For nearly two decades, Ubisoft has reigned over the open world FPS genre with the much belovedFar Cryseries. From the uncharted tropical jungles to the mountain villages of India, Far Cry has thrown players into wide open sandboxes filled with stories, enemy outposts, and memorable villains to encounter and overcome time and time again.
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For a franchise as storied and long-lived as Far Cry, some entries will inevitably prove to be grander in scale and more memorable than others. Some entries are good, but others have risen to be pillars of their genre and remain beloved and talked about years after they released.
9Far Cry Instincts & Predator
Two spin-off sister games from the original Far Cry, released bundled together and separately on multiple consoles. Following the original game, players are roped back into island-hopping gunfights to stop mercenaries and pirates that are up to no good. The gameplay shares a number of issues from the original, including unaware yet hyper-sensitive AI that find the player quickly and lay down accurate fire, making gameplay against groups of enemies frustrating and far more difficult than one may think.
The exploration and cheesy, high stakes B-movie plot help carry the game onward, and enemies without high grade weapons are more manageable than snipers and riflemen. For simple, console-focused FPS games, players could do far worse for a game selection, but there’s also far better options on the board.
The game that started it all, and a solid first attempt at what would become a multi-million dollar IP. The island and its many secrets are beautiful and engrossing, with solid gunplay for the era Far Cry first released in, with a forgettable but fun plot to keep the action going.
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There’s one major, glaring flaw that holds back the gameplay from being the best version of itself. Due to some programming errors, the enemy AI has a random chance of gaining super senses and immediately detecting the player, regardless of where they may be, in cover or otherwise. If this issue can be avoided or fixed with fan patches or solid luck on the player’s end, Far Cry is a beautiful foundation that showcases the direction the industry would begin leaning towards in the coming years.
7Far Cry 6
The tropical island of Yara descends into civil war of rebels versus the authoritative and exploitive government, with new and old weapons and improvised arms being put to use to further the rebel cause. Players are roped into an intimate story with overarching themes and conflicts as the country is freed by the player one section at a time.
With controversial RPG elements and microtransactions altering the weapon sandbox alongside the new super-weapons players can craft and upgrade,Far Cry 6is a notable departure from the comfortable status quo the franchise had been riding for several years. Beautiful and immersive, if a bit janky to play, Far Cry 6 is a fun romp that can kill time and create funny gameplay moments for players.
6Far Cry New Dawn
In the aftermath of Joseph Seed’s cult detonating nuclear warheads around the nation, a brightly colored post apocalypse has risen in its wake, where makeshift weapon mods and armor are the law of the land. With new hordes and warlords coming to power, players will have to use weapons that seem just as dangerous to use as they are against the enemy to bring peace and civility to the new world.
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The wacky and outlandish nature that’s always existed in Far Cry is cranked up to 11, and the insanity doesn’t stop until players emerge victorious or die trying. IfMad Maxis what players crave, thenNew Dawnis where they need to look.
5Far Cry 5
Talk about a bad first day on the job. Tasked with arresting a crazed cultist in Montana, a fresh-faced deputy finds themselves as the player’s vessel to rally the locals in fighting back against Joseph Seed’s twisted followers. Set in deeply rural United States territory, the player has access to arms and an array of vehicles to wreak havoc on the cult’s operations.
Rifles, rocket launchers, hunting bows, and shovels — alongsidededicated companions— are just the tip of the iceberg for what the player can utilize in the quest to liberate Hope County. If an open-world FPS with crazed cultists is what someone is seeking, they need look no further thanFar Cry 5and its array of insane and outlandish DLC expansions.
4Far Cry Primal
Getting back to the past,Far Cry Primalgoes full caveman by dropping players into the early days of hunter-gatherer tribes beginning to create lasting settlements. Enemy tribal warriors and man-eating beasts stalk the player at every turn, forcing players to get smart and run fast as spears and clubs become more sophisticated and animals are tamed and turned into allies.
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While the limited weapon pool can make combat stale at times, the wildlife and Neanderthal-based improvised tools keep the immersive and beautiful landscape engaging for players until the credits role. Far Cry Primal is one of the few AAA caveman games, andit does justice to the conceptthat many would’ve written off as impossible to do right.
3Far Cry 4
Civil conflict is a recurring theme in the Far Cry series, and the war between cultures and the future of the people of Kyrat is the driving force ofFar Cry 4. Lush Indian mountain ranges and forests are filled with dangerous wildlife and patrolling government goons and ambush opportunities for the player to exploit.
As the rich culture and conflicting segments of Kyrat’s people unfold before the player, they will find themselves immersed in a rich and well-rounded world worth exploring and mastering. Far Cry 4 is a rare example of immersion and insane gameplay flowing in near-perfect harmony.
2Far Cry 2
A technical marvel that showcases the possibilities of an open world with a reactive environment.Far Cry 2puts story on the backseat, though not ignored, and focuses on the technical aspects of the world and the immersive gameplay elements that put players on near-even ground with every enemy NPC they come across. Resources are limited, health drains quickly, weapons and ammo degrade over time and are sparse to find outside of expensive vendors and well-guarded outposts. Gasoline and some dry grass can start massive brush fires, disease can limit the player’s health and well-being, and being spotted by single enemies doesn’t automatically alert every enemy in the area.
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All of this restricted capability and overwhelming difficulty factors makes Far Cry 2 a game that forces players to tread lightly and avoid running and gunning like madmen. If deep immersion and slow, careful combat is what players want, Far Cry 2 is the first place they should look.
1Far Cry 3
A perfectly paced open world, an outstanding villain, and the perfection of Far Cry’s iconic formula.Far Cry 3’s tropical paradise hides new and ancient evils, all with their own agendas, all of which are driving the player towards the abyss of madness.
Vaas and his band of pirates — and his philosophical monologue about life and insanity — have elevated him to be one of gaming’sgreatest villains, making every encounter with him a treat. The gameplay and escalation of threat and difficulty is smooth and predictable, keeping the game fresh and enjoyable from beginning to end. Far Cry 3 is a game-changer in the games industry, and it holds strong as one of gaming’s greatest hits.
