Formulaic fun
The Far Cry series has become formulaic. Every new game feels like a slight iteration on the past one with a new setting and an interesting villain. Far Cry 6 doesn’t break that trend. For some reason though this game resonated with me more so than other entries. I certainly have my favorites when it comes to the franchise, and Far Cry 6 might be top of the list next to Far Cry 3. It is never apologetic about what it sets out to do and it executes on that fun-loop that open-world game so often mishandle. The story is interesting, and the game play is top tier. Combine that with the fact that it looks downright gorgeous at times and the latest entry is more than worth the price of admission.
The game kicks off with players choosing between a male and female lead via swapping their ID cards. Once done they quickly burn it and a chase through the city commences. The tension is ramped up early as Dani flees with her comrades to escape the regime of Antón Castillo on the fictional Caribbean island of Yara. She then quickly joins up with a group of guerrillas as they plot to take down Antón and stop his dictatorial rule over the area.
MSRP: $59.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, PC
Price I’d Pay: $59.99
This sets up plenty of Far Cry tropes of taking out military installations and interacting with a vibrant group of rebels, each with their own tasks and loyalty missions to complete. Ubisoft has always done an outstanding job of crafting their villains, and Giancarlo Esposito as Antón might be their best yet. His subdued evil tones match his previous characters perfectly. You want to like him, but his evil ways work against that at every turn. Just an outstanding character. The main character is also really well done. Dani’s performance was a highlight throughout whether she was singing along to the songs on the radio or just giving grief to the war-torn guerillas, the character is very well written.
Far Cry has always had a serious tone laid against the backdrop of ridiculousness. This outing is certainly no different. The first animal I had at my side was a gator wearing a button-down shirt. Perfect. The supporting cast is also fantastic. They deliver great lines and some genuinely hilarious ones. The world of Yara feels more lived-in than past games and it is definitely nice to not get the white-savior trope poured into these games. I really enjoyed the world of Far Cry 6.
From a purely game play perspective there is plenty of familiarity with the latest entry. Dani will gather an arsenal of weapons that have unique perks and can be upgraded at work benches. There are tons of installations to take down to open up more fast travel points and areas of the map. I had to take down anti-aircraft installations in order to fly freely, which was a nice touch. The map also uncovers as I explored, sort of like a fog of war effect. This opened up new items to search, treasures to find, and of course weapons to collect. The world of Yara is massive and there is never a lack of things to do. In a way Far Cry 6 felt more akin to the Assassin’s Creed games with points littered on the map more so than in the past.
One of the big new features are Supremos. These are basically ultimate abilities tied to a backpack. Dani can equip one at a time and earn new ones by completing missions. These are on a cooldown and can be activated by tapping both the left and right bumper. Each one has a unique ability, but I really took to the initial one which launches ground-to-air missiles that can either take out vehicles or foes, or even take down attack choppers. It was never not satisfying to launch since the game jumps into third-person when it happens.
Speaking of which, going into villages and bases also goes into third-person, a first for the series. Being able to see my character during game play was a trip at first. I thought the game had glitched somehow. The new systems in Far Cry 6 definitely took some adjusting to. Perks are now acquired through weapons and gear. There is plenty around the island and they can be collected. There are even gear sets which include their own list of perks such as being able to extinguish being on fire, to having more impact on armor piercing bullets. The weapons can be upgraded at work benches with new attachments and even skins. The new Resolver weapons are heavier pieces that include things like flame throwers that can take down multiple enemies at a time.
The weapon wheel also includes tools such as the repair tool as well as the ability to call vehicles. The grappling hook and wing suit also make a return for traversal which is always fun. It is only a matter of time before the grappling hook serves as a full-on traversal tool a la Just Cause. Vehicles are expanded as well with customization options such as battering rams and players can even ride a horse, which is super well done. There is just something new around every corner in this game and I changed up my play style constantly throughout the campaign.
Visually Far Cry 6 is simply stunning. Playing on Xbox Series X has been a treat. Ubisoft opted to go with a higher frame rate as opposed to Ray Tracing and I appreciate that. I would always prefer the feel of 60fps over the extra sheen on the graphics. Still even with that omission this game looks stunning. The world of Yara is massive and the amount of detail is impressive. The frame rate also holds up extremely well. Shooting feels good and even massive explosions barely touch it.
Far Cry 6 may not move the needle much in terms of innovation, but it executes what makes these games extremely fun to play. I settled right in within the first couple hours and couldn’t stop playing until the end. I am still cleaning up around the world of Yara and the promised DLC on the way will certainly have me back in big time. There is just a massive playground here that is extremely enjoyable to play. At the end of the day that is what is most important to me. I hope the series does change up in the future, but for now Far Cry 6 keeps what makes the experience fun and simply nails it.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
