Released on the PC a while back, Far Cry was a surprisingly competent shooter that put gamers on an island filled with trigger-happy mercenaries and mutated enemies that savagely rip apart anyone that comes close to them. Luckily, Xbox owners got the chance to play the game last year when Far Cry Instincts was released. Not only did it make the transition from PC to console perfectly but it was an excellent first-person shooter. Now that the Xbox 360 is out, Far Cry Instincts Predator is unleashed and while there is new content to play through, it isn’t very different from the Xbox original.

For those who have missed Instincts the first time around, Predator combines the same Instincts campaign as well as adding a new yet short campaign called Evolution. Together these two campaigns present a long and engaging story that takes places within the Jacutan Archipelago. You start the game with the Instincts campaign that follows ex-mercenary Jack Carver who has been contracted by a mysterious woman named Valerie Cortez to take her around the tropical island on your prized boat. When Cortez takes off on her own, Carver finds helicopters hovering overhead that start putting holes in his boat. From there it becomes a struggle for survival as Carver puts his weapon skills to the test. However, during an encounter with a dangerous new foe, Carver is injected with a serum that gives him animalistic abilities and great strength.

The Evolution campaign picks up soon after the events of Instincts comes to a conclusion and once again finds Carver doing what he does best in the tropical locale. All his major abilities are available from the start and once again he’ll be up against a number of human and not-so human foes. It is here that Carver meets a new cast of characters, like the sexy yet dangerous Kade and the psychotic Semeru. Evolution is not as deep as its first chapter but it certainly has plenty of the action-packed moments we loved about Instincts. While it doesn’t introduce anything particularly new and interesting (except for a new Feral ability we well get to later), the story and action are welcome additions to the first chapter.

As a first-person shooter, Predator possesses all the standard elements you’d expect to find in this genre. You can perform stealth kills with your trusty knife, pick up and use dual weapons and charge into tents filled with enemies with guns blazing. Yet as a survivalist, Carver can set up deadly traps and spring them on unsuspecting enemies or toss rocks into an area to catch their attention and then ambush them. In Instincts you will come to use Feral abilities, enhanced abilities that allow you to see an enemy’s scent, see in the dark, sprint like a cheetah, jump really high as well as smash an enemy into a bloody pulp. Evolution introduces a climbing ability that comes in handy in the right occasions, but when it comes to the Feral abilities it’s the Feral Attack that means instant death to most enemies. You can also drive various vehicles in the game like ATVs, RMVs, various boats and even a glider.

The multiplayer mode was a much loved feature in the original Xbox version for the obvious fact that it offered a large number of options including the fact that you can play against friends using a single Xbox, play on multiple consoles using System Link and through Xbox Live. There was even a Map Editor that allowed gamers to design their own map complete with weapons and vehicles. Predator adds even more maps that are not only bigger and better but make such game types like Steal the Sample and Seek and Secure all the more engaging.

With all these things you would expect this game to be one of the most amazing Xbox 360 first-person shooter games available thus far but it falls a little short in many aspects. For one thing, the enemy AI still isn’t smart enough to have enemies try to outflank you or move out of the line of fire. While some enemies are able to pull back from a particularly deadly assault, many of them still stand around waiting for you to maul them while others run towards a tossed grenade rather than run away from it. This is not to say that the game isn’t challenging because it certainly is. You will find that Carver will be outnumbered and outgunned in many situations and this will make you grateful for the checkpoints.

Yet the aspect of Predator that is most disappointing is the fact that that game hasn’t really been redesigned for the Xbox 360. The visuals have been slightly enhanced and you will notice them in various areas of the game and even Carver’s hands show slightly more detail than the Xbox version. What is unforgivable is that the visuals do feel like they have been recycled for this next-generation console. You will still find horrible clipping issues and bland textures that are directed at the various foliage you’ll travel through. Still the graphics aren’t horrible the first time around and they’re not horrible here. They are just not what you would want for the Xbox 360.

As far as the sound is concerned, though, the game still manages to drive home the feeling that you’re lost deep in a tropical terrain filled with aggressive enemies both human and freakishly evolved. You’ll still hear the sounds of exotic birds and insects and the roar of a waterfall. You will still hear funny chatter from CB radios or walk into a funny conversation two mercenaries are having. The voice acting is excellent as is the dramatic soundtrack that plays throughout the game as well as during the pause menu screen. Trust me when I say that you will want to play this game using a good sound system.

Far Cry Instincts Predator for the Xbox 360 is a complete package well worth the purchase price if you don’t own the Xbox version. It not only brings us the brilliant original campaign but also adds a second helping complete with more multiplayer maps and a good story. While the visuals have not been reworked to make this look like a genuine 360 title and some of the old AI issues resurface, this is still an excellent game first-person shooter fans will adore.

Gameplay: 8.0
Right when you think you’re playing a survival of the fittest first-person shooter set on a tropical island, you’re injected with some experimental serum and develop interesting abilities that suddenly set this game apart from other first-person shooters. The Instincts campaign is a fun ride and the short but sweet Evolution campaign just adds more bang for your buck. Expect plenty of weapons and Feral abilities that allow you to rip into your enemies.

Graphics: 7.2
Predator is a complete disappointment in the visual department. It not only recycles textures and other details from the original Xbox version but it does not revamp the graphics for this next-generation version. Still, the original game was very visually stunning and this one is slightly more enhanced. The cutscenes look much more sharper on the 360 as well.

Sound: 8.5
The sound, much like the Xbox version, is still quite good in this version. Not only is there are really nerve-wracking soundtrack that works brilliantly throughout the game but the solid voice acting cast just enhances things. Add detailed sound effects that make the island feel like it is alive with creatures and insects and explosive sounds and realistic gunfire effects and you have a game with a rich audio experience worth pumping up the volume.

Difficulty: Medium
Once again, the enemy AI is a balance between logical strategy and pure idiocy. Occasionally some enemies will pull back and duck for cover but for the most part enemies stand around waiting to be shot or ripped apart by your bare fists. Some enemies even run towards tossed grenades. The most challenging enemies are the mutated freaks you’ll encounter later in the game. 

Concept: 8.0
Two campaign modes in one package is great even though nothing new has been done to the Instincts campaign. There are more multiplayer maps now and the Map Editor is still the perfect addition for those gamers that like to unleash their creativity thanks to the ability to share created maps online.

Multiplayer: 9.0
With the extra multiplayer maps, this is by far a more complete package for those gamers who loved the enjoyable System Link and online multiplayer mode. On the Xbox 360, the game moves at a very steady framerate and with a nice variety of game modes and the ability to share your own created map makes this a true Xbox Live gem.

Overall: 8.2
If you missed Far Cry Instincts for the original Xbox, Far Cry Instincts Predator for the Xbox 360 is the definitive version you will want to own. While its newly added content and Evolution missions are welcomed additions, the main game doesn’t do anything that really sets it apart from the Xbox version and that includes the visuals. Overall, it’s a good game that owners of the new system will want to have among their growing collection.