Of course, not all things are sunshine and smiles on the savanna. It does have its shortcomings, although they're far from critical to the experience. Chief among these flaws is the behavior of your buddies, which is severely troubled. While they function properly when you're in need of revival, their behavior following a save is erratic. Buddies often can't hold their own in a tight battle, but even worse is their penchant for seeking out environmental harms. Whether it’s a burning jeep or rocky waterfall, companions tend to die due to their sheer stupidity. This can happen, mind you, without you even knowing it. A blue flare signals a downed pal, yet these aren't visible in the thick flora of an oasis. As such, you must keep a close eye on your buddies whenever they're called out to fight since their skills of self-preservation are somewhat lacking.

The game's expansive recreation of Africa prompts long treks between missions, an issue intimately tied to the open-world design. To create such an enormous space means forgoing quick, linear progress from mission to mission; instead, you spend a lot of time traveling between locations whether it's on foot or in a vehicle. Having to travel long distances for some missions is annoying. Occasionally, you find yourself stranded without a vehicle which is equally as frustrating. Hoofing it to a safe house or guard post from the most remote regions of the map is a drag, but it's a caveat of the design. Without these remote areas, the game world wouldn't feel authentic. Much of Africa is undeveloped and completely cut off. You can avoid treks to the most remote sections if you stick to story-related mission and skip much of the optional material.

However, considering how immersive the game is, don't be surprised when you're drawn into pursuing these side missions and exploring the varied terrain. This is one of the most amazing worlds in gaming and the fact that it's brimming with so much action and intrigue makes it that much better. While it certainly could be a better experience by fixing what few flaws it possesses, there's little doubt that this is a phenomenal game with thrilling gameplay, drop dead gorgeous visuals, and a sense of style that few games today can compete with – Far Cry 2 is a smashing success.

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