Far Cry 6 is around the corner and while it looks to bear a few small flaws, it blew my mind as I watched some footage of the game in action.
The Far Cry franchise has been at the forefront of the gaming scene since the initial instalment in 2004. Over the last sixteen years, it has snowballed with each-and-every release, garnering millions of new fans every year. Watching a series evolve with every game that passes gives gamers a real sense of nostalgia. This sentimentality breeds a deep devotion in players as they grow with the series. With millions of players patiently waiting, the anticipation for this release is a cauldron of excitement and apprehension. With this in mind, you should try and get a pre-order to assure your copy on release day.
While a lot of what I saw seeped the trademark awesomeness we have grown to love; there was one major factor that I feel to be an evident display of Ubisoft jumping on a tired, old bandwagon. By introducing zombies, they have needlessly taken an often walked path. It almost feels like they have run out of ideas and fell back on the obvious answer. However, we need to take into mind that I have only seen around 30-minutes of footage. Maybe the industry giants have a trick up their wizardy sleeves, maybe not. It would be nice to see something new done with the tiring format. With the undead wandering Yara, the story needs to avoid all clichés and platitudes in order to work.
A Vast Playground to Explore
Contrary to the last Far Cry game, which was set in the green valleys of Montana; Far Cry 6 opens with our protagonist in a bathroom that wouldn’t look out of place in a Saw movie. The rusty piping and ominous stains on the walls begin to set the scenery of the fictional, Caribbean island of Yara; a war-torn dictatorship where civil unrest lays mayhem, death and destruction in its unforgiving wake. The ideal setting for the Far Cry 6 world. A world which promises to boast the largest playground yet.
A Perfect Casting
My excitement quickly turned in to giddy anticipation as the rumours that this year’s eccentric warlord, Antón Castillo – or ‘El Presidente’, as he likes to be called –, is portrayed by none other than Breaking Bad’s Giancarlo Esposito; who we better know as ‘Gustavo Fring’.
Giancarlo’s fine ability to portray the quiet, cunning and dangerously intelligent nemesis we saw in Breaking Bad is set to be mirrored in Far Cry 6 as we see his character give his son, Diego (played by Anthony Gonzalez), a father and son lesson on how he should follow in his own footsteps and rule over Yara with an iron first. In the powerful speech that adopts the symbolic use of a live grenade for impact, the oppressor tells his son:
“Because our country is like this grenade, except it has two basic parts. Our people, and you. And you must clutch them nice and tight, or we all go boom.”
El Presidente
The chilling demeanour, that Giancarlo plays so well, is apparent in his new role as a stone-cold dictator, and his transition to the video game world is more than certain to conjure up a real sense of creeping forbode as he plays out his scenes. Ubisoft couldn’t have picked a better man for the job.
Weapons Modifications Confirmed
Seemingly as repentance for their undead deeds, Ubisoft has introduced modifications to their melee weapons; shown briefly was a chainsaw knife used to spectacularly decapitate an enemy during combat. As I watched the foe’s severed head exit stage left, I couldn’t help wondering if this was but one example of DIY amputation the game has in store for us. I envisage lobbed off legs and amputated arms falling to the floor as I hack, slash and stab my way through enemies. A man can always hope.
While weapons modifications such as the chainsaw knife never fail to deliver a certain satisfaction; I am instantly reminded of a whole catalogue of games using the exact same weapon. Again we see a concerning lack of innovation. Heading into the next generation, fresh ideas are going to play a crucial part in standing out from the crowd.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if Ubisoft manages to bring something fresh to the table, it looks to have the potential ‘Wow Factor’ expected. With the fluid and aesthetically-pleasing combat laying the foundations; the raw talent of Giancarlo Esposito is sure to neatly place the proverbial cherry on the fast-paced, blood-filled cake that will be Far Cry 6. Get ready for great things.
Despite the presence of zombies and a lack of evidence pointing to anything we haven’t seen elsewhere; Far Cry 6 will still break the charts on release. With a stellar history and an ardent following, it’s sure to crash onto our shelves with all guns blazing. I for one, can not wait.
With a release date set for early next year, we still have a few months yet to wait. If you haven’t experienced the Far Cry franchise before, now is the perfect time to try some of the older titles out. With storylines that will stay with you forever and bar-setting open-world gameplay, it’s easy to see why the games are some of the best in their field.