Far Cry 3

The third time truly is the charm for Ubisoft's tropical first-person shooter

Sun, sea and shooting are the order of the day in this superb first-person action game. Eschewing the genre's usual fondness for funnelling players down carefully-disguised corridors, Far Cry 3 gives you an open-world tropical island to explore as you try to rescue your chums from vicious pirates.

The gameplay itself is just as open as the setting. Sure, you can always opt for the traditional run 'n' gun approach. But why not practice your finely-honed stealth skills? Or take a break from it all and hunt the local wildlife instead?

Make no mistake about it: with it's cutting-edge graphics, sensational sonics and superb gameplay mechanics, Far Cry 3 is easily the best shooter of the past year by some margin.

Ubisoft, Xbox 360/PS3/PC, £50 Approx, On sale now
HCC VERDICT: 5/5

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