in Africa the ability to headshot a dude driving a Jeep Wrangler is key to survival

Would love to play this game, as I love the Far Cry franchise - but Ubisoft can't be bothered to make their old games playable on modern hardware.

A classic, there's a reason why purist always tell you about how FC2 was better.
I like modern day commodities, but I think FC2 can still be enjoyed by today's audience.
If you come from the latest FC games you are in for a rough time, and either you dig in it, or you bounce. I think that the travel is what makes or breaks the expirience for most people. If you were bored in RDR2 for having to walk or wait for things, or in Elden Ring for how big and how difficult to travel the map is: don't even try it.
If you can surpass it, congratulations, you are in for the best FC imo. The word is thematic, everyting is in service of its themes, and you may call weak the story for not having memorable characters, you will remember what felt like to hide and search and survive en in the sabana.