Far Cry 6 is the latest game in the Far Cry series. It’s a story about warfare, about reclaiming freedom and keeping the hope alive. Let’s deep dive into this game and see what it’s all about.
Far Cry 6 takes us to the tropical land of Yara. A land that used to have freedom and prosperity but is now under control by Anton Castillo. A dictator who has put the farmers into slavery and manufacturing a poison that can make someone hallucinate and go crazy.
You are playing through the eyes of Dani. You can choose Dani’s gender customizing your game experience as you please. An orphan who has had enough of Anton’s dictatorship and just wants to get off the island. You first foray into the game teaches you the basic of stealth. A skill that will be useful in missions that require you to go unnoticed.
Of course most of the missions does not require you to go stealthily. In fact, I don’t recall a mission where stealth was required. It’s an ideal option but it is mostly not required. A lot of the missions involves sneaking around though but thanks to your untrusty AI allies, you mostly get found anyway.
Once you get past the tutorial and the first few cutscenes of the game, you are then taken to your first island. This teaches you the basics of what each island has to offer. From the missions, to the sidequests and the miscellaneous things that you could do. After doing the main missions of this island, you will then gain access to the entire map. This is where you can actually go anywhere you want to and progressing the game however you want to.
The menus and features gets unlocked as you progress through the game. Gradually letting you take in what the game has to offer. I like this approach because it’s like you are actually learning like an actual person and doing it at a pace that is not too overwhelming.
One thing I noticed right away was that there’s no longer any skill trees present. Ubisoft must have noticed that this can be too overwhelming for players so they got rid of that. I agree that it kind of makes the game simpler. Making you focus more on the story and the encounters.
That doesn’t mean that you can’t customize your character though. There are still a lot you can do in terms of customization. One thing you can do is customize your weapons and unlock various mods and upgrades. Each upgrade has its own use so you can mix and match to suit your liking.
One thing to keep in mind though is that you can only install the mods and upgrade on the workbench. Luckily, the workbench is scattered about for you to use. Further into the game, you will have access to three primary weapons so that you can equip whatever weapon you may need for an encounter. You can change your loadout on the fly though so at least you don’t have to retreat from a battle in case you forgot to equip the right weapon.
You also have access to gear that is also designed for a specific encounter. There’s gear for the head, the chest, the legs, the arms and the feet. Gears come in sets and getting a set will provide a bonus perk. But there’s no one stopping you from mix and matching the gears as well. If you don’t like how the gear looks, you can also customize it by purchasing cosmetics using spray cans that you can collect in the world.
The maps are also laden with a lot of activities for you to do. You can do animal hunting, treasure hunting, take out military outposts, and so much more. In a typical Far Cry fashion, there’s a lot to do should you want to take a break from the main missions.
Far Cry 6 also has a plethora of characters that you will meet along the way. Each one wanting to aid you in your cause to throw off the tyrant Anton Castillo. The characters here are very interesting and has been fleshed out making them characters you will love. I haven’t been more invested in the lives of these characters that I want to make sure I protect them from harm. Reviving them when I see that they get downed.
Aside from the characters in the game, you will also have an Amigo, your animal partner in crime. There are five that you can get throughout the game with first being the crocodile Guapo. You can then acquire Chorizo next if you are going to a certain quest in the game. Chorizo might be my all time favorite as he not only distracts enemies and tag materials in the area. Petting him will also heal you and give you a defense boost.
I still feel that AI in this game should be improved as they tend to wander off on their own. They can also easily be found by the enemies if you don’t direct your Amigo to stay put. As for the NPC that joins you in missions, you can’t even order them around so they end up being found by the enemies. It’s not really ideal to go stealthy when you have an AI companion.
The world of Yara is vast and beautiful. There’s just so much to do and you could just get lost in its beauty and awe. It’s so immersive that you really feel you are part of the world. The people, the activities are just so engaging that you really get invested in what’s going on in the world.
What I also like about the quests is that some of the steps that you think are required to take are actually optional. Like for example, I had a quest where I was told that I can ride a helicopter towards my next quest destination but if you jump out of the helicopter the game continues on and just assumes you’re no longer interested in hitching a ride on the helicopter. In most games, this would end up in failing the mission but here, the game gives you the freedom to do whatever you need to do to get the quest done.
Far Cry 6 also introduces the “Guerilla trails.” These trails are indicated throughout the map that you can travel on to avoid the enemies in the game. Along the trail you will also encounter allies that will provide you with side quests or tips to where you can find treasures and places to invade. The trails will also be laden with the workbenches that you can use. This makes the game feel really accessible to anyone who just wants to play the game casually and not having to always go head on in battles.
The game really encourages you to explore the world and investigate every piece of paper that you find so that you can discover new quests or new chests that will contain valuable items and weapons. It’s truly a game that focuses on exploration.
Overall, Far Cry 6 is a step up from the previous games. It’s a game that feels so familiar and yet so refreshingly new. It’s a game with lot of activities that doesn’t feel like you are forced to do them but instead it becomes a welcome invitation to just relax and enjoy the many things the game has to offer. If you need a Far Cry game to get into, then this the game you have been waiting for.