Farcry 3 and it's "Dumb Story"

http://kotaku.com/5967703/a-simple-way-to-fix-far-cry-3s-dumb-story

Warning: There are spoilers, don't say I didn't damn warn you!

So I've played through Farcry 3. Possibly one of the best games I've played in a while, it separates itself from the rest of the Spunkgargleweewee's that I've been seeing almost everywhere. [1] It has a beautiful island setting, gameplay is actually really good and actually godamn works, and sneaking is well made. (we're talking about Ubisoft here, they made all the Splinter Cell and other mainly stealth based games.) 

Unfortuneately this isn't about the gameplay, its about the story and the flaws it possesses. Yes, even in a game as great as this, there are flaws. Theres also the fact that I think this guy is wrong at some points. The first point he makes is that it's tonally inconsistent, I agree up to an extent on this one. If you were trapped on an island trying to rescue your friends, you would expect some really wierd stuff to happen or be asked to do some out of the ordinary things just to find them and save them. Light a pirate's pot farm on fire? Sure! As long as you help me find my friends afterwards! As far as games go, there does need to be some amount of consistency within the story. If it jumps from being subjugated, murdered, and sold into slavery to Happy, rainbowy fun time, then you took a wrong turn at Albuquerque at where story was.

The second point he makes is The heroes are assholes. Yeah I'm pretty sure I would be too after all the shit Jason had to have gone through just to save his friends' sorry asses. I lit a pot farm on fire man! Do you have any idea how much money and time I spent climbing that radio tower just to get this M700 sniper rifle?! Could have killed the friends to further the fact that I don't really care about them, It certainly seems that Jason doesn't really care at all for them actually. He keeps trying to put everything off as a "I need more time to think." plot. And possibly blow up a few cargo trucks while I'm at it.

Third point, the "Magical Negro trope" or race. I don't know about you man, but if they're helping me, I don't care if you're purple and green with rainbow tatoos. Just, stay away from me with the rainbow tattoos. The natives are seen as helpless simpletons, why this white boy from California, you are literally surrounded by trained professionals to help! Though I guess it gives the players something to do with his free time.

Onward to the part where this guy attempts to "Fix" the story.  He implies that halfway through the story, that you are not Jason. You never were, you're actually Vaas. Interesting twist, mind if I intervene?

NO.

Admittedly, Vaas is one of the more well rounded characters in the game. Doesn't mean I want to play as him. The multiple personality disorder and serial killer thing is actually pretty cliche. But the game as a whole is about escapism, An Alice in Wonderland tale about a man realizing he's finally being useful, enjoying the fact he's losing himself in an insane drug-induced fantasy.

[1] Spunkgargleweewee is another name for Modern Military Shooter.

Andrew Biskupski