Buddy Missions are side-missions in Far Cry 2. This is a mission given to you from one of your buddies in mikes bar. This video was recorded from the ps3 version of the game.
- Far Cry 2 Buddy Missions Full
- Marty Alencar
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Mission III - The pipeline. In this mission you have to damage the pipeline. But before you will do that, you will have to steal the TNT, which can be found in diamond mine. Payment: 30 diamonds. In this part of the mission, you should use the sniper rifle. The mine is surrounded by dense forest. Dec 16, 2014 Far Cry 2 General Discussions Topic Details. ArthasDaPlayA Dec 16, 2014 @ 9:15am. The easiest way is to do all the main buddy missions from the bar/marina.
Modified: 26/8/2010 18:01:37 |
This page provides descriptions and a walkthrough for the Buddy missions in
Far Cry 2.
Table of content |
Leboa-Sako |
Flora Guillen |
Josip Idromeno |
Marty Alencar |
Michele Dachss |
Paul Ferenc |
Quarbani Singh |
Warren Clyde |
Bowa Seko |
Andre Hyppolite |
Frank Bilders |
Hakim Echebbi |
Nasreen Davar |
Xianyong Bai |
The buddies you meet throughout the game will occasionally request your help dealing with some personal business. These jobs can take different forms, but reward you by increasing your reputation and reinforcing your history with the buddies.
Buddy missions are a bit different from the other types of missions - primary and optional - in the game. Once you have completed a buddy mission you won't be able to pick up a new buddy mission until you've completed another type of mission. So, if you do a buddy mission, you'll have to eg. complete a convoy mission (or a primary mission) before another buddy will offer a mission. Each buddy will only offer a total of two missions, and the reward for each mission is an increase in reputation and history with the buddy.
| Deal with the guys at the ranch any way you see fit | I just learned of a large weapons supply. A man I know, he told me he has been hiding them at his ranch house. The APR has seized his home, you see. He is afraid they will find his guns and then things will get very bad around here. The weapons are hidden in his house. I am looking for someone willing to go there and destroy the cache. - Maybe you?The cache is located at Cattle Xing in the north-western region. There is a Bus Stop in that region, so the fastest way there is to quick-travel. If you approach the ranch from the north, you'll have a good view of the entire area. I did the mission at night, and there were only a handful of enemies present; not sure if it changes at daytime. Take care of them and locate the ammo pile inside the main building; throw a grenade at it and get out. Once the objective has been updated, return to the Bus Stop and head back to Flora. |
#2 - A Hot Dish | Reward: | Buddy history and reputation increase |
Bring some IEDs for a field trip of fun! | There is a convoy of trucks passing through today. Carrying new furniture for Mbantuwe's mansion. - Can you believe that? His people starve in the street, and he buys gold-plated dishes. It's obscene. I would destroy the convoy myself if I could. But I have to meet a contact here in an hour. Will you do the job for me?The convoy is driving around in the south-eastern region. There is a Bus Stop nearby so hitch a ride if you wish to save some time. The convoy is actually just a Big Truck and two fully manned assault trucks. You can attack them head on, or watch their driving pattern and setup a trap; they drive north on the border of the desert, then west, turn south just before the small lake to the north, and then back onto the roads heading south, and then back into the desert. They drive through the small 'valley' north of the Oasis, so that's a good spot for an ambush. Either way, it should be fairly trivial to deal with them and you only have to destroy the truck to complete the mission. Return to Flora when the convoy has been appropriately dealt with. |
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Josip Idromeno | Back to top |
| Destroy this propane tank | Guys at fuel depot just got BIG propane shipment. They are going to use it to stage big car attack next to border. I need somebody to destroy this tank at depot before attack can begin - You want job? Good because there are lots of children on other side of border. - These guys don't care, I know. - But I do.Finally a mission that's beyond selfish... The mission takes place at PetroSahel in the north-western region. There is a Bus Stop in that region, so take a ride to get their quickly. PetroSahel is, like many other areas, occupied by hostile militia. There is a sniper positioned on one of the large fuel tanks to the east. The fuel tank you're looking for is located right next to the large building. You can use a grenade to blow it up - or just shoot it a couple of times and it'll blow up eventually. Once done, head back to Josip to wrap up the mission. |
#2 - The Car Salesman | Reward: | Buddy history and reputation increase |
This salesman is not exactly living the high life | There's this guy. He sells me car. In other country next door. Long time ago. Car is piece of SHIT. Never goes anywhere. - So HE is piece of shit. Guess what? - Little weasel is here. Running away from OTHER angry guy. Hiding in shanty. How bout you kill this guy for me? That's right! Nobody screws over Josip Idromeno. I am dangerous customer.Right, so Josip is taking things into his own hands - sort of, seeing as it's you who's got to deal with the salesman. He's located at Mokuba shantytown in the south-eastern region. You'll find the guy in an isolated shack on the western side of Mokuba, so if you approach the area from the west you can make for a quick hit'n'run. He's armed with a pistol. Finish him off and return to Josip with the good news. |
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| Destroying the ammo and truck makes for some nice fireworks! | There's this Commander Alessi guy. He asked me to deliver this ammo for him. No problem, I said. I did my part. And now he says he won't pay. That kind of makes me mad. The way I see it, he doesn't deserve that ammo. They've got it on his flatbed truck. The truck's on the quayside, down the hill from the villa. You think you could go over there and pop that truck for me?This mission will take you to 'Private Property' in the eastern region of Leboa-Sako. Your target is the truck and the ammunition which are located on the eastern side of the area, near the water. If you travel there by boat, I almost think you can hit both with a rocket-launcher from the water. The area has a number of enemies around, but if you do approach with stealth, or you enter the area from the north (the river) you can avoid most of them. Of course, there's also the more direct approach which shouldn't be too big a problem unless you charge in blind. The ammo itself consists of about 5 or 6 ammo piles, so be sure to stock up before you destroy it. To destroy the truck and the ammunition simply chuck a grenade at each, or use another appropriate weapon. |
#2 - The Nasty Rash | Reward: | Buddy history and reputation increase |
Throw a grenade through the door to destroy the supplies | I'm looking for somebody to go to a clinic and destroy some medical supplies. You up for it? This medic there sold me this ointment. Told me it'd help with this rash I've got. - You know what? It didn't do jack. What a piece of work this guy is! He keeps his stuff in this box, right next to his desk. - Whaddya say. Badass! - Now I just gotta deal with this disgusting rash. Watch out for the girls here, man. They're not clean.What a predicament for Marty. He's got a rash but the treatment he bought didn't really work, and now he wants you to destroy the entire supply belonging to this 'medic'. I am not sure what he'd expect from a so-called 'medic' that lives at a junkyard. Anyways, your target is at Scrap Salvage in the western region. The supplies are located inside a small shack at the southern side of the area. I suggest that you move in from the west and follow the forest around to the south and east. Crouch and move slowly towards the shack; inside, you can find the supplies along with a guard. To avoid any confrontation simply chuck a grenade through the door and make your escape. Return to Marty to wrap up the mission. |
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Michele Dachss | Back to top |
| You'll find the box inside this train car | I've lost a box. It holds all my files. - My evidence against the factions. - I have to find it. I was on a train. Rebels attacked us. That's when the box disappeared. The train is at the railyard. - Please, could you go there and try to find this box for me?The box is located at the North Railyard in the north-western region of Leboa-Sako. If you've been here before, you'll know that the area is swarming with enemies, including a sniper positioned on the roof of the large building. As always, thinning out the numbers before getting too close is a good strategy as always. If you approach the Railyard from the east, through the passage in the hills, you can get an excellent vantage point with a view over the entire area. The box - which actually looks more like a briefcase - you're looking for is located in one of the train cars on the eastern side of the Railyard. |
#2 - Hazelnuts | Reward: | Buddy history and reputation increase |
Sometimes excessive force can be a hoot | I hate them. There are two dealers I know. They are about to bring in a terrible new product. You know the name? It is so silly. Hazelnuts. APR would love to make some money selling this drug. I will not let them. One dealer is at a small house on the southern river. Another is at the airstrip. I want them both dead. Can you do this thing for me? It is not a drug for adult, you know. It is designed exclusively for children. What kind of animals would create such a thing.As Michele will let you know, you've got two drug-dealers to eliminate. They're both found in the southern region - one at a checkpoint to the north-east and the other at the Airfield to the south. The first one is probably going to give you the most trouble, if you can call it that. There's a few militia around the checkpoint; the target here is only armed with a pistol so focus on the militia first. After you've dealt with them, the target should be a walk in the park. Onto the Airfield for the next target - he's actually alone there, so he's even easier to deal with. He's also got a pistol... but honestly, don't tell me you think that'll give you problems! Finish him off, return to Michele and you'll complete the mission. |
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| If you prefer distance, the walls at the Fort can make it difficult to get clean shots | There's this guy. Commander Davenport. Dude's been running this supply chain. I've been helping out. Problem is, the guy tried to run his crew out of the old Fort. They got nailed, of course. Point is, his documents are still at the fort. Main building. If you can get 'em and bring 'em back, I can finish what the dumbass started.Head to the Fort at the northern region in Leboa-Sako; there's a Bus Stop in that region so that's a quick way to get there. As you've probably come to learn by now is that these areas are infested with enemies. Your initial concern will be two snipers stationed at the towers to the north; if you didn't bring a sniper rifle, you can either just try and head directly for the fort - perhaps moving from cover to cover - or you can try to take them down with whatever weapons you brought. If you did bring a sniper rifle, take them out from a distance and move closer. Once at the Fort proper, your next task will be to engage the enemies there. It shouldn't be too difficult, although the high walls can make it tricky to get clean shots. Once you've dealt with them, move to up the stairs to the large tower at the center - you'll find the documents just inside the door. Grab them and head back to Paul to complete the mission. |
#2 - Agent Yellow | Reward: | Buddy history and reputation increase |
You can find the formula on a table in this building | APR's been using this nasty old-school defoliant. - Called Agent Yellow. It's good. It works. - I know some guys would pay big bucks for this poison. The formula's somewhere at the Chemical Dump. - Feel like taking a look around to see if you can find it?Your destination for this mission is at Claes Products in the southern region. The fastest way there from Mike's is probably by river. As usual a number of enemies stand between you and the formula you're after; they're only a handful so they shouldn't pose too many problems. The open area makes sniping a good approach. The formula is sitting on a desk inside the small building. Pick it up and return to Paul. |
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Quarbani Singh | Back to top |
| While stealth is an option, it may not be the easiest approach | The factions are experimenting with a new type of ammunition. They have a new prototype. It seems promising. - I want it. It's being stored at the local constable's garage. - Do you think you could get it and bring it to me? I prefer the factions not get an advantage.The prototype ammunition is located at the Police Station in the western region. It's inside the building furthest to the west. Retrieving it should be fairly trivial; your main obstacle is going to be the eight or so enemies there, including a sniper and one carrying a RPG-7 Rocket Launcher. The sniper is positioned on an observation post so unless you take him out first, you're likely to get spotted early on. This means that while stealth is an option, it may not be the easiest approach. |
#2 - A Key Out of Luck | Reward: | Buddy history and reputation increase |
Simplicity is always ruined by complexity | I have a key. - But no lock to open. The key fits a lockbox. It is hidden out at a wadi in the desert -- about 1 kilometer southeast of Mokuba. It's beneath a tree. The problem is, I do not know which one. - Would you be willing to find this box for me? Forgive this sentimental old man. I have some personal items in there. That's all.From the sound of it, this is going to be the easiest mission ever. The lockbox is located at the Oasis in the south-eastern region. Take the bus or just drive there yourself. You'll soon learn that if something sounds way too simple, it probably isn't. As you would've guessed, the Oasis is occupied by militia who're not going to welcome you with open arms - at least not that kind of arms. The lockbox (which actually resembles a suitcase) is lying on the ground in a small passge in the rocks. Finish off the guys here, pick up the box, and return to Quarbani. |
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| You can take out the fuel piles from afar | I am PISSED. Guess what I just found out. - You know how most of the guys like us buy their gas at the fishing village? Turns out those gas-station assholes are taking the money they make, and giving it to the factions. Who then try to screw US. This fuel station has got to go. - You want the job?This mission will take you to Shwasana. There, on a small island, you can find two fuel piles - these are the ones you must destroy. If you bring a sniper rifle (or perhaps a rocket launcher) you can accomplish the goal easily by simply shooting the fuel piles from a distance, which means that you don't really have to get in harms way during this mission. If you're using a rifle, be sure to aim for the fuel canisters. Once destroyed, return to Warren to complete the mission. |
#2 - High As A Kite | Reward: | Buddy history and reputation increase |
Use the greenhouses as protection if necessary | You ever heard of khat? - It's this leaf. Like tobacco but better. It's coffee and pot put together. Dudes in the desert live on it. - It's awesome. They're growing it. Out in the greenhouses. I was thinking: we should get some of that shiznit. They've got a whole sack of it, sitting right out in the open between two greenhouses. - You wanna try and get it?I really like the description of this mission in your journal: 'Warren thinks it would be hilarious for me to steal it.' Right, hilarious? I'm not so sure unless I get some of that khat up front. Ok, jokes aside... your target is at the OGC in the eastern region. The area is pretty much swarming with enemies - as described in a different mission, charging in can get you in a heap of trouble; the vegetation and buildings there make it hard to spot enemies, and you can easily get surrounded. Your best bet is probably to take out as many as possible from one of the gates, which will prevent your enemies from flanking you too much. If you do get caught up in the middle, you can always use the greenhouses for some cover; the glass is not bulletproof though, so be aware of enemies around you. Once you've dealt with the majority of the enemies, go pick up the bag which is sitting on a table between the two greenhouses. Make your way back to Warren - high as a kite of course - to finish the mission. |
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#1 - The Dangers Of Accounting | Reward: | Buddy history and reputation increase |
The suitcase is in this building | I need to get a briefcase out of the pump house. It's holding some accounting data. - Boring as hell. But important. I have a feeling I'm being cheated. - But I'll never know for sure until I see that briefcase.Accounting data? Man, this mission is going to be fun! So, Andre wants you to retrieve some financial documents regarding some sort of deal. You don't really get any details but as he insists, it's important. Head over to M-S Pipeline Company in the southern region; the fastest way there is probably by boat - however, please notice that there is an enemy carrying a mortar on the small island just north of the Pipeline area. You can find the briefcase inside the warehouse on the eastern side. The area is teaming with enemies, and if you're unlucky you'll also catch the attention of the enemy with the mortar. However, since the building is right by the pier, where you can find a Swamp Boat you can make a quick grab'n'run if you wish. Once you've got the documents, head back to Andre at the bar. |
#2 - The Bloody Trophy | Reward: | Buddy history and reputation increase |
Once the enemy with the rocket launcher is dead, feel free to have some fun | Tambossa had a brother. - And somebody just killed the man. The guy who did it took a trophy, to prove he did it. - Mbantuwe wants the trophy. There are some sick people in this world. If we can deliver this trophy, we'll have an ally. - This 'trophy' is in a box in Weelegol. - You feel like running an errand?As Andre tells you, the trophy is located at Weelegol Village in the south-western region. There's a Bus Stop south-east of it, so feel free to quick-travel if you'd like to save some time. I recommend you bring a sniper rifle and perhaps a rocket launcher. The area has alot of enemies in it, and the dense collection of buildings makes stealth an unwise approach; there's also an enemy wielding a rocket launcher to the west who can, if he spots you, make life pretty miserable for you. Take him out first, if possible - a sniper rifle comes in handy here. Since you're likely to wake up the entire village by doing so, you can take out many enemies with some rockets and/or grenades. Once things have quieted down, move in and retrieve the trophy - it's located inside a hut on the northern side of the village; the hut also has a diamond briefcase in it. I'm not sure what the trophy actually is, but it's being kept in a bloody cardboard box that does spark the imagination quite a bit. Pick it up and make your way back to Andre. |
| Use the gate as a choke point | There's a right bastard out there who's trying to sully my good name. - The fucking nerve! He's trying to spread this slander on the bloody radio. This won't do! Desperate times call for desperate measures. Any chance you'd wreck the radio station for me?I'm not sure what Frank has done to upset this guy, but I guess he didn't invite him to the movies. Anyway, the makeshift radio station is at the Dental Clinic in the western region. As usual, the area is infested with enemies and there's also a sniper in an observation post on the eastern side. The equipment you need to destroy is located in a hut near the eastern gate, close to the observation post. This makes another quick hit'n'run possible - however you may wish to deal with some of the enemies first. I recommend you approach from the west (coming from Mosate Selao) - just make sure you take out the sniper first. You can use the gate at the Clinic as a choking point, dealing with enemies as they pop out. Once you've cleared out the area, locate the equipment and throw a couple of grenades at it to destroy it; once done, head back to the bar and inform Frank about the outcome. |
#2 - Not Your Business | Reward: | Buddy history and reputation increase |
Destroy the barrels to make Frank happy | One of me former mates has gone 'n fucked me over real nice, like. - I intend to return the favor. We were moving gear through the polytech. But me mate's decided to go straight to town and max out the profits. - What a fucker! He's got his stuff stashed in one of the polytech buildings. - Any chance you'd go over there and send a message, like? A few of his fellas might be there. Be ready to push the message down their throat if you must.Frank is not too happy about his former associate who is now doing business on his own. He wants you to destroy his supplies, effectively shutting down his operation. As hinted your target is at Polytechnic in the eastern region. The area is populated by alot of enemies - about a dozen. They're not something you haven't dealt with before. There is a heavy machinegun mounted in the front of the building, so be sure to cover this particular area - the heavy machinegun can cut through you (and enemies) with just a few shots. The supplies are in the back of the area, towards the west. Throw a grenade at the barrels to destroy them. Once you're done here, return to Frank. |
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Far Cry 2 Buddy Missions Full
I've been mugged. That's all you need to know about that. The man who did it is a guard on the pipeline tower. - I'd like you to kill him for me. Ok, so Hakim's not the talkative type, at least you're not exactly getting a whole lot of information about what's happened. But I guess you'll just have to trust Hakim and help him out. Your target is located at M-S Pipeline in the southern region. A sniper rifle and a close-combat shotgun or submachinegun should serve you well here. The area proposes the usual enemies, including two snipers - one at an observation post to the west, and one across the river to the north-west. It should be trivial dealing with them, but if you find yourself attracting too much heat there is plenty of cover around, and you can use some of the buildings at choke points. The guy you're after is located at the observation post to the west, however once you're spotted he's likely to start moving around. Deal with him and return to Hakim. |
#2 - A Dangerous Dossier | Reward: | Buddy history and reputation increase |
And it burns, burns, burns... | Good news. We have an opportunity to move things forward with Mbantuwe. At the APR headquarters. - In the sleeping quarters. - There is a dossier. It contains some - incriminating information that Mbantuwe could surely use. Do you think you could retrieve the documents?Haim is referring to the APR headquarters in Sefapane in the north-western region. There is a Bus Stop in that region, so use that to save a bit of time. The headquarters is located at the north-western part of the town. Although the building is outside the red (private) area of the APR, you'll still get a message indicating that you need to escape the cease-fire zone. Ignore that for now and head up the stairs - the dossier is sitting on a bed inside one of the rooms. Once you pick up the dossier you should hear enemies start to react. I would recommend that you move up onto the roof and take out the enemies from there. I guess you can also try to simply escape without too much of a fire-fight, but honestly - where's the fun in that? If you brought a rocket or grenade launcher you should be able to quickly deal with the majority of the enemies present. Return with the dossier to Hakim at the bar. |
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| This guy's not a threat - everyone else around him is! | There's an APR official looking around Dogon Village. I need him to stop. - There are things there that I don't want him to find. He's walking around the village with just a few men around him. - I'm hoping you will go there and take care of him for me.I guess one way to make an APR official stop snooping around is to eliminate him. And while you'd think that would be risky for Nasreen, she's got you to do the dirty work. As she says, the official can be found at Dogon Village. This mission should be trivial, especially if you've already been to Dogon Village before. The place is infested with enemies, including one with a Type 63 Mortar. . |
#2 - A Farewell To Arms | Reward: | Buddy history and reputation increase | There's a guy coming to the airport today. An arms dealer. - Here to make money, of course. He's a vulture. They all are. They have no right. He's not the one fighting here! - We are. - We should make the profits. He'll be at the front of the airport, waiting for his ride. Do me a favor, OK? Drive by and blow his head off. I can't believe these selfish guys! You know? - USE a gun and THEN maybe I'll respect you!So, Nasreen wants you to kill an arms dealer. Now why does that sound familiar? Anways, as she tells you, the man you're after is located at the airport which can be found in the eastern region. I recommend bringing a sniper rifle (and/or going in by stealth) as the Airfield has two enemies there equipped with rocket launchers and there are also two snipers - who can all be quite a nuisance if you're spotted. In any case, head towards the Airfield - I personally went there by boat as you can find one just outside the bar and the Airfield is close to the water. Although the objective marker may indicate that your target standing right next to the car, you may actually find him inside one of the hangars. Unlike your targets in many other missions, this guy is not a total push-over seeing as he's armed with a Homeland 37 and an Eagle.50; still, with the types of weapons you usually face, he shouldn't pose a problem. |
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| Be prepared to deal with a hornets nest | There is guy here with whole bunch of passports. Like hundreds. Good money in passports. - Everybody wants to get the hell out of here! This guy real jackass. Doesn't deserve to make big money. I need a guy to go to tourist resort, find this suitcase and destroy it! - You my guy?The suitcase is located on the eastern side of the Ranger Station at the western region. If you go there by boat you can land on the eastern shore, close to the briefcase, without attracting too much attention of the numerous enemies found here. The suitcase is sitting on a table inside a hut; to get to it you'll have to navigate some of the walkways, which sadly also means that you're likely to end up in a firefight. If you stick around too long, you'll get the entire area on your back which can be quite a hornets nest. The suitcase is quite sturdy - I at least had to use a couple of grenades to destroy it. Once it's taken care of, return to Xianyong. |
#2 - Fried Bacon | Reward: | Buddy history and reputation increase |
The suitcase is in this building... I mean pick up this glowing pot | Vorhees, big fat pig! - Always giving me hard time! - I want him off my back. I have some artifacts, you know? To sell? And Vorhees wants them too. Wants to get me in trouble. - No way! I hide stuff at border crossing - Sepoko. Please, you go get it for me?This sounds like a simple fetch mission, indeed. As Xianyong indicates you'll be heading to Sepoko in the north-eastern region. There's a Bus Stop in that region, so take a ride to save some time. The item you're after is actually located just north of Sepoko - right where the desert begins. There are only a couple of enemies around which should make it a breeze to acquire. The item you're after appears to be a clay pot, located between some sand dunes. Sepoko has a sniper near it and he's likely to start shooting if you're spotted; if you make too much of a ruckus, you're also likely to attract the attention of all the enemies at Sepoko. Still, it shouldn't be too difficult to eliminate the enemies near the pot, grab it, and get out before things heat up too much. Once you have the item, make your way back to Xianyong. |
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I Can’t Quit You, Paul Ferenc (Farcry 2)
Posted by Nick Dinicola on January 2, 2009
I’ve been playing a lot of Far Cry 2 lately. In it, I play the role of a mercenary in Africa, hunting down an arms dealer known as The Jackal amongst the backdrop of a civil war. Along the way I meet other mercenaries who become my buddies. These buddies can give me missions, and offer different ways of completing other missions given to me. However, the most important role is that of my best buddy. My best buddy is a literal life-saver. If at any point in the game I get hurt enough to die, my best buddy comes to my rescue, reviving me and joining in the fight. But by doing so he risks his own life. This buddy system leads to some dramatic moments in Far Cry 2, the most memorable for me being the death of my best buddy Paul Ferenc. But why was this a dramatic moment for me? There’s little, if any, character development for any of my buddies, and they’re pretty much interchangeable since they all do the same thing. So what then did Far Cry 2 do to make me care about Paul Ferenc?
I trusted Paul. In the same way a bond is formed between the player and Elika in Prince of Persia, a bond was formed between me and Paul because I knew that he would save me if I died (However, unlike Elika, he wouldn’t save me every time; after a rescue I’d have to wait until he was “rescue-ready” again, but this waiting period actually works for Far Cry 2, more on this later). It’s important that I never had any control over Paul because this kind of trust wouldn’t be formed otherwise. For example, I don’t trust my teammates in Rainbow Six this way because I, the player, control their actions; any rescue by them happens because I tell them to do it. By relying on Paul who is outside my control in the game, a little bit of trust was formed every time he came through for me. With each successive rescue, I came to trust that he would do it again.
I saw Paul as a real character and not just a gamey gimmick. While there was a lack of direct character development, Far Cry 2 did a lot to humanize Paul. The waiting period between rescues helped make Paul feel like a real person within the game. In Prince of Persia it makes sense that Elika would save me every time because she followed me everywhere, in Far Cry 2 Paul (and my other buddies as well) didn’t follow me at all. He couldn’t be everywhere at once, he couldn’t save me every time I died, and he felt more real as a result. This didn’t actually hurt the development of trust because Paul would save me every time I met him at a safe house and he’d tell me “I can lend you a hand if you need me to.” So I still trusted him to rescue me when he said he would, but the fact that he wouldn’t always be there for me made him more human.
His death was random and permanent and beyond my control. When a buddy was hurt, he or she would fall to the ground and release a pillar of blue smoke so I could find them. Usually I could heal Paul when he went down by stabbing him with a syrette, sometime it would take one, sometimes two. When he died, he fell to the ground during a firefight like he had many times before. I took care of the remaining enemies and ran over to heal him. After one syrette he asked for another, after the second he asked for another, after the third he gritted his teeth, I held his head, and he died. The animations themselves, him gritting his teeth, coughing and gasping for breath, are quite disturbing, made more so by the fact that this was a character I had come to really care about. But the most dramatic part of his death was how unimportant the game treated it. After he died I stood back up and the game continued as normal. I stood over him, confused. After all, I has done everything I was supposed to do, I healed him, three times, and he still died. I reloaded a saved game and replayed the mission; I managed to keep him alive that time, but each subsequent mission after that became a struggle to keep Paul alive, and I had to slowly come to terms with the fact that I couldn’t save him.
Marty Alencar
My buddies all save me, and after Paul died another buddy named Warren Clyde took his place. Eventually I came to trust him too as he saved me more and more, but like Paul he too was killed at random: Warren was standing right next to me after a large firefight, and I turned to see the final enemy running at us, he shot twice before I killed him, and those two final shots killed my second best buddy. Far Cry 2 does a great job of making players care about their buddies through game design alone. It uses the “buddy rescue” system to form a bond of trust, and then exploits that bond for dramatic effect when the buddy dies. I should just mention that a buddy’s death isn’t predetermined, Paul and Warren died when they did because of coincidence, not developer planning. It’s for these reasons that I love Far Cry 2, and I believe it’s a perfect example of how game design alone can create an emotional connection between player and character. Of course character development never hurts, but games differ from other forms of narrative media in that it isn’t the only way to make someone care about a character. Far Cry 2 proves this; here’s to you Paul Ferenc.