Far Cryis arguably Ubisoft’s most popular open-world franchise. Over 17 years since the release of the first iteration of this plot-driven sandbox series, not many dramatic changes have been made to its core formula. The pivotal moment in the history of the franchise was 2012’sFar Cry 3.This game is the embodiment ofUbisoft’s signature “open-world formula"that it has been striving to improve and polish through toFar Cry 6, but also in other popular franchises likeAssassin’s CreedandWatch Dogs.
Despite the enormous commercial success of these titles, many fans and critics say the formulaic nature of Ubisoft’s open-world games is getting stale, and feel a true revolution is needed to reinvigorate these franchises. However, sales numbers and review scores seem to suggest what’s there still works, withFar Cry 6being no exception. Players hoping for a radical change might be disappointed, but others could argue that such changes are unnecessary given how well the series has been performing.
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The Far Cry Formula Works
While arguments for restructuring some of the core gameplay mechanics inFar Cryare not unfounded, the fact is the “Ubisoft formula” remains effective in terms of creating stunning, interactive environments full of things to do and secrets to uncover. Legions of players eagerly awaitnew Ubisoft releasesevery year. Granted, the abundance of icons, collectibles, and waypoints does break immersion in a noticeable way, but on the other handFar Crygames were never supposed to be believable experiences that make players believe they are truly a part of the world.
On the contrary, one of the best things aboutFar Cryis the fact it lets gamers wreak havoc in a tropical setting without taking anything too seriously. There are plenty of story-focusedshooterswith long campaignsthat take the gritty approach in trying to present accurate depictions of war-torn settings and tell heart-wrenching stories.Far Cryhas never pretended to be anything other than a playground to get lost in so players can create their own adventure, with a story that manages to keep things interesting while never getting in the way.
InFar Cry 6,the developer provides a beautiful world with tools for players to be the main creative force. It’s a dynamic that has been at the core of many Ubisoft’s open-world franchises, and it’s arguably one of the main reasons it became one of themost successful game publishersin recent years. Reinventing theFar Cryformula in its sixth iteration would inevitably have upset that dynamic, resulting in a loss of identity its creators have worked so hard to establish.
Same Old Fun With Extra Gadgets
The “Far Cryformula” is a broad term that encompasses too many things to list out. In general, mostFar Crygames are set in war-torn, tropical open worlds, and their plots revolve around a charismatic villain with total control over the territory. The players' main task is to eradicate that control, one outpost and enemy base at a time until the antagonist is weak enough to be tackled head-on. This is the core of theFar Cryexperience, topped off withwacky side missionsand collectibles.
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Despite the fact all of the games in the franchise play out in a similar manner, Ubisoft tinkers around with each newFar Cryrelease, trying to perfect the loop that has generated tens of millions of sales over the years. For many fans, the most memorable entry wasFar Cry 3.It was the first title to introduce a fleshed-out,archetypalFar Cryvillainwith a cult-like following, as well as a massive open world with viewpoints, enemy outposts to capture, side quests, and collectibles to dig deeper into the history of the setting.
The third entry in Ubisoft’s hit franchise is often cited as the first that truly embodies theFar Cryformula and itssignature gameplay loop, but many tend to forget that a lot of these exploration mechanics were introduced in 2008’sFar Cry 2and improved upon over the four years leading up to the release ofFar Cry 3.
The Right Changes Aren’t Always Radical
The enormous success of the third game led Ubisoft to play it safe withFar Cry 4,which ended up looking and feeling like story DLC forFar Cry 3rather than a proper standalone title. The fourth installment, while still havinggreat graphics at release, is responsible for starting the debate regardingFar Cry’sformulaic nature.
It’s true that the developers took the easy way out with a sequel to one of the best open-world first-person shooters ever made at the time, but this wasn’t the formula’s fault. The best proof isFar Cry 5,whose best moments echo the franchise’s past (including the chilling Joseph Seed, improved gunplay, and capturing outposts), meanwhile its lows had a lot to do with moving away from theclassicFar Crytropes(such as using rural Montana instead of a vibrant tropical island, or its boring and voiceless protagonist).
Far Cry 6righted the wrongs of its predecessor, and in doing so has come closer to the “formulaic” roots of the series. This is not to say no changes have been made; incorporating a big, living city into the open world, adding more pet companions with special abilities, including customizable weapons and outfits, anddoing away with a silent protagonistfor the well-written Dani Rojas have all contributed to aFar Crytitle that feels familiar, yet manages to keep players invested in the franchise.
This wasn’t achieved by pivoting away from the series' core identity, rather by implementing organic improvements to the concept that made thesebig open-world gamessuccessful in the first place. Despite legitimate criticisms regarding its repetitive nature, Ubisoft’s open-worldformula still works and shows no signs of stopping, as evidenced by the overwhelming interest and hype generated by therelease ofFar Cry 6.Some more changes could be made down the line, but it’s not likely to revamp everything anytime soon.
Far Cry 6is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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