Far Cry 6: Mucha Diversión

I finished Far Cry 6 last month on my birthday but this time of the year is always crazy in my line of work. I definitely wanted to take the time to write about it though and since I’ve finally found the time, I’m going to dive right in. I’ve been a fan of the Far Cry series since it started, but these later titles have taken the franchise in a different direction.

Classic Far Cry Insanity

I think we can all agree, Far Cry games are best known for their over-the-top approach to action. Whether it’s chaining crazy takedowns together or blowing up entire outposts, the series has always given you many ways to approach enemies. Far Cry 6 is no different. You’ll get to experience everything the series is known for and enjoy doing so. In fact, if I am honest, this is the most fun I’ve had with the series since Far Cry 4.

Although I have played through the entire story, I still pop in to play the game just because I enjoy the gameplay that much. Once I found a loadout the worked well for me, I was almost unstoppable. Far Cry 6 adds some new elements too, to make it feel new and fresh. These new elements definitely add to gameplay and give the players more freedom in combat.

The first big change is something the game calls Supremos. These new backpacks give certain abilities to the player and can also be upgraded. For the majority of the game I used the one you start with because it shoots out rockets and was perfect for taking out helicopters. Later though, I experimented with the other ones you can craft and they were fun. Through the workbench you can attach different items to them as well, giving you full control over what your loadout will look like. Depending on your play style, there is a Supremo that is perfect for you. There are some that favor stealth and some that favor going in loud. There is even one built for healing.

A Story-Rich Experience

The Far Cry series is also known for its great storytelling. Primarily, in its development of the franchise’s villains. I haven’t loved a Far Cry villain as much as I did Vaas. However, Antón Castillo was definitely a great villain. Lately, the series has been putting some distance between the player and the villains. That doesn’t create many moments to see those villains in action. In Far Cry 6 though, you see what Castillo is capable of through stories heard from others. The lore scattered around the world.

Trust me, the world of Yara is insanely packed with lore and collectibles to help you better understand the world. In fact, this is probably one of the most lore-heavy Far Cry games and I adored that. It gave me the opportunity to immerse myself in the culture of Yara. I was also able to better understand the struggle these people were going through. I found myself more invested in Far Cry 6 because of its world development and not necessarily because of its character development.

There were characters I enjoyed of course, but I found that the best of Yara’s story came from side quests and notes you can find around the world. I fell in love with this fictional country and I wanted to do anything I could to save it. I felt like the pacing of the story and the freedom to approach it however you wanted also helped fuel that love. My Far Cry 6 experience was unique to me and I love when games can do that.

Chaos With Friends

Although co-op is fairly new to the series, they have continued with it and I have enjoyed that for the most part. You can still play the game alone, but co-op presents its own challenges and chaos. Often times when playing with my friend, we didn’t really accomplish much but we had a good time blowing stuff up together. For me, that’s what co-op is all about.

I wouldn’t encourage players to play the story with a friend, but I would encourage them to do the special operations together. The main storyline just seems better experienced alone. Ubisoft still hasn’t figured out how to perfect Far Cry co-op so things can be really weird at times. The special operations allow players to leave the main story and go to other areas to complete objectives. In my opinion, this separates things enough to justify bringing a friend along.

Honestly, the special operations can be difficult alone. Having a friend help you really turns the tides of these things. Plus, you get to use your loadout from the main story so you can find what works for you and then go in swinging. My friend and I had many laughs with this and still plan to do so more often in the future.

Blending New And Old Together

Far Cry 6 retains the changes the series has see throughout its installments. For me though, 6 really felt like a Far Cry game again. Many things have changed over the years, but I felt like Ubisoft did a good job blending those changes into an experience that still felt like Far Cry. These new changes are coming into their own and finally starting to work the way you’d want them to in Far Cry.

It was an adjustment going into this game and not seeing a skill tree. In a lot of ways though, skill tress can be a crutch and a false sense of progression if they aren’t done the right way. Without that weighing Far Cry 6 down, players are free to equip whatever gear they want for their desired abilities. The famous takedowns from the franchise are available right away. No need to wait for skill points to be obtained and spent.

I felt more freedom in this game and that’s really what Far Cry games are about. You can handle combat encounters however you want to. Ubisoft has worked on this in their Assassin’s Creed franchise as well. Players love that freedom and it makes for a completely unique experience. Whether you are new to the franchise or still have a bad taste in your mouth from previous installments, Far Cry 6 is definitely a smart and fun entry in one of Ubisoft’s bigger franchises.