Far Cry hasn't been great since Far Cry 3. It has been okay, and Far Cry 4 was a blast, but it hasn't been "great". This all changes with Far Cry 6.
I will gladly admit that the column from three weeks ago, where I claimed that Far Cry 6 could be a "Ruddy Mess" was completely and utterly wrong. The game might be bloated in the typical Ubisoft-style, but it is anything but a mess. In fact, it is the best Ubisoft Game to release since possibly Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag way back in 2013. I know, that's a pretty bold statement to make, but hear me out.
Let's put it this way: what Ubisoft games have come out since 2013? There have been three mainline Far Cry games (not including Far Cry 6), five mainline Assassin's Creed games, three Watch Dogs games, a bunch of Just Dance games, For Honor, The Crew 1 and 2, a vast selection of extremely average Tom Clancy games, and of course, some other titles that people don't generally talk about. I want to put a caveat on my remarks before I continue: Far Cry 6 is the best Ubisoft game since Black Flag that isn't Valiant Hearts, Child of Light, Mario + Rabbids, or South Park. Do you want to fight me? Name one better game. I dare you.
I can hear you asking why, I really can, and I would recommend that you listen to the latest episode of The EarlyGame Podcast to hear more detailed thoughts, but also keep reading this column. It's cool.
You could almost say that Ubisoft's latest open world adventure is a "Far Cry" from the mess I thought it would be. What did I say? Oh yes, that there would be a dissonance between the narrative and the gameplay. Was I correct? Well, partially, but it doesn't really matter. Yes, Castillo is pretty brutal, and Giancarlo Esposito's performance is fantastic, but it's just silly enough to sell the adventure to the audience.
The game has a self-referential tendency that makes it an absolute joy to play. It's chock-a-block full of fantastic characters, with every step of your journey dominated by humor and an understanding that the game is ridiculous, and it doesn't need to be anything else. Yes, Esposito's villain can be heavy-handed at times, and a bit too sinister for the game's tone, but that's outweighed so heavily by the rest of the game, that it's barely worth mentioning.
In other words: the main thing that I was worried about with Far Cry 6? It's not a problem whatsoever. What about the game itself, though, I hear you ask?
Is Far Cry 6 "just another Ubisoft open-world collectathon"?
Well yes, yes it is. Far Cry 6 is the epitome of every Ubisoft open-world game that has come before it. It's vast, full of collectibles, bases to liberate, areas to explore. There are no "radio towers" that open up the map, like in previous Far Cry's, which is certainly a good thing. Overall, though, the game is iterative. That's not a problem, though, because it is still really good.
The chaos that Far Cry does so well is maximized in Far Cry 6. The Supremo's are insanely fun, as are the Amigo's, despite the fact that they came across as gimmicks in the trailer. What's not to love, to be honest? The gun play feels weighty and satisfying, the speed of engagements is way faster than Far Cry 5, and everything is just... more fun.
Far Cry 5 was a slow game, and a dull one at that. The environments were drab, the story was boring, and the game didn't make you feel very powerful. All of this is reversed in Far Cry 6, which returns the series to the classic tropical island setting of Far Cry 3. It's lush, beautiful and exciting. The game is, as it should be, a glorified power fantasy. It's non-PC and doesn't really have anything to say. As it shouldn't.
It's fun, it's entertaining, it's full of laughs, amazing animals, and simple but rewarding gameplay mechanics. Honestly, there's a lot to talk about – you'll have to wait for my review – but all of it is positive. Well, pretty much all of it, at least. It's certainly not the "ruddy mess" I described, so please don't pay heed to my previous column. Please. I was wrong, and I'm sorry.
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