How it All Began: Far Cry’s Origins

Fans first became acquainted with the series in 2004, when they commandeered Jack Carver and helped him survive the genetic-experimenting cesspool that was an uncharted island in fictional Micronesia. The first-person shooter dynamic combined with advanced graphics, focus on player-immersion and combat-realism, as well as a gripping narrative, created a game that instantly endeared itself to its audience.  

Over the course of almost two decades, what was supposed to be a novelty first-person shooting game has now spawned a highly-successful franchise, with Far Cry 3 alone selling over 10 million copies.

The Announcement of Far Cry 6 Took the World by Storm

In July 2020, Ubisoft held the online event Ubisoft Forward, revealing major titles across the many franchises of games licensed by them, including Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla and Far Cry 6. 

Two trailers were released for Far Cry 6; a cinematic title sequence trailer and an official reveal trailer. Now, usually, when a trailer for a game is released, it is expected to hit certain beats- open with the general premise of the game, reel in the viewing audience with its detailed graphics and then sell them on its gameplay elements, building anticipation for the finished product in layers that reach a fervent crescendo. 

Both of Far Cry 6’s trailers take this established formula and toss it out of the window by creating an entirely cinematic experience with no actual gameplay footage incorporated in it. The trailer plays like a film to showcase two things- one, the expert storytelling prowess of the series, and two, the next gen graphics of the game. 

A simple 4-minute clip manages to suspend our disbelief and sucks us into a world rife with beauty and strife.

Far Cry’s Storytelling Perfection is on Full Display in Far Cry 6’s Reveal Trailer

The Far Cry series has always set itself apart from other FPS games through the use of a simple device- gripping, edge-of-the-seat storytelling. While the structure of a Far Cry game has drastically changed since its launch in 2004, the core focus of telling a compelling story that keeps the player guessing has never been forgotten in transition- at least, not in the main titles of the game. This is the core aspect that was on clear display in Far Cry 3, the game that brought the franchise it’s unprecedented success. 

On paper, the story of the 3rd installment seems simple, somewhat like a Final Destination-inspired murder fantasy that ended up taking place on Fantasy Island. But, as the game progresses, so do the characters. The game’s main antagonist, Vaas Montenegro, only appears on screen on a few occasions, but each appearance makes a big impact. We can track the protagonist Jason’s fall from grace with every appearance made by Vaas, and by the end of the game, the simple premise has tricked you into this journey of a cult’s pursuit for their saviour and how one ‘bad day’ can change your life.

Michael Mando, the actor behind Vaas, brought each cut-scene to life with his hysterical in-your-face performance, and was one of the major reasons for the success of the game. Expect this characteristic trait of immersive storytelling to be front and center in the series’ next instalment.  

In Far Cry 6, fellow Breaking BadVerse alum Giancarlo Esposito portrays the game’s primary antagonist, Anton Castillo. 

Far Cry 6: What’s the Story?

Anton Castillo is the authoritarian ruler of the fictional country Yara, a place described as a “tropical paradise stuck in time”. For 50 years, Anton has ruled over Yara with an iron fist. Now, he is grooming his son Diego to one day continue his life’s work.
There is only one problem- rebellion. Guerrilla fighters have risen up against the brutal dictatorial regime and seek freedom. Dani Rojas (the protagonist) is a part of the movement to depose of the Castillos. The story is very reminiscent of the Cuban Revolution and will feature the series’ first completely urban environment in the form of the capital city of Yara, Esperanza. In fact, the game is set to have the largest map in Far Cry history, with the open world spanning through jungles and beaches in classic Far Cry fashion.

What Can We Look Forward to With Far Cry 6?

While most information and reactions to the material released so far has been positive, there is one glaring absence in the rollout of Far Cry 6– that of gameplay footage.  Ubisoft Toronto has been developing this game for over 4 years and it will continue to run on the Dunia 2 Engine, yet footage of the gameplay for Far Cry 6 has been as rare as spotting Big Foot. 

Ubisoft has even delayed the release of the game from an initial 2021 release to “sometime before April 2022”. So, we do not know if there are going to be any new additions or changes to the overall gameplay mechanics. 

We can, however, expect the game to retain its first-player focus. Role-playing elements have been incorporated more and more into the games as the series has grown and the open world of this instalment is expected to be massive. The player can choose either a male or female Avatar- a recent trend that most Ubisoft games seem to follow. 

The Buddy system is present as well, being rebranded as “Amigos for Hire”. The companion system should also be returning, seeing as the advertising for Far Cry has heavily featured Chorizo- a wheelchair-bound wiener dog with an appetite for destruction.

Although we have a fairly informative insight into the plot of the game, Ubisoft promises that narrative focus of this installment will take things to “the next level”- and if past games are anything to go by, we can’t wait to meet El Presidente. 

Gameplay Release Alert!

The wait is nearly over! Ubisoft will release the gameplay footage of Far Cry 6 live on May 28, Pacific Standard Time. 

Gamers, this is your reminder to plan your day ahead and gear up for the exciting event!

Where Can You Play Far Cry6?

Far Cry 6 will be extensively available on Playstation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Stadia, PS4 and Xbox One.

SOCIAL:

The wait is nearly over! Ubisoft will release the gameplay footage of the much-awaited Far Cry 6 live on May 28, Pacific Standard Time. 

Gamers, this is your reminder to plan your day ahead and gear up for the exciting event!

Check out this blog post to know all about Far Cry 6, and the legendary franchise.