It's Throwback Thursday so today we’re looking back at a game packed with tech that pushed things forward! And we dug deep into the archives to find a version of the launch trailer in HD that doesn’t exist ANYWHERE else on the internet. Give your eyes a treat.

Far Cry was released way back in March 2004 and wowed media and fans alike with its open world beauty, advanced AI, and killer gameplay. PolyBump™ mapping, advanced environment physics, destructible terrain, dynamic lighting, motion captured animation, and total surround sound were just some of the features that CryENGINE 1 used to immerse players in a beautiful and exhilarating tropical island setting.  

Gamer Informer reckoned “It is quite possibly the best one-player, action-intensive shooter ever,” PC Gamer hailed its “utterly sensational visuals and jaw-dropping gameplay,” and GameSpot acclaimed Far Cry as a “stunning technical accomplishment.” Not too shabby, eh? 

Hero Jack Carver’s search for a missing journalist required him to mix all-out action and stealth to take on highly intelligent and dangerously equipped mercenaries. Set on a South Pacific archipelago, the CryENGINE 1-powered Far Cry set standards for vegetation and lush open world environments as players explored beautiful beaches, fought through dense jungles, explored mines, and hunted through temples. 

Autonomous AI made their own decisions on how to react to the player and could team up and use whatever tools or environmental advantages they had at their disposal to respond to attacks. Advanced lighting and shadows, adaptive audio, weather, and day/night effects all added further to the experience.  All these years later, CRYENGINE is still enabling developers to create the most beautiful worlds with the very latest in game development technology. Check out the original Far Cry launch trailer in glorious HD below. 

What was your favorite Far Cry memory? Share it with us right here, on the forum, Facebook or Twitter!

-  Your CRYENGINE Team