where and how the events of the game unfold. Players will slash, sneak, detonate and shoot their way across the island in a world that has lost all sense of right and wrong.

The setting and events that unfold on this stunning island full of psychotic pirates exist within a conceivable reality. The plot could have been plucked directly from current news headlines. This injects a healthy dose of realism, and for us Kiwis, the inclusion of voice actors that sound like Once Were Warriors extras brings the game even closer to home.

Far Cry 3 is beautifully paced and the mix of freedom to roam, scripted action sequences and cut-scenes makes for a flow that will see you discover it's 2am and you haven't even stopped for dinner.

When you include seamless co-op action and multiplayer to boot, the living, breathing island of Far Cry 3 becomes a place where you want to spend a lot of your spare time - even if it's to stop and soak up the splendid scenery.

Far Cry 3

From: Ubisoft

For: Xbox 360