Ubisoft Montreal+Massive+Ubisoft Shanghai/Ubisoft
Many games are set in open worlds, but few feel like they're actually alive. Far Cry 3's tropical Rook islands are a gaming paradise, inhabited by humans and all manner of wildlife, including leopards and man-eating sharks that can ruin the day of anybody who doesn't see them coming. Like Skyrim and Just Cause 2 before it, it's a world you can get a lot out of by all but ignoring the main plot and exploring, hunting, and being hunted on your own. And while not all the characters are memorable, the main villain, Vaas Montenegro, gives a terrific performance that'll be held up as the standard for believably psychopathic bad guys for years to come.
Chief Criticisms: Clunky inventory UI; hard to care about rescuing rich kids.