Far Cry 2 is one of two spiritual sequels to Far Cry (the other being Crysis, made by Crytek, the original developers). A sequel in name only, it does not follow on from Far Cry's storyline, instead taking the player to a fictional African country wracked by civil war, tasking them with hunting down and killing an arms dealer called "The Jackal" who has been selling weapons to both sides. Things quickly get more complicated, however, and the player is soon doing missions for the temporarily at-peace factions as a hired gun. As well as a substantial list of not-particularly-realistic firearms, Far Cry 2 boasts an open world map covering over fifty square kilometres (split into two 5x5 maps), dynamic fire effects, a continuous day / night cycle, and really annoying checkpoints.
The following weapons appear in the video game Far Cry 2:
Far Cry 2's weapons are split into a four-slot system, corresponding to the four directions of a 360 or PS3 controller's D-pad. The first is the player's melee weapon; in reference to Far Cry, this is a large machete. Two additional skins can be downloaded for it, but the player has no choice as to what goes in this slot; it is always a machete of some kind.
The three other slots accommodate whatever weapons the player has in their respective category; one primary, one secondary, and one special weapon can be carried at a time, as well as two types of grenade. Enemy weapons can be picked up, but weapons in Far Cry 2 have simulated wear and enemy weapons are always in the worst condition possible, so this is usually only a good idea in extreme circumstances. Weapons in poor condition are able to jam, which requires a press of the reload button to clear; some of the explosive-firing weapons instead misfire, with the shot going violently off-target or dropping dangerously close to the player. In the end, if the player hangs on to a weapon for long enough it will fail, in a spectacular and generally deeply ridiculous manner. Jam animations always happen instead of a shot being fired, while failures always happen after the shot fires normally, resulting in some very bizarre occurrences such as a weapon blowing up only after cycling its action completely or misfeeding despite cycling correctly after the preceding shot.
Getting new weapons requires the player to do missions for the Arms Dealer, a shady character who apparently wants to corner the market on driving trucks in circles endlessly; he sends out the player to deal with any rivals attempting to drive their own trucks in circles, and adds weapons to the list of available ones every time one of these bizarre errands is complete; only half can be completed in the Northern map, after which he vanishes without explanation.
The player pays him for specific weapons in African Conflict Diamonds (via a website; it's best not to think how that's supposed to work) to make them available in his warehouse, after which an infinite number of brand-new weapons of that type can be acquired from there. In addition, he offers upgrades to the amount of ammo the player can carry, and per-weapon upgrades which increase a weapon's accuracy or decrease jam rate; these are explained to be "technical manuals" the player character simply has to buy to gain all knowledge from.
Secondary Weapons
There are nine secondary weapons available, from the expected sidearms through SMGs, explosives and even a grenade launcher.
The Star Model-P, a Spanish M1911 clone, appears as the "Star .45." It is the first weapon the player character is given, after The Jackal threatens them with it. Since the secondary weapon slot in Far Cry 2 can accommodate remote bombs, a grenade launcher or a submachine gun, it isn't something the player is likely to hang on to, though it's common among mercenaries as a sidearm. Despite the game specifically noting it as a .45, the weapon shares ammo with the two Makarovs and the Desert Eagle, making it the world's first .45 also chambered in .365 and .50 Action Express.
Star Model-P, .45 ACP.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank Bilders holds a "Star .45" at the beginning of Far Cry 2. Note the uncocked hammer; all four pistols are treated as having double action only trigger mechanisms.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Star .45 features a reload obviously inspired by action movies; Frank holds the pistol vertical, ejecting the empty magazine to the right with a flick of the wrist, then loading a new one.Error creating thumbnail: File missingIn an ideal world, an assassination should not end with you flat on your back with malaria while your target holds your gun, reads your orders to you, and then makes fun of you for being useless.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Star .45 jams; taken from an enemy and fired repeatedly, the Star will actually blow up before it has jammed even once; seemingly, a particular gun's chance of jamming is partly based on how long the player has been carrying that specific gun. Here Frank is left tugging on the slide until the player prompts him to do so more forcefully.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Star .45 blows up; the slide and hammer fly off and the magazine drops out; there's just enough time to notice the gun has no magazine well before Frank discards it.
Makarov PM
The Makarov PM is the second regular pistol in the game, and really isn't that different to the Star .45 in practical terms; slightly less powerful and more accurate, but overall still a questionable choice compared to other secondary weapons.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingMakarov PM, 9x18mm Makarov.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank holds a Makarov PM as an enemy soldier is struck dead by the vileness of his own shirt.Error creating thumbnail: File missingTaking an aimed shot at an explosive barrel with the Makarov; Far Cry 2's pistols are effective at surprisingly long range for videogame handguns. Note the depth of field blur at the edges of the screen.Error creating thumbnail: File missingReloading the Makarov; many of the reload animations in the game show the new magazine actually empty.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Makarov's jam animation; the slide locks up, the player character repeatedly trying to pull it back between making hand gestures. Pressing the button pulls it back sharply enough to actually clear the jam.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Makarov blows up; that is indeed the hammer about to subject Frank to a life of pirate jokes.
6P9 suppressed pistol
The 6P9 is a modified Makarov PM with an integral two-part suppressor, the rear part of which is fixed around the barrel; unusually for an integrally suppressed weapon, the 6P9 can be safely fired without the front part of the suppressor attached, though the result is much louder. It is available for use in the secondary weapon slot; the weapon is called the "Silenced Makarov 6P9" in-game. The only suppressed weapon available for this slot, it can be useful if the player is sure they'll need to be quiet, but is rather situational.
Referred to as the "Eagle.50" [with a missing space] on the Arms Dealer's computer, the IMI Desert Eagle is the sidearm of most of the "buddy" characters the player can recruit as allies. The most powerful of the four pistols by a considerable margin, it wears out extremely quickly and fires slowly compared to the others, but is extremely accurate, and since almost every enemy carries a pistol as a sidearm, the player is unlikely to run out of ammo for very long. The game says the Desert Eagle is chambered for .50AE, but it has an eight round magazine like a .44. The Desert Eagle is also used if the player chooses to execute a wounded buddy; some players will find this an emotional, saddening moment, while the rest will wish they were allowed to use the M79 instead.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingMagnum Research / Israeli Military Industries Desert Eagle, .50 AEError creating thumbnail: File missingFrank holds the "Eagle.50" as he examines a fuel stockpile; this is ammunition for the flamethrower, molotovs and flare gun.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSo IMI and Magnum Research would have issues with their names being on the Far Cry 2 Desert Eagle's slide, but this is ok with them?Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank fires the Desert Eagle. Or Eagle.50. Or Deagle. Or whatever it is.Error creating thumbnail: File missingReloading the Desert Eagle. Frank decides to actually use bullets for this, though a bullet is still visible in the dropped magazine even if it was empty. If it's not one thing it's another. Note also the gratuitous left-handed barrel lock.Error creating thumbnail: File missingAfter that, he pulls the slide just a little too far back. In front is one of the trucks the Arms Dealer has the player character destroy in order to unlock new weapons, claiming they are carrying shipments of "rusty AKs" for competitors. These particular rusty AKs appear to be invisible.Error creating thumbnail: File missingA low-condition Desert Eagle. Given how fast it wears off the finish can't be chrome or nickel; tinfoil attached with glue is a safer bet.Error creating thumbnail: File missingAPR leader Prosper Kouassi holds a rusty Desert Eagle during a mission briefing. Despite that every NPC's weapon is in the worst possible condition, only the player character ever experiences jams or failures.Error creating thumbnail: File missingWhen a buddy is down, the player character has the option of using healing syrettes on them, or putting them out of their misery by spontaneously pulling out a Desert Eagle. Here, Frank contemplates killing Warren Clyde for his terrible Turok costume.Error creating thumbnail: File missingJam animation; the bizarre sight of a Desert Eagle jam that isn't a stovepipe.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Desert Eagle blows up; note the weapon is massively more detailed internally than the other handguns, including a visible magazine well; this is also the only handgun failure animation where the hammer doesn't fly off.
Ingram MAC-10
The MAC-10 is available as a secondary weapon. The weaker and less accurate of the two SMGs in the secondary slot, it's the only one available in the Northern map, and useful if the rest of the player's chosen weapons aren't geared for fighting up close. Enemy snipers and soldiers with rocket launchers tend to carry one of the two SMGs as their back-up weapon.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingMAC-10 .45 ACPError creating thumbnail: File missingIngram MAC-10 in Far Cry 2. It's never clear what version it is due to the slightly odd ammo system the game uses.Error creating thumbnail: File missingIdle animation; no matter how much you want to look like a tough guy, picking your nose with a loaded MAC-10 is still a bad idea.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank finds a discarded Ingram MAC-10 in a sniper's lookout. Enemy automatics are among the worst things to pick up, given their propensity for jamming at the least opportune moments.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Ingram jams; this animation consists almost entirely of the player character struggling with the charging handle, with a short pause to fiddle with the magazine.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Ingram blows up; while it might seem not much has happened, it seems the bolt spontaneously disintegrates; the charging handle simply vanishes at the start of this animation.
IMI Uzi
The Uzi is the second of the two secondary SMGs, and other than durability is better than the Ingram in every way; while it fires more slowly, the result is a much more accurate and controllable weapon. Enemy snipers and rocket launcher troops are likely to carry this in the Southern map, though sometimes they will still have an Ingram.
A single-shot signal flare gun is usable as a secondary weapon and seen in the hands of some enemies; while they use it when alerted to call for reinforcements, for the player it is only useful as a means of starting fires from a distance. Oddly, it uses the same ammunition as the flamethrower and molotovs, which is depicted as a 20-litre plastic can of fuel. How this transforms into a magnesium flare in a metal casing is unclear. The flaregun doesn't appear to have a jam animation or misfire; it's possible that sometimes it misfires and flares fail to ignite, though there may be other causes of this.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingNumber 4 Mk 1 flaregun, 1.5 in.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank holds the flaregun in Far Cry 2.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank uses the iron sight of the flaregun as he looks over a completed safe house; finishing buddy missions provides upgrades, until every safe house on the map spawns a truck with a Mk. 19, a medkit inside the building, and stockpiles of all three types of ammo.Error creating thumbnail: File missingA fired flare detonates. While not hugely useful as a direct-fire weapon, a few flares can level an entire checkpoint with the fires they cause.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank reloads his flaregun.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe flaregun as it's intended to be used, ie how nobody in their right mind would use it in this game.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe second "proper" use of the flaregun is to provide illumination at night; it's actually extremely bad at this, since the flare doesn't produce an enormous amount of light.Error creating thumbnail: File missingIn the unlikely event that the player actually holds on to a flaregun for long enough, this happens.Error creating thumbnail: File missingEnemy soldiers killed in vehicles do not drop weapons, and seemingly have yet to decide what sidearm they should carry, leading to this abomination being found in their holster.
IEDs
Improvised explosive devices can be used in the secondary weapon slot, and are essentially crude remotely triggered bombs made from one of three types of explosive device, a cell phone, duct tape, a battery and some randomly placed transistors.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingThese explosives are so improvised they come as a mass-produced kit. Erm...Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe three IEDs on the hood of a handy car; an anti-tank mine, a 60mm mortar round from the Norinco Type 63, and a cluster of pipe bombs. The player character always holds the detonator with at least one finger clipped inside it.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank prepares to detonate the IEDs.Error creating thumbnail: File missingWith predictable consequences.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank puts the IEDs into a secondary crate. Only he doesn't put the actual IEDs into it at all. Primary, secondary and special crates appear in every safe house and Arms Dealer warehouse; once bought, anything put into one crate can be retrieved from any crate on the map, showing they are built using the same technology as Resident Evil's chests.
M79
The M79 grenade launcher is the most powerful projectile weapon in the secondary slot; a single-shot grenade launcher which fires shots in a long arcing trajectory, it destroys any object in the game in a single hit and has an extremely wide splash radius; a few shots will easily annihilate a checkpoint.
The twelve primary weapons are the mainstay of a player's arsenal, as a rule; assault rifles, sniper rifles and shotguns are found in this slot, as well as an inexpicable grenade launcher.
Without the Fortunes Pack DLC, the H&K MP5SD, referred to in-game as the "Silent MP-5," is the only suppressed weapon in the primary slot; regardless, it is the only SMG in that slot, and unsurprisingly is therefore extremely weak compared to the assault rifles and sniper rifles it is placed alongside. A rapid rate of fire goes some way to making up for its shortcomings.
The Ithaca 37 is one of the cheapest weapons in the game, and one of the first available to buy at the Arms Dealer. It is referred to in the pause menu and on the Arms Dealer's computer as the "Homeland 37," implying it is supposed to be an Ithaca 37 "Homeland Security" version; however, the weapon itself is actually the long-barreled hunting version. While the Ithaca 37's most distinctive feature is the combined loading and ejection port, the Far Cry 2 version lacks this, and instead has a seperate side ejection port. It has a six-round internal magazine, half that of the other two shotguns; coupled with the relatively slow pump-action, this leaves it distinctly inferior to the others.
The Franchi SPAS-12 is the second of the three shotguns in the normal game's primary slot, and the most balanced between rate of fire and rate of wear. It fires in semi-auto mode only and holds 12 rounds compared to the real weapon's eight.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingFranchi SPAS-12, 12 gauge.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank holds a brand-new SPAS-12 as something blows up. Just another day at the office.Error creating thumbnail: File missingIdle animation; Frank examines the pistol grip for no apparent reason, then both sides of the forend.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank holds a low-condition SPAS-12 as he examines a supply box. There are only three types of ammo pickup in the game; one for weapons that use bullets or shells, one for the flamethrower and molotovs, and one for explosive weapons. Enemy weapons, however, only count as ammo for similar ones.Error creating thumbnail: File missingReloading the SPAS-12.Error creating thumbnail: File missingJammed SPAS-12; a rather weird misfeed. Most of this animation consists of the player character hitting the opposite side of the receiver, with some attempts to pull the charging handle. Since these partly succeed to the point the whole base of the cartridge is visible when looking down the weapon, at several points in the animation it's unclear precisely what's holding it in place.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe SPAS-12's failure animation; the gun ejects the spent casing and its own forend.
Daewoo USAS-12
The Daewoo USAS-12 is a South Korean-made combat shotgun capable of semi-automatic and fully-automatic fire, and can first be found in a Northern safe house; however, it cannot be acquired from the Arms Dealer until his missions in the South are unlocked. Despite having the 20-round drum magazine, it only holds 12 rounds. It wears out incredibly quickly, starting to jam after only a handful of reloads, but is useful when a lot of enemies will be encountered at close range as the weapon's firepower is overwhelming. The jam animation is a misfeed; the player character will try to deal with this by fiddling with the cocking handle and thumping the opposite side of the reciever until prompted to actually pull the cocking handle by the player. The failure animation has the entire front end of the weapon fall off.
The Heckler & Koch G3KA4, the carbine version of the H&K G3 is the first assault rifle the player will encounter, and is used by many of the soldiers in the Northern map. It's a middle-of-the-road weapon, not really excelling at anything but being dependable enough for the early game and relatively cheap. The jam animation shows the weapon's bolt sticking closed; the player character attempts to operate the cocking lever, then hits the side of the weapon several times for no good reason, then fiddles with the magazine.
Heckler & Koch G3KA4 carbine, 7.62x51mm NATO.Error creating thumbnail: File missingEntering the jungle with a brand-new G3KA4.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank holds a G3KA4 as he studies an explosive ammo stockpile. This is ammo for the IEDs, mortar, rocket launchers and grenade launchers, as well as hand grenades, though most of the visible clutter is components of IEDs.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank reloads the G3KA4. In a world of compromises, some people don't put the bullets in the magazine at all.Error creating thumbnail: File missingIdle animation; similar to the other rifles, Frank holds the G3KA4 up and checks it over, here allowing the player to see that this rifle was made by "Precision Armory." Given the Desert Eagle, it's surprising it doesn't say "Hitler & Krotch."Error creating thumbnail: File missingJam animation; Frank uses the secret and more violent cousin of the HK slap.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe G3KA4 blows up; like the SPAS, the whole front end comes off.
AK-47
The AK-47 is a common sight in the game, and features quite prominently on the box art; it is also seen frequently on posters and crates. It does not have the compensator, and therefore is not an AKM. The game also features a number of hidden "gold" AK-47s, which are otherwise identical to the normal AK-47s except they have their stocks removed and much higher durability. It's possible this is a reference to the custom gold AK from the movie Lord of War. The gun model itself is quite off to the real thing, it has the rectangular depression of a milled AK47 but has metal stampings of an AKM.
Kalashnikov AK47, 7.62x39mm.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank holds a low-condition AK47, having just used it to destroy a bullet and cartridge ammo stockpile. Doing so provides a display of Hollywood physics as bullets cook off and fly in all directions, here with enough force to knock over the metal barrels on the dockside.Error creating thumbnail: File missingIdle animation; Frank holds the gun up, then, realising what website he's on, checks it isn't a Norinco Type 56.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank uses the iron sight of his AK to destroy his most dastardly foe yet.Error creating thumbnail: File missingWith the evil one defeated, Frank celebrates by giving his AK some actual bullets to fire.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSome of the low-condition guns have obviously seen better days. This AK has seen better centuries.Error creating thumbnail: File missingGold AK47. Eight of these are hidden throughout the two maps, but aren't really worth the effort since they just wear out less quickly. Because gold is well known to be a hard, durable metal when used in firearm components.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank admires the gold AK during the weapon's idle animation.Error creating thumbnail: File missingGuard manning one of Far Cry 2's much-hated checkpoints during the game's intro, armed with an AK47. NPCs appear to be holding well-maintained weaponry, but when they are killed they always drop weapons in the worst state of repair.Error creating thumbnail: File missingAK47 on an APR recruitment poster. The AK appears throughout the game, seen on crates and posters as well as being used. This is a cease-fire zone, hence Frank holding the M79 vertically on the left side of the screen.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Jackal as seen halfway through the game, with an AK47 on his back and a Desert Eagle in his holster.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe AK47 jams; once again, "pull the charging handle harder than you are currently pulling it" is something only the player could possibly think of.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe AK47 blows up; it takes a truly obscene amount of ammunition to make it do this, but the patient player is rewarded by having the entire upper receiver thrown at them.
FN FAL
The FN FAL is available in the primary weapon slot, called the "FAL Paratrooper," and can be found in the hands of some soldiers in the North, but doesn't actually become available to buy until the Southern map is unlocked. For some reason it is named as the "Paratrooper" variant (folding stock) even though it has a fixed stock.
This is an essentially fictional AR-15 based rifle labelled as an AR-16 to maintain a common calibre with the other assault rifles, ignoring that one of them already isn't chambered for the same cartridge as the other two. The real AR-16 never got out of the prototype phase, being the 7.62mm forerunner of the AR-18 rifle, and has very little in common with the weapon seen in game. The AR-16 in Far Cry 2 has single shot and burst fire modes, with a short tap of the trigger firing a single shot while a longer press fires a three-round burst. The weapon has a flat-top receiver with a mounted reflex scope; this has a green dot as a reticle. Ahead of this is an FN FAL-style carrying handle.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingArmalite AR-16 prototype, 7.62x51mm NATO.Error creating thumbnail: File missing"Armalite AR-16" in Far Cry 2.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank holds his AR-16 in a ceasefire zone, giving a good view of the carrying handle.Error creating thumbnail: File missingReloading the AR-16, Frank can't help but play around with the weapon's incredibly flat charging handle.Error creating thumbnail: File missingScope of the AR-16, with a green dot reticle.Error creating thumbnail: File missingIdle animation of the AR-16; the camo pattern is a large part of what makes it look so dirty when it is in poor condition. Also note the fire mode switch is currently on the middle setting, while the third setting is apparently "plus."Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank marvels at the first AR-16 in Far Cry 2, which was apparently recently dug up or fished out of a river.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank's best buddy Marty Alencar with an AR-16. Best buddies offer alternate ways to complete missions, as the value of a friend in Far Cry 2 is apparently measured by his tendency to undermine your orders.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe AR-16 jams; Frank removes the magazine and holds it against the handguard with his left thumb, retracts the charging handle and examines the chamber; when prompted, he uses the forward assist to correct the misfed round, before replacing the magazine.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFailure animation; after such an involved jam clearing, it makes perfect sense to forget that the front of a rifle needs a hole in it for bullets to get into the barrel.
Springfield M1903A4
The Springfield M1903A4 is the first sniper rifle available to the player, and often seen in the hands of enemy snipers. It incorrectly reloads with a stripper clip inserted into a hole in front of the trigger guard instead of having the user load rounds one by one into the breech as the real M1903A4 requires. The scope has a duplex crosshair reticle; the player is able to keep the rifle scoped after firing, but can't operate the bolt like this. The jam animation is the bolt sticking; like all jam animations, this triggers before the weapon fires, which makes precious little sense since the preceding shot will have shown the bolt being successfully operated. The failure animation has the gun blow up, emitting a large cloud of thick grey-white smoke; it's then discarded.
The SVD Dragunov is the first semi-automatic sniper rifle available to the player, and one of the last set of weapons unlocked through doing the Arms Dealer's missions in the North. The SVD is one of the most useful primary weapons, and is better than the Springfield in most regards. The SVD reloads and fires more quickly, while the difference in damage is negligible; it is less reliable, but not nearly as much so as the AS50. The player character holds it rather oddly, and it features a highly inaccurate representation of the PSO-1 scope reticle. The model in Far Cry 2 appears to be a hybrid of the SVD and the FPK / PSL Sniper Rifle, sharing the X-shaped stamping on the magazine the latter rifle has, and having similar twin holes halfway up the side of the forend. This SVD also, for no good reason, has a three-prong flash suppressor like an early M16.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingSVD Dragunov sniper rifle, 7.62x54mm R.Error creating thumbnail: File missingRomanian FPK/PSL sniper rifle, 7.62x54mm R.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank with a Dragunov SVD outside Mike's Bar, preparing to obliterate Mike's Barrel. It's unusual to see quite this much of the SVD in an FPS; usually the majority of the stock is off-screen under the player character's arm when the weapon is being fired from the hip.Error creating thumbnail: File missingReloading a weapon is generally not performed with your finger still on the trigger.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe scope of the Dragunov SVD: note it has too many ranging chevrons, and all the number calibrations are missing. Note also the area outside the scope is magnified just as much as the area inside.Error creating thumbnail: File missingJammed SVD; the player character repeatedly attempts to pull the charging handle, punctuated by exasperated hand gestures and pointless whacking of the side of the scope.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe SVD blows up. Seemingly, the front end of a rifle in Far Cry 2 is held on mostly with chewing gum.
Accuracy International AS-50
The Accuracy International AS50 is a British-made anti-material rifle chambered for .50 BMG. It's the most powerful sniper rifle in the game and the least durable, and is equipped with an illuminated mil-dot scope with a stadiametric rangefinder. This distorts slightly immediately after firing. The failure animation shows the barrel defying physics in order to make one final lunge at the operator's skull for not knowing how to maintain a firearm.
Perhaps the strangest weapon in the primary slot, this version of the Milkor MGL is equipped with a scope with a precision plex reticle. It only holds 4 rounds in the cylinder compared to the real MGL's six. It is a devastating weapon in certain situations, but the MGL isn't something the player can use as a mainstay of their weapon setup due to the low ammo limit, frequent reloads and unsuitability for short-ranged combat. It does, however, make Far Cry 2 probably the only game in history where the player has three weapon slots and they can all be grenade launchers. The jam animation has the cylinder emit a metallic shriek and fail to rotate properly; the player character flips the weapon upside-down and tries to force it. The failure animation has the weapon, um, split completely in half.
The seven special weapons are for the most part heavy weapons; rocket launchers, machine guns and so on, with the sole exception being a CO2-powered dart gun.
The "Tranquilizer Rifle" is a version of the Remington 700, most closely resembling an M40. This particular Remington is converted to a CO2-powered single shot dart gun and fitted with a sight which appears to be based on the Bushnell-manufactured scopes used on Dan-Inject JM Standard tranquilizer guns; it's the only sniper weapon in the special / heavy weapon slot. It can be surmised that the tranquilizer is not something intended for use on humans; a hit anywhere will kill the target instantly, and also kick up a spray of blood as with the normal rifles; odd behaviour for a dartgun.
The PK machine gun is usable in the special weapon slot; the model in Far Cry 2 has the newer flash hider. As in a lot of video games, the recoil on the PKM is exaggerated when one is standing, to the point where the weapon is uncontrollable. In reality the PKM's slow rate of fire (roughly 600 RPM) allows for controlled full auto shooting even when firing from the shoulder. Like the SAW, the PKM uses a 100-round belt.
The M249 SAW is seen in both man portable and emplaced versions. While handheld the M249 will never overheat no matter how long it's fired for, but has incredible muzzle climb and limited ammunition. In this configuration it uses a 100-round belt box which appears to be made of metal. The jam animation shows the top cover popping open; rather than open it all the way to find out why, the player character just tries to slam it closed. The failure animation has the hinge fail and the whole top cover break off.
The RPG-7 is the first rocket launcher the player can access, available from the Arms Dealer after his missions in the North are completed. In real life the shell goes a lot faster (about 294 meters per second) and does not have a smoke trail. It also self-destructs at maximum range; the Far Cry 2 version instead has the motor cut out and the rocket fall in a ballistic arc, allowing it to be used like a mortar. The "jam" animation in this case is a misfire where the rocket's booster charge ignites but the motor doesn't correctly, leaving the rocket spinning in circles on the ground a couple of yards right in front of the player. Needless to say, when it does this the self-destruct works just fine.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingRPG-7 rocket launcher, 40mm.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank holds his RPG-7 in Far Cry 2. The RPG is one of the possible first heavy weapons the player can acquire; what they get depends on which quadrant of the town they collapse during the gun battle at the very start of the game.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank puts an unloaded RPG-7 into a special weapon crate.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFiring the RPG-7. Rocket weapons are unusually realistic in terms of physics, and require some skill to use; poorly-aimed rockets will deflect off angled surfaces.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Far Cry 2 RPG-7 has a side-mounted iron sight as opposed to the modern optic sight favoured by many games. Here, Frank sights up a railcar full of propane.Error creating thumbnail: File missingWhich goes roughly as anyone would expect it to. The reload animation presumably has the base of the launcher resting on the ground, given the player is left looking at the muzzle.Error creating thumbnail: File missingMisfire: as Frank completes a reload, he finds the previous round didn't travel quite as far as he might have hoped.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe RPG-7's foregrip breaks off in the failure animation. Note that it has no upper surface; the player character holds it up to the screen briefly, showing it also has transparent internal surfaces and making the player wonder why their attention is being drawn to this.
FFV Carl Gustav
The Carl Gustav recoilless rifle is a Swedish-made 84mm launcher produced by Saab-Bofors; in real life it's an unguided recoilless grenade launcher with some rocket-boosted rounds available. In Far Cry 2 it is depicted as a laser-guided missile launcher with projectiles so maneuverable they can turn right around in mid air if the sight is pointed at the user's feet and return to hit him, and is equipped with a scope with a circle reticle. The missile can also be manually detonated if the player presses fire again while it is in flight; normally, this will just start the empty launcher's reload animation, but if a missile is in the air it will detonate as the animation starts. The "jam" animation is a misfire similar to that of the RPG-7; the guidance seems to fail just after launch; the smoke trail turns black, and the missile veers sharply off-course, detonating on impact. The failure animation has the hinged rear venturi tube break off, after which the player character throws the weapon away.
Carl Gustav recoilless rifle, 84mm.Error creating thumbnail: File missingA brand new Carl Gustav; it's difficult to tell when the weapon isn't low-condition, given it always looks ten minutes from falling apart.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe first Carl Gustav in the game is as ever found in a Northern safe house in the worst possible condition.Error creating thumbnail: File missingScope of the Carl Gustav. It's easy to justify the decision to pick it up even in this state; it's longer ranged than the RPG-7 and vastly more accurate.Error creating thumbnail: File missingReloading the Carl Gustav.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Carl Gustav has simulated backblast; not good for the careless operator in a game with dynamic fire.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Carl Gustav's missiles turn incredibly quickly; here, Frank has fooled one into orbiting a tree. The missile seeks the first thing that intersects a line drawn from the middle of the crosshair, even if there is no way it could actually draw a line of sight to the object being pointed at.Error creating thumbnail: File missingIn addition to guided missiles, this particular Carl Gustav also has the ability for the user to detonate missiles at will.Error creating thumbnail: File missingMisfire: the missile suddenly decides its target is on the other side of the road. It's lucky nobody is around to arrest it for jaywalking.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFailure animation of the Carl Gustav. Amazingly, it doesn't explode.
Norinco Type 63 60mm light mortar
The Norinco Type 63 is one of the harder weapons in the game to use effectively, but one of the most powerful. By default it fires a marker round that produces harmless smoke, but pressing the reload button switches to the high explosive rounds; this is rather poorly documented, and many players using the mortar for the first time have trouble figuring out why it doesn't do anything. The mortar can also cause an extremely bizarre glitch if the player is in a boat which is hit by a shot from one; the impact will catapult the boat miles into the air, where it will become permanently stuck, as will the player.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingA brand-new Norinco Type 63; the mortar is another weapon that always looks ten seconds from exploding.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank holds the first Norinco Type 63 in the game, found in the transitional area between the first and second maps.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank sets up the Type 63. Setting and picking up the weapon uses the aim button, as part of the rather unorthodox controls the mortar uses.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank holds a smoke round as another descends in the distance. The marker smoke is yellow, while the smoke round itself is blue below the centre. The mortar comes with an infinite number of these rounds, but the player has to wait until one lands before they can fire another.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank about to drop an HE round into the Type 63, indicated by the red lower section. Note the saw-like range indicator; as the mortar is aimed up and down, the bar moves with it to indicate the current range.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe rare sight of a shot from the Type 63 actually hitting something.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Type 63 misfires; note the extremely shallow arc of the round.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Type 63 blows up. Somehow, a round exploding inside the mortar does no damage whatsoever to the barrel but makes the stand fly off.
LPO-50 Flamethrower
The LPO-50 flamethrower is a Russian-made weapon which featured prominently in Far Cry 2's publicity due to focus on the game's dynamic fire effects. While promotional images show it almost correctly as tube resembling a rifle without a magazine hooked up to a backpack containing three fuel tanks, the in-game model appears to be a jury-rigged version built to operate with no backpack. It instead has a single fuel tank and what appears to be a pressure tank near the muzzle, and a fuel gauge halfway along the weapon. The misfire animation is a pressure leak at the base of the fuel gauge, requiring the nut there to be tightened to remedy it. The failure animation shows the pressure and fuel tanks breaking away from the frame, after which the weapon is discarded.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingLPO-50 flamethrower with backpack and tube, the real configuration of this weapon.Error creating thumbnail: File missingIt was like this when I found it, officer, I swear.Error creating thumbnail: File missingIdle animation of the LPO-50: the player character polishes the fuel gauge, then examines the weapon. Note the selector switch on the side; this is supposed to be for selecting which of the flamethrower's three fuel tanks is being used. Apparently the thin silver-coloured band is the only thing holding the fuel tank on.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe LPO-50 "jams;" this is apparently due to the nut at the base of the fuel gauge spontaneously unscrewing itself. The Quad in front is one of the two Fortunes Pack vehicles; these replace some of the buggies in the game, while the Unimog replaces some of the light trucks.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe LPO-50 blows up; the pressure tank is blasted off the weapon, the fuel tank briefly dangles off nothing in particular, and Frank is doused in highly flammable fuel which has no real effect on anything.Error creating thumbnail: File missingCropped version of a promotional image for Far Cry 2, showing an almost correctly-configured LPO-50 complete with backpack. This version appears to have a rifle-style rear grip and chainsaw-style overhead foregrip just to confuse things, however.
Thrown Weapons
Both of these weapons are available to the player immediately, and are both carried at the same time with a button used to switch between them.
M67 hand grenade
The only thrown explosive weapon, these are used by enemies and the player character and are US-made M67 hand grenades. The throw animation omits a rather important stage of throwing a hand grenade.
M69, the inert training version of the M67 hand grenade.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSo the Far Cry 2 team spent weeks in Africa researching, almost got eaten by lions, came back, and forgot to check if you're supposed to pull the pin out before throwing the grenade?Error creating thumbnail: File missingCloseup of the M67; while it has factory markings like a real grenade, it clearly has a weld seam, showing it was based on a pot-metal M69 training grenade.
Molotov cocktail
An improvised incendiary made from a bottle filled with flammable liquid with a lit rag inserted into it, these are used only by the player character, and are pretty much exclusively for starting fires; the radius of effect of a molotov simply hitting solid ground is tiny.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingFun fact: in the previous frame of the throw animation Frank's hand is still empty and the bottle isn't on-screen. The only rational conclusion is someone stands behind him throwing these.
Mounted Weapons
M249 SAW
The SAW behaves rather differently when mounted; it has no muzzle climb and cannot fail or jam. As with all the game's crew-served weapons, long bursts will cause the weapon to overheat, though only when it is mounted. The emplaced version is secured by the bipod attachment point but is always horizontal, which makes it appear that the rear of the gun is levitating.
The Browning M2 is seen both as an emplaced weapon and mounted on vehicles. It has a significantly lower rate of fire than its real life counterpart. As with the mounted SAW and Mk. 19, during protracted firing smoke will escape from the M2; the longer it is fired without pausing, the darker the smoke that comes out of the weapon will be. If it is allowed to overheat, flames will briefly be visible, followed by a cooldown period. The M2 overheats much more readily than the SAW, but still not as rapidly as the Mk. 19.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingBrowning M2, .50 BMG.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank encounters a mounted M2, and wonders what use that tiny tripod is supposed to be.Error creating thumbnail: File missingM2HB mounted on a Unimog vehicle. The Unimog is exclusive to the Fortunes Pack addon, though the only real difference between it and the regular trucks is that Unimogs will spawn armed with M2s even in the Northern map where vehicles would normally only spawn with M249s.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank fires the M2HB. The rate of fire isn't particularly respectable even for a semi-auto, never mind a machine gun, but M2 is both long-ranged and extremely damaging.Error creating thumbnail: File missingIron sight of the M2HB. Note that the vehicle did not explode as a result of direct damage; an M2 can damage a vehicle to the point black smoke is coming from the engine, but after that it catches fire and explodes on its own. Seemingly, this process cannot be hurried by dealing additional damage with anything barring explosives.
Mk. 19
The Mk 19 grenade launcher is the most powerful of the three mounted weapons, though it overheats quickly, and is only encountered in the Southern map, where it can be found mounted near enemy strongholds and on boats and trucks. The grenades are devastating, easily able to kill the player character; this can result in some frustrating deaths if the player is taken by surprise.
These three weapons are exclusive to the "Fortunes Pack" DLC that was released shortly after the game. If this is purchased, a large crate is placed in the centre of the arms dealer's warehouse containing the three weapons. They do not have to be bought.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Fortunes Pack crate, containing the three extra weapons and demonstrating that Russian is just English with funny looking letters.
Sawed-Off Double Barreled Shotgun
An old-fashioned rabbit-ear 12 Gauge Double Barreled Shotgun with decorative engraving, this is used in the pistol slot. It fires both barrels with a single trigger pull, and is effective at close quarters but not anywhere else; like the SMGs, it's a good choice if the rest of a player's weapon setup is long-ranged or explosive. The failure animation is essentially lifted from the M79; in the jam animation, the shells somehow end up shoved right inside the barrels, leaving the player character struggling to free them.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingAny visit to Mike's Bar must include the wanton destruction of his Barrel.Error creating thumbnail: File missingIron sight of the sawed-off shotgun; unlike the pistols, the hammers of this weapon are shown cocked.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank reloads his sawed-off shotgun. Given all the engraving on this thing, rather than sawing it off he could probably have sold it on eBay and bought a pump-action or five instead.Error creating thumbnail: File missingIn fact, given corrosion like this is the result of hours of use in Far Cry 2, an actual antique gun would probably buy Frank his own armoured division.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe sawn-off shotgun jams: Frank realises he shouldn't have listened to the salesman who convinced him to buy rimless ammunition.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe sawed-off shotgun blows up. Just like the M79 did, in fact.
Suppressed Shotgun
Most closely resembling a Mossberg 500, this is referred to in promotional materials as the "Silenced Shotgun." It is the fourth shotgun in the primary weapon slot, and a second suppressed weapon for that slot. It is equipped with a pistol grip, (empty) spare shell holder on the right hand side, and a suppressor with the weapon's sight on top of it. Like the Ithaca, it is pump-action and has a six-round tube magazine; it also recycles the Ithaca's jam animation, including pumping the forend an extra time at the start of the jam animation just so it can actually happen. This weapon may be a homage to the suppressed shotgun used in the movie No Country for Old Men.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingMossberg 500, 12 gauge.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSuppressed shotgun from the Fortunes Pack. Note the charging handle position and general ejection port layout seems to come from either the SPAS-12 or a Remington, with possible candidates including the 11-87 and 1100. Or the Ithaca 37, given Far Cry 2's approach to shotguns.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe suppressed shotgun in a cease-fire zone, showing the side of the weapon.Error creating thumbnail: File missingIdle animation; Frank attempts to frighten his weapon into revealing what kind of shotgun it actually is by threatening to drop it on a nearby railway track. This meets with little success as shotguns can't talk.Error creating thumbnail: File missingLoading a suppressed shotgun with buckshot isn't what you'd normally call a great plan.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFrank reloads the suppressed shotgun. How six cartridges fit in that tiny tube is unclear.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe suppressed shotgun jams; it's likely the ejection port of the Ithaca and suppressed shotgun is to allow the same jam animation as the SPAS to also be used for both the pump shotguns.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFailure animation: how is this even supposed to be possible?
Crossbow
A compound crossbow with wood furniture is the special weapon for the Fortunes Pack. The Crossbow is equipped with the same scope as the grenade launcher and AR-16, this time with a crosshair reticle, and uses exploding arrows; as with the RPG-7's rockets, these can deflect off surfaces, though attaching the label "realistic" to this behaviour might be a little dishonest.
Another magazine which appears to be in Japanese shows a number of illustrations of M16-series rifles, specifically captioning one as an M16A3. Some posters and crates also depict M16-series weapons, though without identifying them.
In the Southern map, the wreckage of a crashed Hind-D gunship can be found in the area "Crash Site" and is part of one optional mission; only the nose, one wing and the tail remain, and while the barrels are missing, the mounting of the Hind's Yakushev-Borzov 12.7mm gatling gun is still present and intact.
Like many games, Far Cry 2 defaults to a fake widescreen mode which cuts the top and bottom off a 4:3 aspect ratio image rather than actually increasing the field of view horizontally. This has been fixed in the PC version, which has a selectable "widescreen" option; this is because players with multiple monitors were dealing with an image so vertically compressed they couldn't see anything. However, in the console versions it has never been fixed. All screenshots in this article were taken in "fake" widescreen mode as it is the most common, but a demonstration of the difference is below.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingLow-quality PS3 screen capture with some colour shifting; this is in 4:3 mode.Error creating thumbnail: File missing"Fake" widescreen image; note that the same length of the rifle is visible, but the player character's thumbnail and most of the bolt handle is gone. This is the default mode in the PC version and the only widescreen mode in the console versions.Error creating thumbnail: File missingReal widescreen image; the lower part of the rifle is visible as in the 4:3 aspect ratio image, but now so is the entire barrel and more of the stock.
