Far Cry 3
Let’s start by being controversial; many people see Far Cry 3 as a step back from its predecessor; however, in many ways the third iteration of the game is the one that took the whole series to new heights.
The game was perfectly summarized when it was referred to as “Skyrim with guns!”
It added what would be become one of the most important staples of the series: a charismatic villain.
Awesome Standalone Expansion & Season Passes
Here’s the point where I need to talk about downloadable content because my second favorite Far Cry game is not one of the main releases but a standalone DLC.
Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon
This homage to sci-fi and action B-movies from the 80s is one of the most over the top fun one can get from the series. From the awesome soundtrack to legendary Michael Biehn voicing the main character; this Far Cry embracing its silliness to the max!
Valley of the Yetis
Far Cry season passes are some of the few bundles that are actually worth it. Valley of the Yetis is a stand out on this one.
Far Cry 3 Classic
On top of goofy zombies and martians-themed DLC, this season pass includes a remaster of the best Far Cry game.
Far Cry Primal
Saying Far Cry Primal is weird is an under-statement: it’s a first-person shooter without any guns! It’s also a spin-off that no one asked for and yet it’s one of the best game in the Far Cry series; it takes place in pre-historic times and a lot of its systems which can seem a bit far-fetched are just perfectly fit for the Far Cry experience.
It’s the one game of the series that forces the player to get closer to its preys and that changes the formula quite a bit but it’s astonishingly working really well.
Far Cry 2
Many consider Far Cry 2 as the apogee of the series and even if it’s an outstanding game gameplay-wise which is super important for a sandbox game; it does not have the memorable moments some of the other games in the series have.
In a few ways, Far Cry 2 is superior to its successor but it’s not enough to be on-par with what was earned when the series went in a different direction.
Two Great Compilations!
There are two compilations out there; they are very similar but have the same annoying quirks that are pet peeves of mine.
The Far Cry Compilation
This compilation is available in North America and there’s nothing bad about if it’s your foray into the Far Cry franchise but if you expect to get a physical copy of Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon you will be disappointed as the collection only comes with a download code and for some reason Far Cry 2 requires a mandatory install which isn’t the case with the Far Cry 2 standalone game.
The Far Cry Wild Expedition
It’s the better of the two compilations but it’s exclusive to the European market which would be inconsequential if the games were on disc but because it only comes with download codes for both Far Cry Classic and Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon; it requires a Xbox/PSN account from the country you purchased the collection in.
Far Cry 5
This entry in the Far Cry series is a fantastic game with not only an amazing cast of villains and enthralling and varied quests; it also has one of the best twist endings (in plural as in more than one) of the series or any video games for that matter.
Its side quests are plentiful and meaningful and it takes a step away from the redundant filler quests that plagued the series.
Far Cry 4
Make no mistake; this is a good and very fun game. Unfortunately for it; a lot of its content is meaningless and a lot of the side quests don’t have any payoff.
The bad guy is interesting and so is the main storyline but a lot of the rest of the game like activities and side quests are repetitive and borderline tedious as there’s no variety.
What’s The Deal With The First Far Cry?
The first time console gamers got to play Far Cry, it was quite a different game from what PC players experienced. When Ubisoft acquired the rights to the franchise from CryTek, they released a strain of games with confusing titles. The consoles’ limitations at the time are the reasons why the games released on them had to be scaled down from the original.
Far Cry Instincts
The first Far Cry outing on consoles was much more linear than its PC counterpart; it’s actually a completely different game with its feral powers.
Far Cry Instincts Evolution
This is a very short sequel to Far Cry Instincts and is also known as Far Cry Vengeance on the Nintendo Wii.
Far Cry Instincts Predator
This is a compilation that includes graphically enhanced versions of both Instincts and Evolution for the Xbox 360.
Far Cry Classic
This is the console port of the original PC version of Far Cry; it came years after the release of Far Cry Instincts.
Far Cry New Dawn
New Dawn is a standalone sequel to Far Cry 5 and in many ways it is something that everyone who has finished the previous game would want to experience.
Its post-apocalyptic setting is a really fun playground and there are a lot of interesting ideas here but it has one of the worst gameplay mechanic in the franchise where weapons and enemies have levels so a basic trooper level 3 cannot be killed by a rocket launcher level 1; as a result, it feels like the game is not open-world as until you grind and level up, there’s no reason or reward to explore most of it.
Far Cry 6
Mechanically, this entry int he Far Cry series is as good as the previous ones; a few welcomed tweaks are present compared to the preview entry and it has a much deeper customization but the removal of a skill tree in favor of equipment implies that character perks depend on the equipment found as opposed to a voluntary choice.
Where things go south is when it comes to the characters and the storytelling: Ubisoft has heavily marketed the game on its villain which follows the iconic ones from the previous entries but here, the main antagonist is the most cliche bad guy possible. There are no archetypes here only stereotypes which when it comes to the cultural setting becomes a racist caricature. The game is so woke that it becomes laughable as prejudiced tropes are the cornerstone of comically vacuous sermons from personas whose character traits are limited and reduced to the color of their skin, their gender, or sexual orientation.
