A paradise island, a tattoo creeping up your arm, and Vaas repeating his definition of insanity.

Here the tension flips. When the community votes on instinct, Far Cry 3 crushes it, ahead of 85% of games. But break it down criterion by criterion and it drops back toward the middle. Attachment, fun, rediscovery, art direction, sound: everything hovers around the middle of the pack, neither high nor low. Only one line really stands out, the feel of the controller, ahead of nearly 80% of titles. In other words, you love it on instinct for the sensations, but in the detail it dominates almost nothing.

That is typical of the big Ubisoft open worlds of the era. A generous playground, an unforgettable villain, solid handling. But once the immediate thrill of the gunfight fades, few criteria where it clearly breaks from the crowd.

So who is it for? For you if you love to get lost on a map, clear outposts and feel the gun answer your finger. Much less if you want a game that marks you for good through emotion or style.