I remember when I was little and I watched my dad play this game. Honestly, I thought it looked pretty lousy but I recently found it in my library, and gave it a chance. I have to say, while I do think the game has some issues, it generally is a good experience with a very interesting and thought-provoking story. Unlike other games which portray the protagonist as a righteous powerhouse, who fights against the forces of evil, this game constantly tears down the illusion by reminding you that you are a mercenary. While your initial mission is righteous, in order to progress through the main story, you have to partake in the never-ending cycle of violence. Each mission becomes more and more morally questionable, to the point where you ask yourself if you are even better than the antagonist. Another selling point of the story is that you are not this unstoppable force of nature, but rather a vulnerable nobody. Weapons jam and break. Malaria disrupts the flow of the missions. Fire spreads like crazy. Crazily enough, despite playing it on "Hardcore'', which is the hard difficulty, the game felt very difficult. Clearing out camps and outposts doesn't matter, because more enemies will be there soon. Assassinating leaders matters little, since one of their subordinates will take their role not long after. The atmosphere adds to the experiences, giving you this feeling that you are on your own, with no allies, against everyone. But instead of being the hero of the story, you are a vulnerable mercenary, which succumbs to the moral degradation and partakes in the pointless cycle of violence which ruins the lives of the innocent civilians. You are not a savior, but a corrupt monster, just like those you are supposed to be superior to. Here are some aspects of the game
GOOD
-amazing story with deep, impactful messages
-phenomenal atmosphere which solidifies the overall theme of the game
-very unique setting for the game
-great soundtrack
-overall fantastic graphics for when the game came out (still holding up in 2026)
-the combat and exploration are generally very polished
-a good variety of weapons, and vehicles, which means the game is a good experience regardless of your playstyle
BAD
-crashes a lot, usually when you try saving, which is infuriating
-having to get out your car, kill a few enemies who won't leave you alone, repairing the car, and having to take long detours to avoid outposts gets annoying and tiring very quickly
-just like other old games, in order to adjust the FOV, resolution and more, you either need to tweak the game files or install a program
-lack of wildlife variety (I've only seen antelopes, zebras, gnus and buffalos)
-not replayable after completing the game (It makes sense, due to the story, but still)
OVERALL
To sum it up, I think the game is a great experience and it was truly ahead of its time. If you have the game, or find it somewhere really cheap, it's 100% worth giving it a shot. You might want to tweak your files first, though. Overall 9.5/10
