Post by mikeweeks2346 on Dec 6, 2016 23:26:56 GMT
In a few words: Not bad at all.
If you generally enjoy the Far Cry franchise, then this cut of the concept is worth getting when it's at a reduced price, since it indeed a spin-off from FC4's Shangri-La missions.
Use of the bow was naturally my preferred method, but also got used to using the spear as a sure kill at medium range when needed. Never got good use of the sling as a killing weapon, so it remained my distraction method. The shard turned out to be quite useful as a throwing weapon - especially later in the game, on the heavies no less.
Final boss fight(s) allow for some different approaches, and thank gawd no longer are QTEs as they were in FC3. Also, you do not need to bring a beast companion. It can be done solo.
I wrapped it up with 152 hours, and 84% complete. Didn't go after each and every collectable, or explore each and every cave, nor do each and every side quest (oh, how I hate those escort quests!!) -- especially once the XP Cap was reached; nor acquire each and every skill point. The key for getting the final cut scene and roll of credits is to do all the "main missions". That means don't ignore the village missions.
The owl was only used for recon, at times, for outpost liberations. Especially if I was unable to get "above" the location. Found having the long bow for zoom worked quite well from above.
Hunter's Instinct got used more than I would have wished, mainly when it was required to be out at night.
One aspect which I didn't care for were the pre-set "defend the Wenja" locations -- okay, did a few (you build the village, plus add XP) while traveling about, but soon discovered that the same event will re-spawn at that location! They're not "one, and done" events. So if you wish to farm for XP/villagers, then go at it. But for me it was a case of ignoring any more of them when they popped up on your map.
Another aspect not improved from since FC4, the weapons wheel. Attempting to switch around "on the fly" just about impossible.
Having a beast is both a blessing and a hindrance. Early on, it'll save your butt, and needed if you wish to travel about not always in total stealth mode. Later on, when you're completely geared up, you "own' Oros for the most part, the top tier beasts simply removes any threat in your path. One challenge was that without the mini-map nor HUD indicators, if your beast went down, it wasn't always easy to find it before it died. I did not use any beast as simple cannon fodder, so that can make a difference in how one might go about utilizing a companion. Did use a stealth cat for removing specific outpost NPCs, who were isolated, then dismiss them once within the death re-spawn zone. Without a beast you have complete movement freedom, and within the zone, there's no external world threat.
Also what a specific beast might bring "to the party" seemed to quite useless at times - especially if it helped with the use of your mini-map or tagging (which weren't being used). Apparently the intent was that you'd swap out beasts at a moments notice, "on the fly", yet within that exchange time, other events are spawning around, and any quickly thought out plan(s) become moot real quick.
The save system is an improvement, but still no "re-spawn at this spot", so it's best to save and exit at a spot you know you'll re-spawn - i.e, village, outpost, bonfire, or campfire. Also there's now twenty open personal unique save slots. Once filled you'll need to override a previously used slot. Naturally if you back up your save files, then you can re-load for any specific purpose.
Having the sub-titles displayed is a royal pain for me. Apparently when initially released they could be removed, but now fully patched, I don't see an option to do so.
Overall how to go about unlocking various skill sets appears logical, and didn't seem strange. Of course some skills were intended for the mini-map, and since they needed to be unlocked first were a wasted skill point for me, as what I needed was the next one, etc. I wonder what'll be the sequence when utilizing the survivor mode, since the mini-map is not available.
The about naturally points to what would be nice in the way on a mod ... 
As would be a bit of re-balancing of the XP requirements. Thought the number of XP needed for each skill could be adjusted a bit upwards from the default set.
Anyway, this is my general takeaway from my first playthrough; on Expert, no tagging, no mini-map, no HUD pointers, no reticle.
Going to fire up Survivor Mode and see how that impacts starting out as the modern-day educated survivor of a 10,000 BC mammoth hunt which went horribly wrong.
