Far Cry 6, like the rest of Ubisoft’s open-world games, prefers to iterate over innovate. You’re once again turned loose in a large sandbox to complete a number of goals, such as capturing enemy bases, knocking out anti-aircraft guns, and racing to supply drops in this action-packed first-person shooter. There’s more to do this time than ever before.
As a guerilla on the tropical island of Yara, you’ll take part in this adventure. You’ll join forces with other freedom fighters to combat a fascist state led by a ruthless dictator. When given some breathing room, Far Cry 6’s story of a hard-won revolution can be devastating and powerful. However, at inopportune points, certain bizarre tone anomalies muddy the waters.
Despite certain excessively familiar features and some story quirks, Far Cry 6 is a completely pleasant experience, as we’ll examine in this Far Cry 6 review.
Story
Far Cry 6 is set in the fictional Yara’s Caribbean country, which is based in Cuba and includes jungles, beaches, and tropical settlements. Yara, formerly a rich paradise, is now a destitute and secluded kingdom ruled by Antón Castillo, who is represented by the imposing Giancarlo Esposito. Antón uses his influence to put down anyone who disagrees with his unusual ideas for reforming the country.
Far Cry is famous for having villains who are larger-than-life. Esposito, who has played a number of horrible antagonists in other media, is a perfect choice. He portrays Antón as a calm and quiet malignancy, reappearing in key scenes to remind us of his terrible control over Yara. His desire to go to any length to reconstruct the country is terrifying. The people’s cries for revolution grow louder as Antón isolates Yara from the rest of the world in an ill-advised attempt to empower the masses.
Meanwhile, we put ourselves in the shoes of Dani Rojas (male or female, your choice), a military dropout who is determined to leave Yara behind and start a new life in America. She swiftly finds herself teaming up with a gang of freedom fighters willing to struggle back against the fascist rule after a fateful encounter with Antón during their escape. Dani ventures out across Yara to recruit other guerrillas and fight for a whole different future while Antón teaches his unwilling son, Diego, how to carry on their dictatorial history.
Regrettably, the game’s uneven tone often gets in the way of a moving story. Surprising violence and emotional gut punch pepper the major story beats. At every stage, though, a continual stream of hilarious banter and bizarre gameplay overshadows these important moments. It’s difficult to be moved by the heinous murder of an ally just minutes after I was having fun with a crocodile dressed in a vest and acting like a dog.
We’re meant to be concerned that Yara is in ruins and that its residents are being enslaved and butchered on the streets. We’re supposed to squirm in our seats while a dictator instructs his little kid to shoot a defenseless man in the head. But it all falls flat when our one-dimensional liberation fighters keep reminding Dani that being a guerilla means putting fun first. If Ubisoft wants us to invest in a story about conducting a terrible and bloody revolution, Dani and his friends shouldn’t be having so much fun and glorifying it.
Due to the fact that this is a Far Cry game, Ubisoft has included a secret alternative story. It’s a cathartic 180-degree reversal from the main story and well worth a look. Learn how to get the humorous Far Cry 6 alternate ending by reading our article. Just keep in mind that an alternate ending does not redeem Far Cry 6’s main plot.
Gameplay
Far Cry 6’s moment-to-moment gameplay is, thankfully, most enjoyable. The primary missions of the game feature large-scale scripted action sequences in which you cooperate with your fellow guerrillas to steal vehicles, help free friends out of prison, and strike at Antón’s industrial facilities. It’s nothing new, but the game’s familiarity provides a sense of security. As a clever homage to a fan-favorite Far Cry 3 mission, one early operation even has you using a flamethrower to burn tobacco farms.
Optional objectives, on the other hand, will take up almost your time unless you’re in a hurry to get to the end. You might come upon a cockfighting minigame a la Mortal Kombat, or you might find yourself utilizing a grappling hook to do some light platforming while exploring caverns for treasure.
The most crucial goal, though, is to take control of Antón’s army’s encampments and checkpoints. You can either go in with weapons blazing or take a more tactical and quiet approach, with some gory machete kills thrown in for good measure. Whatever option you select, seizing the location provides a new outpost for your freedom fighters, as well as a workbench and quick travel point for you.
That workbench is also useful because no violent revolution would be complete without an armory. The enormous arsenal of guns and makeshift weapons in Far Cry 6 is incredible. Weapons that blast discs or spew poison clouds are also available in the game.
The ultra-powerful Supremo, on the other hand, steals the show. You may configure Dani’s portable superweapon to shoot rockets, send out EMP charges, or even act as a jetpack that spews flames when you take off. The Supremo has a cooldown, so it can’t be abused, but it’s still an important part of your arsenal. It can help you get out of a lot of sticky situations, and it’s a lot of fun to use.
Unfortunately, although many of the new toys and guns are fantastically imaginative, and irritating vulnerability mechanics swoops in to take some of your enjoyment. To be successful against different enemy types, each of the three firearms in your loadout requires a separate set of mods. For example, one mod might provide you ammo that deals greater damage to flesh, while another mod would grant you ammo that can penetrate helmets and armor. It may appear to be a good idea on paper, but when things don’t go as planned during a mission, it quickly becomes a chore.
You can’t take time to design an optimal strategy once all hell breaks free, no matter how much prepping you do. Instead, you’ll bumble around, attempting to kill each opponent type with the best gun and mod combo possible. This leads to a lot of time-consuming weapon switching, and it also means you won’t always choose the best weapons for the job. Gunfights are still fun, but the vulnerability mechanic feels strangely limiting in an open environment that generally encourages creativity.
Far Cry 6 does a far better job with its extensive gear selection, which rewards you with valuable bonuses. A specific pair of gloves may allow you to deal extra damage to tagged foes. Perhaps a piece of body armor can boost your damage when aiming down sights at the expense of hip-fire damage. Unlike the gimmicky weapon loadout system, these decisions rarely determine the outcome of a battle. You get the feeling that the game respects your specific playstyle by mixing and matching gear sets for their distinct bonuses.
While looking for gear, you’ll also gather metal, gasoline, and a variety of other materials that you may use to equip each of your camps. Perhaps a cantina where you can sell animal meat for meals that give you momentary boons might be appealing. If that’s the case, you could pair it with a lodge that shows you the greatest hunting places on the map and gives you permanent upgrades.
The Hideout Network was my favorite improvement because it allowed me to buy a lot of concealed quick travel spots. It also provided me with a wingsuit, which I used to airdrop onto the map and fly to other locations.
If flying about in a wingsuit isn’t your style, Far Cry 6 has a wide range of ground and air vehicles, from simple trucks to helicopters and enormous tanks. You can also customize your favorite ground vehicle with mounted cannons, armored plates, and battering rams. Best of all, a single button click can summon a vehicle to your precise location, eliminating the awful garage system of prior games.
Visuals and Sound
During my time with Far Cry 6 on the PS5, I experienced screen tearing and a few small visual problems. People occasionally cutting through landscapes or some weird textures here and there were thankfully generally harmless. More memorable were the times I had to restart a mission or two due to a critical NPC becoming trapped in a loop.
The visual fidelity of Far Cry 6 is significantly higher than those of its predecessors. Yara is a beautiful yet ancient island that has been brought to life with meticulous attention to detail. Its rich woods and beautiful coasts are breathtaking to see. The game contrasts them with slowly deteriorating urban settings, dilapidated rural homes, and a general lack of contemporary technology, giving the island a 1960s vibe. The use of the environment to tell a story is frequently more powerful than the script itself.
In terms of voice work, Esposito’s Antón is fantastic, and he gives some of the best monologues in the game. Other actors’ performances range from decent to excellent, and the improved animation quality helps to sell their efforts. The majority of the characters you meet along the way, though, serve as walking story devices, with a few exceptions. There isn’t always enough time to understand everything there is to know about these folks or to completely invest in their motivations. But, while the game’s fast pacing is a curse for the story and characters, it’s a blessing for the gameplay, so we have to evaluate the pros and cons.
Verdict
The intriguing Caribbean sandbox in Far Cry 6 has all of the superb gunplay and exploration we’ve come to expect from the franchise. However, the story’s tonal inconsistencies, as well as certain poorly developed gaming features, can take everything down a notch.
Despite these flaws, anyone who hasn’t yet grown tired of Ubisoft’s open-world formula will find Far Cry 6 to be a troubled but engaging chapter in the series.
