Since its debut back in 2004, the Far Cry series has become one of Ubisoft's most iconic properties. The series owes its success to its engaging gunplay, charismatic antagonists, and chaotic open worlds. However, Far Cry's latest entries have often fallen short of expectations.
For various reasons, every Far Cry game since Far Cry 4 has been the target of criticism. This includes mainline games like Far Cry 5 and Far Cry 6 as well as spin-off games like Far Cry Primal and Far Cry New Dawn. While these recent games have followed the Far Cry formula for success, one of the series' most integral elements could be holding it back.
Far Cry Protagonist Tier List
Ubisoft's Far Cry franchise has seen a lot of main acts over the years, and some are more memorable than others in terms of storytelling and aura.
How Far Cry Could Benefit From Putting Open World Exploration on the Back Burner
The Ups and Downs of Far Cry's Open Worlds
Open world exploration has long been a core pillar of the Far Cry series' gameplay. Each entry in the franchise drops players into a remote and dangerous location where they must scavenge supplies, fend off wild animals, conquer enemy outposts, and complete missions for local revolutionaries in order to survive — all of which can be done at the player's own pace as they traverse an open world filled with unique biomes and rugged terrain. Though this approach to game design was a major draw for earlier Far Cry games like Far Cry 3, the concept of an Ubisoft open world has become a turn-off for many players.
After Ubisoft began applying the same open world design philosophy to game after game, it became less and less creative with the application of said philosophy. Whether it was in a Far Cry game or an Assassin's Creed game, the end result was a gameplay loop composed of raiding repetitive bases, climbing tower after tower, and completing predictable missions. While Far Cry 7 is supposedly taking steps to reinvigorate exploration, the series might just be better off taking a break from its open world format.
What a Linear Far Cry Game Could Look Like
Rather than devoting so much of its resources and development time to creating a vast open world that will likely be filled with repetitive side activities, taking a more linear route with a future Far Cry game could be just what Ubisoft needs to renew interest in the series. It would allow Ubisoft to focus more intently on writing the game's story and ensuring that the dynamic between the protagonist and antagonist is more satisfying than it was in Far Cry 5 and Far Cry 6. Considering how important villains have become to Far Cry, this is something that the game really needs to nail.
More time could also be spent experimenting with and polishing gameplay. Far Cry 5 brought the melee weapon and pet system from Far Cry Primal into the mainline series, and Far Cry 6 introduced Supremo gadgets and an RPG-esque gear system. However, the minute-to-minute gameplay in both games felt stale and watered down in certain areas compared to previous games. A smaller scale Far Cry would give Ubisoft the ability to not only devote more time to fine-tuning the gameplay but bring back some of the features — like Far Cry 3 and Far Cry 4's healing animations — that were skipped over in recent entries.
While it would be difficult for the Far Cry series to separate itself from the open world format, Far Cry has proven its capability when it comes to crafting more linear experiences in its games. Some of the most memorable sequences from Far Cry 4 were set in smaller zones outside the main map, like the prison escape sequence in the Don't Look Down mission. The remote nature of the prison combined with the initial helplessness felt by the protagonist to imbue the mission with that classic Far Cry feel, but the smaller scale allowed the developers to curate an effective and engaging gameplay sequence. If Ubisoft applied this sort of design to an entire campaign, then it could avoid multiple hurdles and address several of the series' weaknesses.
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