Far Cry Instincts

With its pristine beaches, lush jungles, and picturesque sunsets, playing the PC first-person shooter Far Cry was like vacationing at Club Med—if the bartenders opened fire every time you ordered a margarita. Now comes the Xbox build, Instincts, which is just as relaxing. Instead of battling family members like on most vacations, Instincts has you trapped on an island fighting off monsters and mercenaries. Escape is possible, thanks to the responsive, Halo-style controls, but it's sometimes too easy thanks to the dumb-as-Brendan-Fraser henchmen. To amp up the action, this edition adds Splinter Cell–like distraction techniques, the ability to track enemies, and the vision to spot bad guys in the brush. Unfortunately, none of the additions will distinguish this one for vets of the PC version, but tight controls, abundant targets, and beautiful scenery still deliver the most disturbing vacation package since Kathie Lee Gifford stalked Carnival cruise ships.