The game is set on a mysterious archipelago in Micronesia, where ex-special forces operative Jack Carver must use various weapons, tools, and his surroundings to survive against hostile mercenaries that control the islands while searching for the journalist who was accompanying him and who went missing. As Jack explores the islands, he uncovers the horrific genetic experiments being conducted on the local wildlife and must confront the mad scientist behind them. The game was published by Ubisoft on March 23, 2004 for Microsoft Windows. It received generally positive reviews, with praise for its visuals, gameplay mechanics, and the level of freedom given to the player, and sold 730,000 units within four months of release. Far Cry 2 (2008) Far Cry 2 was developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on October 21, 2008 in North America, October 23 in Australia, and October 24 in Europe. The game is set in a fictional East African state where an arms smuggler known as "The Jackal" is selling weapons to two factions engaged in a civil war. The player assumes the role of a mercenary sent to find and kill the Jackal, who is inflaming the conflict. The game's sandbox gameplay has been highly touted, allowing the player access to 50 km2 of African terrain, complete with open savannah, forests, animals, and towns. Far Cry 2 also puts more emphasis on realism compared to other games in the series, incorporating features such as weapon jamming and malaria, which the player character gets infected with at the start of the game and must thereafter regularly take medication to avoid dying. Far Cry 2 received generally positive reviews from critics for its setting, visuals, and open-ended gameplay, although some criticized its writing, artificial intelligence, and technical issues. A number of players also found some aspects of the gameplay, mainly those related to the game's focus on realism, overly repetitive and tedious. The game sold three million copies worldwide within four months of release. A top-down shooter version of the game for mobile phones was developed and published by Gameloft. Far Cry 3 (2012) Far Cry 3 was developed by Ubisoft Montreal using feedback from Far Cry 2, and published by Ubisoft for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 on November 29, 2012 in Australia, November 30 in Europe, and December 4 in North America. It