15 Best Ubisoft Video Games Of The 2000s

4. Far Cry 2

Although its sequel would popularise the framework for a whole generation of open-world shooters, Far Cry 2 was actually where a lot of those features were first implemented.

The incredible combat loop of scouting out dynamic enemy locations and storming bases however you wanted was pretty much the entire crux of the shooter, balancing the original Far Cry's hardcore approach to combat with more satisfying and modern action controls.

However, the sequel's biggest strength was just how alive its world felt. Not only were enemies littered all over the place, but there was a whole animal ecosystem that you had to deal with. Throw on top of this the ability to use nature to your own advantage, with a huge focus on causing wildfires to funnel enemies into chokepoints or cause a series of explosions, and the devs were able to create a world that not only looked pretty, but directly influenced the way the game played.

Sure, the central narrative wasn't anything to write home about, and major drawbacks like respawning enemies, a botched malaria mechanic and constantly-degrading weapons weren't great, but they didn't take away from the sheer ambition or fun to be found otherwise.