This mod aims at making the game a bit more diverse, a bit more realistic and ultimately more enjoyable. The intent was to make clearing checkpoints and guarded areas more tactical. Health regenerates slower, weapon damage has been increased, but no one shot pistol kills. Various weapon tweaks such as, realistic ammo and pistols no longer double as scope-less sniper rifles. Increased weapon slot capabilities means you have more choice on what guns to carry. The AI fights harder, sometimes even against themselves and can now use any weapon available. They will hurt you just as much as you can hurt them, and if they can, more so. Recommended to be played on 'Infamous' or 'Hardcore' difficulties. Its dog-eat-dog out there. Be a man.
This is a must play mod for anyone who enjoys Far Cry 2!
This mod makes the game hard, but reasonably hard. You often die from a couple shots, but the game gives you time to react so it's balanced.
There's a lot of small changes, such as increased (more realistic) sprinting endurance, weapons are unlocked from the start so you don't have to the repetitive weapon missions if you don't want to etc. Another big change that I like is that the weapons that you pick up from the ground, go into the "special" slot so you have more loadout variety. The stats on the weapons are rebalanced also, so that they aren't all equal like in Vanilla (e.g. you cannot use a pistol as a scope-less sniper rifle anymore etc).
All in all, when choosing from Dylan's mod and Realmode, I'd definitely choose this one. Dylan's is good too, but unfortunately it's just waaaaaaaaaay too easy. In it, the enemies literally don't stand a chance of killing you, unless you **** up big time. Here, on the other hand, balance is much more reasonable. You have to be very careful, but when you die, you never feel like the AI cheated. It is always your own mistakes that get you killed.
I've got to say, I always mod FPS games for a proper challenge and authenticity but after about an hour in the game Realmode does not deliver or feel realistic.
I do prefer this to Dylan's in one aspect, I get to experience the gritty hits. What I miss is the fact no enemy is ever wounded. More often than not people don't just die when they get hit, even by several rounds. The thing is they'll more likely be wounded and bleed out until hit in a lethal area. Since you can't defend yourself in a vehicle and you'll just die if you're driving and a truck with a mounted gun happens upon you, I'd make getting out of the vehicle a very quick thing to do. Also, I love how enemies don't have semi-omniscience of you when they don't see you, probably my favorite thing about this mod.
Here are my 2 main expectations,
1 Realistic weapons: LMGs are not common in armed combat for a reason. Not only are they difficult to carry on the go, but they also are very difficult to control. I've been in the military and I know people who've used these weapons regularly. Each shot is a slap in the chest. Yes it's quite powerful, and with the right ammo, it'll quickly make a mutilated mess, but it's not ergonomic at all. The same goes doubly for the IMI Desert Eagle as a sidearm. This weapon has such massive recoil that it'll smack you in the face like a brick and you need gorilla hands to grip it right with that large magazine. It'd be way better just to use a Glock 17 with 9x19mm AP rounds. It'll hold a good load of ammo and the kick isn't so bad, but of course, that's not in the game now and it'll never be. In reality, just take the Makarov PB and put a shots in the torso; one through the ribs and there's a sucking chest wound and they'll die. The LMGs are simply the best weapons in this mod that I've used. A huge problem for me is that most any sidearm or fully automatic weapon is just waaaay too inaccurate to be believable. Contrary to what many seem to think. Any assault rifle used in this game is almost completely accurate at the ranges you'll be fighting at. Even the Star 45. is very accurate at 20 yards. When I have the sights lined up over a target at 20 yards and miss, something's wrong. Also, I suppose something that really bugs me, I sorta have to use the sights of the weapon, cause I play on infamous, but you walk slow when aiming. Yes, I'd be less accurate moving fast and aiming, but I don't have to walk while aiming, in fact, this is the ideal way to go about it in combat. I'd make the time it takes to switch in and out of aiming very low, and allow my character to run around aiming at reduced accuracy. The main thing is, if you want to be real, the best rifles and pistols here would not be anything like an LMG or Desert Eagle. In reality, I'd the best weapons available are probably the MP5 SMG / AK, though at ranges used in the game, (the suppressor on the MP5 wouldn't help much if it's quiet) and the Star 45. or Makarov but really most weapons offered in this game are kinda crappy. The M16 isn't as suited to the environment, but were it able to go full auto and semi, it'd (as well as being the more modern version) it'd probably be the most functional and dynamic of all the weapons for the kinds of combat it the game. Against real opponents like this, (unlike these disorganized dummys that don't really use interiors for cover or even try to communicate long range to get backup, setup roadblocks or anything) you'd want a squad of like 10 people going in with intel and a plan or you'd likely just die, which I did, so I saved at nearly every corner. With that in mind, give me a break when it comes to escaping. I find it easier to just stay holed up or pinned down and simply pick them off around one structure. A guy can ruck, jogging around all day if he's well trained (malaria aside, though you wouldn't be doing any of this with malaria after a few weeks).
2 Realistic wounds: If I get shot, I'll die without proper medical attention. My character is still superhuman while at the same time just dead with a couple of nonlethal shots. I understand limitations won't allow for a proper dynamic here, but at least make it so that both my character continues to LOSE health when hit. I don't understand why syrettes were ever a thing; just make the character always on bleed mode when hit until he does some basic self aid, if you can. I suppose if it were me I'd make no health recovery, only just stopping the loss of health from a wound and then making syrettes restore health outside of combat. As for enemies, just make them get wounded at the very least when shot with most weapons so I can see them try to patch each other up in combat and lay down or hovel with a sidearm.
Vanilla FC2 is an enjoyable, albeit easy experience. Dylan's Realism Mod raises the stakes a bit. StoatOats' configuration goes beyond anything else out there in modifying various gameplay elements, featuring a lot of seemingly minor but clever changes (like moving the flare gun to the melee slot) that greatly increase enjoyability and immersion while maintaining that raw, survivalistic atmosphere that so many players love about FC2. This is the definitive mod experience for Far Cry 2.
OK, so seeing as this is a work in progress I can forgive the minor issues that I have encountered so far.
As for the stuff that works, it is amazing, no more enemies that are bullet sponges. They also use pretty much every weapon so fights are more varied. Attacking a guard post when the mercs are armed with shotguns/assault rifles is very different if one of them spawns with a mortar. Running into a post with random snipers keeps you on your toes as well, since snipers can kill in one hit now. Most other guns the enemies use tend to kill you much faster than the regular game as well. I tried the normal game and even on infamous it feels like cheating now.
This is the best gameplay mod of Far Cry 2! Forget other "realism" mod and get this one. I've tried them all and this mod goes beyond what other mods do. Using this mod on the hardest difficulty is pure punishment (in an enjoyable way). You will be afraid to even roam around the map with this mod on, lol.
This mod gives that ultimate "survival" atmosphere, mainly because your character will die instantly if your not careful here. This is hard but not annoying. Every edit to the gameplay is well balanced and realistic.
Great mod to add more without being ridiculous.
Definitely the best mod for Far Cry 2 there is, that's what the 10's for.
It makes the game much harder without being ridiculous like vanilla infamous difficulty while adding many new clever gameplay enchantements. I can't even imagine more that would be "engine-ly" possible.
I have not encountered any, ANY glitches. bugs or crashings.
If you enjoy hard, thrilling survival experience that will make you experience and do things you have never seen or done in Far Cry, this is for you.
Great mod indeed with many new innovations and changes! Excellent work! Just keep on doing such great updates!
A must-play for sure.
I recommend this to anyone who likes Far Cry 2 more difficult, challenging and especially interesting & suspenseful when it comes to shootouts.
Remember when you had the guts to drive straight in a guard post with your armed vehicle, and just shoot them all in 30 sec on the 'hard' difficulty? You won't have those guts anymore, when you have this mod.
Your enemies are just as strong as you - not that skilled, but strong.
You will have to think about how you're going to proceed through your passages and perhaps you will even set a proper loadout, before going on big missions.
Basically, the big world of Far Cry 2, the more or less big arsenal of weapons and all the enemies in this game, are brought to a different and a better level.
- This mod is not for casual players, who don't have the 'Far Cry' in them-
(This mod is not perfect. Worked fine for me anyway)