The thing I love most about Far Cry 3 is the gameplay and the story compliment eachother so well. Starting out with a tiny health bar, basic weapons with only a few bullets makes the beginning extremely challenging, especially on the harder difficulties. Much like Jason at the start of the game, he starts out terrified and way out of his depth. As you start progressing through the game however, you start to become stronger with more weapons and skills. At the same time Jason is slowly being corrupted by the island and becoming more powerful with each kill, to the point where he is enjoying the killing spree as much as you. By the end of the game every decision you've made, every enemy you've killed mirrors the path Jason has taken through the story. You haven't just watched Jason follow the path to chaos, you've done it alongside him.

Many games have tried to copy Far Cry 3's open world formula since its release but for me the story and the part you play in it is what makes Far Cry 3 so special and in my opinion, why everything else since hasn't reached the same heights.