I just got Far Cry 2...

And it is amazing. I will report back with more detailed impressions later, but the second real mission in the game served up what was to me the most gratifying single mission in any video game ever. Call me crazy, but I will state my opinion: The "Recon Phase" is what makes this game what it is. Imagine yourself playing Call of Duty 4 single player. It certainly is exhilarating, but there is very little opportunity for different approaches. Now, imagine yourself playing a game that allows you to scout the area. You notice that you are low on ammo, so you scout out an ammo pile and find only one. Unfortunately, there are five guards standing right by it. You suddenly remember that, with a single shot, you can send bullets flying everywhere. You can take this route, but then there will be no more ammo to take. Maybe, you think, you can take out the guards with the ammo pile, then start a fire, blocking the enemies from pursuing you, so that you can rescue the hostage! No, you think, you would have to confront the gun-toting guards when you leave, or maybe the fire would block your escape route. So you take the most plausible idea and run with it: Sneak past all the guards, release the hostage, and sneak back out. That last one is the route I took, and it worked flawlessly, with the exception of the grenade I accidentally threw. No one managed to see me, anyway, so all was well. Now, imagine if I had taken one of the other routes. Would I have survived? Quite likely, yes, but I took the route most suited to me. That is what Far Cry 2 is all about; it's always your choice.