Game Review: Far Cry 5

Been a while since our last game review hasn’t it? Ever wonder what’d it be like to romp through Montana with a slew of weapons at your belt, dozens of side quests to complete and a fanatical cult to mow down? Well… Far Cry 5 might be your cup of tea.

We begin with a rookie, nicknamed Rook, headed out to arrest one Joseph Seed, the leader of a fanatical cult called Eden’s Gate. They believe they are God’s chosen, for the upcoming war, that will engulf the Earth. You are then tasked with liberating the county from the three ‘Seeds’ of Joseph’s army. His brothers Jacob and John; and daughter Faith.

From then on, it’s Far Cry esc stuff. Side missions up the wazoo, collectables, random encounters, hunting, outposts and so on.

But it feels different. Everything feels refined. Side quests are fun and whacky. It embraces the ludicrousness of the situation through over-the-top characters and the freedom to do as you please. Skills are refined too. Perks are all you need now to get better. No more hunting for rare animals for holsters or crafting bigger bags.

Plus; no more radio towers, which is a welcome change.

The entire map is open to you from the first hour and it’s up to you to conquer it as you see fit. Eventually, through relevant story quests and side missions, you’ll progress to the area boss.

One thing which is always overlooked in Far Cry games is how much you despise the villains. Jacob is a militant psychopath, obsessed with weeding out the weak. John is a sadistic man obsessed with wiping away sin. And Faith is a young girl, twisted by her father’s ideology, using a drug called bliss to convert people to Eden’s Gate.

There is one problem, however.

The main story is far too serious. While the side missions embrace the weirdness that comes with their over-the-top USA, the tone shifts so suddenly between encounters it can be quite jarring.Also, minor spoilers, but the ending is…weak. To say the least. It’s either sequel bait or just a big slap in the face from Ubisoft for going down a route we didn’t expect them to.

It’s a very solid game. Far Cry 5 feels fresh. Ubisoft has done well in shaping the formula of the open world game into one that is genuinely enjoyable, up until a so-so finish.

3.5/5