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6. More dynamic missions and more varied environments

One of our main gripes with Far Cry 2 is that, on the whole, the missions can feel a bit samey. Bar some key story-based missions, which, admittedly are bloody brilliant, a lot of them follow a similar assassination path: approach settlement/check point, scout area, plot attack plan, find key NPC or object to destroy/retrieve, execute/intimidate. While we love the ability to tackle missions however we see fit, and we want that freedom to remain in Far Cry 3, we'd like more varied missions.

And how about making them more dynamic? In Far Cry 2 all hell will break loose in a settlement but the key NPC you've been sent to intimidate/assassinate, usually holed up in an upstairs office, will be seemingly oblivious to what's going on just metres away. How about in Far Cry 3 your target makes a run for it, and you have to jump in a vehicle and chase him down in a high speed pursuit? Or maybe he or she hides, and you have to sniff them out?

Far Cry 2 looks gorgeous. The African setting is wonderfully realised. But, once you've played the game for hours on end things can start to look a bit samey, too. This isn't the fault of Ubisoft Montreal per se. It wouldn't really fit to see a Liberty City style area in the middle of an African savannah. But in the next game, if we assume the developer will return to the African setting, we'd like to see more varied environments.

How about some underground sections (we know, Far Cry isn't a corridor shooter, but some more enclosed, claustrophobic sections might provide a nice counter point to the open world sections)? How about underwater missions (you can swim in Far Cry 2, but mostly above water)? What about some bigger towns with Assassin's Creed-style populations? What can you think of?

5. Make your work for factions count for something other than money

We love the two rival factions in Far Cry 2, but we were a tad disappointed to find that your decisions on which to accept missions for never made much of a difference to the story or the way they react to you. There's a reputation system in place with the buddies - how about in Far Cry 3 Ubisoft Montreal implements a reputation system for the factions, too? Undertaking a mission with one faction might make another hate you, and be less likely to offer you work in the future. Taking on work with one faction might make them trust you more, and open up options you wouldn't have seen otherwise. We're getting into RPG territory here, and we realise that Far Cry is first and foremost a FPS franchise, but we think there's room to make you think more about the missions you undertake, and the consequences of those decisions.

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