Pro's - Huge expansive world. Levels are large and you don't feel forced on any path in particular. Plenty of vehicles to use, lots of hardcore action, great driving sequences. Realistic damage models. Large variety of weapons, great storyline, excellent scripting. Multiplayer is fun.
I have to disagree with the storyline. It was pretty lame. One quasi-special forces guy in a hawaiian shirt against hundreds and hundreds of dudes and mutant ape things. Not so cool.
While I haven't finished HL2 and I'm definitely critical of Valve and this game, I have to give GotY to Farcry. The absense of multiplayer is a huge knock against HL2 and despite all of Farcry's bugs it was still a fantastic game which exceptional graphics. Add that to the fact that it was released long before Doom3, and HL2 it really shows how strong this title is.
Far Cry was good fun. The graphics were amazing and there was a great deal of variety that Doom3 really lacked. But it was ultimately forgettable. Now that HL2 is here, I don't see how you can think the two are in the same league. IMO you
really shouldn't declare Far Cry the winner before finishing HL2 anyways. I thought the last 2 hours of the game were the best, but I loved it throughout. I felt like I was in a war even more so than COD or MOH, which is really saying something.
Meh, I guess we like different things. For me, HL2 has the 'it' factor that so few games do. I can only imagine what the community will do with this baby.