Within ten minutes of Far Cry 3's cinematic opening, I stole a jeep, drove to the top of the highest mountain I could find, sailed down towards the ocean on a hang glider, proceeded to jump on a jet ski, jumped into the ocean and punched a shark. Do I have your attention now?

That in essence is the key to Far Cry 3, it's going to make you feel you're on the cover of one of those old timey men's magazine's from the 40s - -and it's all a complete blast to play. to put it simply, thanks to its huge world's remarkable presentation values and solid mechanics, this one of the most impressive shooters and open world games I've ever played, and when I tried to turn it off for a bit, I couldn't stop thinking about it. It's simple -- don't miss this game.

"...gunning down enemies, throwing grenades and jumping jeeps off of cliffs."

In Far Cry 3, players assume the role of Jason Brody, a well-to-do vacationer who just escaped from captivity, where he watched a group of filthy pirates kill some of his best friends -- and not he's off to see if the rest of them are still alive. Right from the onset, Jason is portrayed as a man out of his element, he has never shot a gun and is screaming running from his life when his captors come chasing. The thought of playing as someone who isn't a classically trained marine or super soldier would be a bit endearing -- if Ubisoft Montreal would have stuck with it the entire way. Before long at all, Jason is gunning down enemies, throwing grenades and jumping jeeps off of cliffs.

That's not to say that the studio didn't try, there's a pretty interesting progression system at play here. By completing missions and helping out random NPCs throughout the island, Jason will earn a new tattoo, which will in turn give him more abilities or skills (just go with it), and he'll become more of a confident killer and fighter. As a result of this system, it's unlikely that any two playthroughs are going to feel the same as you can choose what you unlock at what point.  There's a lot to do on the islands of Far Cry 3 -- and the progression system makes it feel even bigger.

At it's core though, what makes Far Cry 3 so much fun to play is how impressively sound it's mechanics are throughout the experience. Guns feel perfectly weighted and there's a lot of them to test out, and a lot of things to shoot. What made me most surprised was how many ways there were to get around the massive island, and how easy they were to drive. Some AAA shooters (yes, I'm looking your way Halo) include vehicles and they're a nightmare to drive, but Far Cry makes things easier but inputting a simple control scheme, which makes Far Cry so much easier to pick up and play for anyone interested.

"... attempt to liberate the small villages by unjamming radio signals..."

The islands of Far Cry 3 aren't all about hunting down your captors though, as there's a ton of things to keep you busy side from the main missions. You can attempt to liberate the small villages by unjamming radio signals (and gaining access to free weapons in the process) or go on Bounty Hunter missions; but by far I loved the game's hunting mechanics the best. It won't be long after you start playing Far Cry 3 that you're likely to be attacked by a vicious animal, which will always catch you off guard, but look at the bright side, you can always shoot them. It's a bit fun to run around the island trying to find each and every animal, and you'll gain the ability to craft items from their hides, but it gets a bit ridiculous when you're surrounded by three komodo dragons and a cheetah at one time.

Of course, there's no denying that Far Cry 3 is one of the best looking shooters you'll ever seen. The game is full of views and sweeping vistas that remind you that even though you're being shot at, yes, you're in paradise. All that aside though, it's easily the small things that make Far Cry 3 look so damn good. It's the way that the NPCs and animals interact with each other. It's the way that Jason does different animations (from putting a dislocated finger back in place to wrapping a wound) when healing. Far Cry 3 will constantly amaze you.

I won't deny it, after two sub-par but decent offerings, I wasn't expecting much from Far Cry 3 -- but man, was I wrong. With it's incredibly visuals, stocked gameplay and amazing mechanics, it's easily one of the best shooters I've played in quite some time. Could the story use a bit of work? Sure, but that shouldn't take you away from one of the most impressive shooters and open world games you may ever play.