Have I ever told you, the definition of insanity?
Vaas
I think it’s about time that I took a moment to look at a game I found myself caught up in for at least 2 straight months, the latest in the Far Cry series from Ubisoft, Far Cry 3. Not initially the most imaginative of titles to say the least, yet it belies the wealth of complexity on offer. I’ll say this early on as well, if your a person who often looks down on the gaming industry with contempt/misunderstanding… then please continue to read this entry, I hope it might change your mind with regards to how this industry is evolving as a whole.
Anyway where was I? Oh yes a wealth of complexity, the game is set on two remote islands somewhere between the Indian and Pacific, both completely open to explore, though the second island is unlocked following certain story elements. These islands are beautiful, especially if your playing on a nice big television, the graphics quality is truly wonderful as is the depth of detail within the game. But I’m not here to talk about technical jargon, I’m here to tell you a story. The game follows Jason Brody, a 1%er dropped on the island by a holiday rep as he parties with his brothers and friends. At this point in the game I think we’re meant to hate him, he sounds like a spoiled child, bemoaning his situation as though that will change things.
His situation? Oh it is wonderful… The island Jason and his friends find themselves parachuting onto, is owned by pirates and smugglers led by a rather vicious drug baron named Hoyt. Yet while Hoyt is clearly a corrupt and insane monster, he is nothing compared to his lead henchman and show stealing bad-ass. Vaas (pictured above).
Vaas, just wow, a forceful character on par with the Joker in terms of psychotic ideology and simple presence on the screen. Vaas rules one of the other islands and represents one of the main forces Jason fights against on the island. He acts initially as a danger to Jason and his friends, a psychotic mad man seemingly intent on killing you in as painful and humiliating a way as possible, you are nothing more than his plaything. Yes I do mean ‘you’ because by this point, since you control Jason and his actions and gradually evolve during your time on the island as such Jason becomes what you make of him. For me he became a silent assassin, sniping men off at a distance, though each player can take their own path through the missions.
Before long though you realize exactly what Jason/You are evolving into… it’s Vaas. You begin to understand his words, the meanings behind his insane rants on the mundane cycle of life… and the definition of insanity. As such you almost begin to forget Jason entirely, and Vaas takes over your attention. Never before have I played a game with such an engaging cast, Vaas played by Michael Mando is of course otherworldly. Yet there’s a whole range of crazies on offer, each with their own coping methods for this crazy soul destroying island. Each are monsters in their own right, Bambi the sadistic monster and Sam Becker the loveable psychopath.
My recommendation is go and buy the game now, the prices have gone down a treat since it first came out and the single player storyline is one of the best written things in gaming history. Even making such classics as Final Fantasy seem like a plain old episode of Coronation Street, with wonderful set pieces and some of the best characters you will ever engage with on a screen. And once you have, play it again… the outcome might be the same, but you’ll understand what insanity truly is.
If this isn’t enough to convince you then I recommend watching the 30 minute long film named “The Far Cry Experience” released as promotional material for the game. It features Mando as Vaas and perhaps you’ll understand why I think he represents the main attraction for the game as a whole. Just click the link below to watch all of the episodes combined and take a little trip through the island.
Keep Watching and Don’t Worry.
GG & Filmland 