The Far Cry collection has been certainly one of Ubisoft’s longest operating, providing gamers tight first-person shooter motion, sprawling open worlds teeming with missions to finish and dangerous guys to gun down, and an absolute bucket load of weapons. Whether or not you wish to go the silent, stealthy route, or make numerous huge, huge bangs, any and all approaches are welcome as you struggle off in opposition to the collection’ infamous villains. Alas, like numerous issues in life, not all Far Cry video games have been created equal. Some are nice, standing the take a look at of time over a decade later, whereas others… effectively, they’re higher off simply being forgotten. After spending dozens upon dozens of hours with the collection at this level, we’ve put collectively our definitive rating of the greatest Far Cry video games from worst to first.
9. Far Cry
Credit score to the primary sport within the Far Cry collection for kicking issues off, however after what got here earlier than it, it might not totally stand the take a look at of time. Contemplating when it was launched, the unique Far Cry appears fairly nice and it bought the jungle atmosphere very effectively. The enemy AI is usually clever, and the weapons have a superb steadiness between them.
However if you have a look at the place the collection has gone, the unique Far Cry doesn’t really feel fairly as proper. Regardless of being open ended, many areas are trial and error, and are designed to be finished in a method that simply isn’t enjoyable. Enemies are painfully silly if you’re shut up, and the checkpoint system… effectively, the much less mentioned about that, the higher. There’s additionally the disappointing story, with characters that both weren’t likable or simply lacked persona, and a protagonist with a very terrible wanting lau shirt.
8. Far Cry 2
The second sport within the collection is a marked enchancment over the unique Far Cry. Enemies are extra responsive, it appears much more beautiful, and Africa is an ideal setting for the collection. It was a novel departure from each the open world and shooter genres.
Sadly, the sport’s largest stumble lies in its personal plot. When you select which badass mercenary to be, you go to Africa and get malaria…however you’re nursed again to well being by the very man you’re making an attempt to kill. So perhaps calling you a “badass mercenary” is a little bit of a stretch. That’s actually about all you’ll get from the plot, which doesn’t offer you a lot to work with more often than not. However even that doesn’t matter, because it’s so unimportant that you can neglect issues as you go alongside.
The draw right here comes from the ambiance, however generally it could actually go too far. At occasions, Far Cry 2 will be so slavishly dedicated to realism that it makes the gameplay very not enjoyable. Contracting malaria each 20 minutes or having your weapons and autos jam is a tad overkill, and for console gamers, the save system didn’t assist issues a lot. It’s not a nasty sport, however simply when it looks like you’re having enjoyable, it feels prefer it’s placing you in hardcore mode earlier than you’re actually prepared.
7. Far Cry New Daybreak
Far Cry New Daybreak was the speedy successor to the relatively implausible Far Cry 5. It came about in Hope County as soon as once more, however the map feels considerably smaller, and the gameplay largely focuses round having you repeating content material with out attractive sufficient rewards to warrant you really desirous to do it.
The principle pull right here is that New Daybreak takes place in a post-apocalyptic model of Hope County, the place there’s a much bigger deal with crafting and buying assets. Your weapons and their attachments are a hodgepodge of no matter you’ll find mendacity world wide. However the post-apocalyptic vibe solely lasts for therefore lengthy, if you notice there’s a wierd abundance of ammo in every single place you go and assets aren’t really all that scarce.
The massive bads of New Daybreak, the dual sisters Mickey and Lou are so inconsequential that it’s simple to simply neglect about them totally after some time. Every part about New Daybreak simply feels a little bit scaled again and restricted in its ambition. This one’s solely really useful for essentially the most die-hard Far Cry 5 followers on the market.
6. Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon seems like one thing {that a} fanfiction author would consider whereas bored one afternoon: “Man, I actually dug Far Cry 3, however I really feel prefer it’s lacking one thing…I do know! It wants Michael Biehn, an 80s synth vibe, and large dragons!” Very like how Kingdom Hearts confirmed us that Disney and Sq. Enix was a significantly better mixture than we have been anticipating, so it goes with Blood Dragon.
Regardless of having the Far Cry 3 title, Blood Dragon has no relation to the bottom sport, which is a bit baffling, to make certain. However whereas the title is a bit complicated, the sport itself is a blast, feeling like a contemporary sport that was made for previous retro sport followers. Greater than the indie 2D video games that attempt to evoke nostalgia for Mega Man or Castlevania, Blood Dragon leans on that nostalgia issue arduous, from the synth soundtrack to the CRT scanlines and comfortable fuzz static. Biehn’s deadpan supply meshes properly with the 80s motion movie script, and it’s arduous to not snigger at urgent the proper follow flip the chook or at strains like “Girl Liberty taught me that winners… don’t use medicine.”
Fortunately, Blood Dragon has the gameplay to again up its appears. Whereas it’s primarily a copy-paste job of the bottom sport, there’s no denying the enchantment that comes from taking pictures Daft Punk with sci-fi rifles. The titular Blood Dragons add some hazard to issues, however whether or not or not it’s enjoyable to exhaust all of your ammo and explosives to keep away from getting became Kyle Reese’s Items goes to fluctuate. Nonetheless, for $20 (or much less these days), Blood Dragon is nice and exhibits that the collection doesn’t essentially must lean so arduous on gritty character tales of survival to work.
5. Far Cry 6
The most recent entry within the Far Cry collection can also be essentially the most disappointing. It’s not a dangerous sport, and it’s nonetheless a darn sight extra pleasant expertise than the video games which have come earlier than it on this rating. However in 2022, followers have been anticipating a lot extra than what the sport provided, particularly when Giancarlo Esposito was plastered all around the advertising and marketing as the principle antagonist, Antón Castillo.
To his credit score, Esposito did a fairly implausible job of portraying the fascist dictator of Yara, however he simply didn’t get sufficient display screen time to essentially make a long-lasting affect in the identical method different Far Cry villains have.
Far Cry 6 simply didn’t do sufficient to essentially advance the collection, both. 3 was the entry that set all the pieces in movement with an unforgettable villain. 4 was simply downright entertaining, and 5 felt like essentially the most intriguing by way of its story. However 6? It simply did an okay job in any respect of this stuff with out ever actually giving itself a standout characteristic to write down residence about.
I did have a whole lot of enjoyable with the Macarena gun, however there’s solely so many occasions you possibly can hearken to the 90s basic as you slice somebody by way of the neck earlier than you begin questioning what extra the sport has to supply.
If you happen to’re on the lookout for essentially the most trendy and generic Far Cry expertise, 6 is what you’ll wish to try.
4. Far Cry Primal
Far Cry Primal will get a fairly dangerous rap in our eyes. Certain, there wasn’t an entire lot of story happening, there weren’t any standout characters, and the expertise felt very… mild, so to talk, however the core mechanics have been robust and it provided a unique tackle the FPS collection.
Taking us method again to 10,000 BC, Primal solid apart the weapons and superior weaponry the collection had turn into synonymous with, and left you with the naked, stealthy requirements as an alternative. A bow, some throwables, and your pure intuition to take down your blissfully unaware foes.
Is Primal going to be for everybody? Completely not. However now, in 2023, after seeing Far Cry 6 supply simply extra of the identical typical Far Cry fare, Primal stands out as a half-decent effort to diversify the collection. Even when all of the elements weren’t fairly there, it’s nonetheless price testing for diehard followers all the identical.
3. Far Cry 4
Not many predicted simply how rapidly the collection would develop after the discharge of Far Cry 3. Because the 12 months was winding down and everybody had determined what their favourite video games of that 12 months have been, Ubisoft slyly put it in at December. Individuals ended up latching onto it and because the previous saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t repair it”. Therefore Far Cry 4.
It’s unfair to check video games, however FC4 actually does really feel like FC3 with the Pacific Islander undertones swapped for Buddhism. The taking pictures, driving, stealth, and crafting system all really feel like they have been lifted wholesale from FC3 with little to no changes (which is okay, since they nonetheless work fairly effectively right here). Environments are nonetheless stunning, the extent development continues to be enjoyable to undergo, and there’s nonetheless some darkish pleasure in watching an enemy group get torn to shreds by a wild animal. Oh and driving an elephant? Yeah, that’ll by no means get previous.
None of that’s dangerous, however that additionally signifies that Far Cry 4 can solely occupy the identical airspace as its predecessor as an alternative of elevating the collection. There’s not rather a lot that’s terribly new, and what’s new both makes issues extra annoying (animals will be extra of a problem this time round), or simply feels thrown in for the sake of it resembling gyrocopters that make tailing missions insultingly simple. Most noticeably, protagonist Ajay Ghale and his story of honoring his mom’s dying want on the island of Kyrat, fell flat in comparison with Jason Brody’s need to save lots of his kidnapped mates from pirates, regardless of having a reasonably stable Troy Baker because the sadistically entertaining Pagan Min. On the finish of all of it, Far Cry 4 isn’t a nasty sport, in actual fact it’s fairly nice, but it surely doesn’t fairly have the identical spark as earlier than.
Additionally, eagles. Screw eagles.
2. Far Cry 5
By the point Far Cry 5 rolled round, we very a lot knew what we have been getting from a brand new entry within the collection. A giant open world? Verify. A disturbingly evil villain? Verify. Plenty of outposts to clear and facet missions to finish? Double verify. And but, Far Cry 5 managed to do one thing even its successor and people video games earlier than it couldn’t. It offered one of many extra compelling narratives full with engrossing story beats and set-pieces that had us combating in opposition to the Seed household proper to the very finish.
Somewhat than taking us to some distant international land, the struggle came about in our very personal yard, too. It helped the occasions hit tougher, and the attractive, diversified terrain of Hope County simply made for some pleasant facet content material that we’d not had within the collection earlier than.
Spherical that every one out with every of the Seed siblings’ numerous areas and boss battles feeling distinctly totally different and Far Cry 5 was arguably essentially the most gripping entry within the collection since, effectively… the easiest sport within the collection.
1. Far Cry 3
Far Cry 3 is a rattling nice sport, but it surely’s nice in a method that’s virtually refined when you consider it. Yeah, there’s all that enjoyable open gameplay and watching pirates get jumped by a tiger, however the draw can also be within the Rook Islands and what it does to the participant, Jason Brody. The island is as a lot of a villain as Vaas is, serving to Jason shed his doughy privileged wealthy child pores and skin to turn into a man prepared to run over animals and intestine dudes with out blinking an eye fixed. Vaas tortures Jason’s thoughts and the island tortures his physique, turning the sport from sandbox mayhem to survival horror.
The enchantment within the gameplay comes much less from the fight and admittedly simplistic stealth design, and extra from how the sport permits you to play nevertheless you want. You possibly can go in weapons blazing with an LMG and rocket launcher to free the outpost and achieve a brand new piece of territory. Alternatively, you can snipe everybody in sight with a silenced sniper rifle and launch a lethal tiger from a cage to do your soiled work. Or hell, simply wingsuit into the outpost and slice everybody’s necks open earlier than they know what hit them. Far Cry 3 doesn’t do an entire lot to revolutionize the open world style, but it surely positive as hell is aware of tips on how to give gamers incentive to make use of what’s introduced earlier than them.
What’s your favourite entry within the Far Cry collection? Tell us within the feedback beneath.
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