Review
Played on: Xbox Series X
Released: 2021
The short answer is yes, the longer answer needs explaining.
First off, this is not a review about hating on modern game design and having some “nothing is original any longer with triple A titles” agenda going, for context: I love the FC series and have played them all. However, this time around I felt originality had dwindled.
Let’s look back quickly: it wasn’t until FarCry 3 the series established a formula that blew the series into massive popularity. It had a detailed, nature based, open world, where you fought on the rebel side against military control. You could defeat and capture enemy bases, and collect resources to upgrade and buy weaponry and equipment. The story was always about a crazy, power hungry dictator, that controlled his land through ruthless violence and suppression of his people.
Does this sound familiar? I don’t really need to continue, because the quirkier the main bad guy became, the more FarCry became a blueprint of itself, or should I say FarCry 3. The problem with familiarity is that it sways both ways: it’s a warm blanket of comfort and enjoyment, of which I've indulged happily through FarCry 4 and 5. Yet, it’s also a close step towards the steep downward hill that’s repetitiveness. The latter being a word you don’t really want to describe your massive open world game.
So, here we arrive at FarCry 6. A new dictator called Anton Castile, excellently portrayed and voiced by Giancarlo Esposito, located on a fictional, Caribbean like, group of islands. A nation where the western world is happily financing his ruthless rule, by buying his produce. It’s a larger and more organised enemy than previously, an army versus a gang or cult. It’s ambitiously about a whole rebel revolution against a regime.
You join a guerrilla that opposes this ruthless El Presidente, slowly gaining back control of the islands. Taking down his ruthless leadership, one cruel leader at the time. Capturing military bases, roadblocks and capturing equipment along the way. It’s a bit of a checklist when it comes to FarCry titles, although there’s more variation in the main missions, with some crazy events along the way.
Impressively, the force and size of the enemy this time around, depicts not only numerous soldiers attacking, but also tanks, attack helicopters and boats. It’s FarCry dialled closer to a war, yet sadly for the variation, not quite there. It makes battles tougher to win and trickier to gain control of the map. Not only are there small outposts, but we also have massive army bases and whole city that needs controlling.
Make no doubt, FarCry 6 is technically a heavy hitter. The map is incredibly detailed, with lush nature, stunning sunsets of orange lighting and large urban areas as variation from the beautiful mountains and jungles. Water effects, foliage and lighting is top shelf and even more impressive when you consider it’s all running at super high resolution and 60fps on the Xbox Series X version I played.
The way the lighting plays across lush jungles and sandy beaches, with a heavy emphasis on the warm shades of red. Making for some uniquely beautiful sunsets and a distinct, almost Vietnam war, look to it all. However, the low field of view is jarring on the console versions. Giving a narrow and disorientating view. It’s a stark contrast to modern CODs or Halo Infinite that allows you to alter the FOV.
I won’t accuse the game of lacking variety, after all, there’s great voice acting, an interesting story and tons of first-person shooter action to whet your appetite. But, if you’ve played the earlier instalments to death, there’s just too much repetition here. If you’ve never played a FarCry before, well then there’s no problem, although I will strongly recommend the easier difficulty option. For the fans though, we lack something new and unique.
The gunplay is great and there’s a nice balance of guns blazing and stealth mechanics to keep either playstyle players happy. The inclusion of the new backpack feature, called the Supremo, can fire tons of missiles. It's fun but adds little to the whole package. Airplanes and choppers are welcome and a more practical attack option than in FC5, they're a terrific way to traverse the mountainous terrain, but still they still feel a little floaty to control. Sitting inside a car still feels a little janky and extremely compressed thanks to the low FOV.
Despite a lot of cool, smaller features, the gameplay lacks something to renew itself. Once one enemy base is captured, the rest feel very much alike. It’s the dangerous trap a lot of Ubisoft games fall into: adding just too much checklist stuff to do on the map. Sure, the last Assassin's Creed felt like this too, yet it somehow managed to distinguish itself more from the previous release. FC6 really doesn't.
When it comes to open world shooters I felt Halo Infinite hit the mark, with a complete opposite to FC6's design: less is more, ending the party before it becomes a tedious chore.
I’m left with a feeling of repetition, and at times, boredom when it comes to an overused formula. Apart from the new visuals, it feels exactly like the last FarCry release. I’m left underwhelmed but at the same time it seems bad to talk down such a beautiful looking title. A one which, more than, serves great gameplay in the bucket load, but for veterans, it’s a worn formula.
I’m left with a feeling of repetition, and at times, boredom when it comes to an overused formula. Apart from the new visuals, it feels exactly like the last FarCry release. I’m left underwhelmed but at the same time it seems bad to talk down such a beautiful looking title. A one which, more than, serves great gameplay in the bucket load, but for veterans, it’s a worn formula.
