Far Cry Instincts Evolution review (Xbox)

Multiplayer mode has been bulked up a bit with the addition of new maps based on the Predator campaign, including Shanty Town, an elevated fishing village. Multiplayer modes still feature deathmatch and team deathmatch, as well as capture the flag (steal the sample) and predator mode, in which one player gets animal powers and the rest don't. There's also a new mode, seek and secure, which is a variation of the capture and hold mode in other online games. One of the nice features about the game is the built-in map editor, which renders making and sharing maps incredibly simple. Indeed, there's about an equal split between official and user-made levels on Xbox Live, and downloading new levels is seamless and automatic.

Visually, Evolution doesn't look all that different from the original game. The jungle is still pretty much unchanged, even though this takes place on a different island. The overall production values are solid, though the seams do show now and then, particularly in the poor sound mixing during cutscenes. Still, Evolution is a nice companion to the Far Cry Instincts experience, and if you loved the first game then you'll like this one, especially if you're a multiplayer fan. If you haven't played Far Cry Instincts, though, you may want to pick up that game first, before you dive into Evolution. You don't need to, but you'll understand and enjoy the story more.