Far Cry 6 – Review
One of the best things about Far Cry 6 is that it’s more Far Cry – the question is – do you want more Far Cry? For me, who didn’t really jive with the last couple of entries in the series, the answer is a resounding YES! I have been waiting for a great Far Cry game for years, and Far Cry 6 is definitely a great Far Cry game!
Pros:
Looks stellar
Exotic location
Fun story
Great characters
Tons of content
Cons:
Not a not of new features
Score – 9/10
In many ways, Far Cry 6 is a return to form for Ubisoft. It brings back the exotic landscapes from the previous games, while also attempting to incorporate many of the lessons learnt from 5 and New Dawn. The end result is perhaps one of the best Far Cry games to date.
The plot is perhaps more important in Far Cry 6 than in any other Far Cry game. This time, you’ll take on the role of Dani Rojas, a guerilla soldier fighting to restore Yara, a fictional, Cuban-inspired nation, to its former grandeur. A crew of lieutenants led by none other than Antón Castillo, a vicious dictator who has taken complete control of the entire island, stands in their way. It may sound like a standard Far Cry plot, but Far Cry 6 departs from the franchise’s previous entries in a significant way, and while this may irritate some purists, I believe it is for the better.
However, it’s difficult not to observe that two independent tales are unfolding in an unusually disconnected manner. Until the very end of the novel, almost every scene involving Antón and his son Diego has little to do with what Dani is doing. Dani’s and Antón’s stories are both intriguing. However, they’re almost too dissimilar to be from two different stories set in the same planet. Nonetheless, both are engrossing, and when they finally converge, it feels satisfying, if not a little predictable. I’d be negligent if I didn’t highlight how well Giancarlo Esposito and Anthony Gonzales play Antón and Diego, even if Giancarlo’s character is dangerously close to becoming a typecast for the actor.
The removal of the skill tree is the most visible and immediate alteration. Far Cry 6 instead offers distinct powers and abilities through pieces of gear found around Yara, which is a staple of practically every open-world game of this type. I liked this idea right away because it kept me on my toes — I used to reach to the end of a Far Cry game and be unstoppable to the point where there was no challenge. Now I can browse through my gear and select the ideal equipment for the mission I’m about to undertake. I was also pushed to swap up my gear much more frequently in order to get the best combination of skills given what I had at the time.
The Supremos are the other major new feature in Far Cry 6. They’re custom-made backpacks with a special ability (similar to an ultimate in other shooters) and multiple spaces to fill with various gadgets. Gadgets are similar to those found in previous Far Cry games, ranging from simple throwing knives to more complicated auto-turrets and proximity mines. The ultimates, on the other hand, are entertaining abilities that contribute to the pandemonium we’ve come to expect from Far Cry games.
Performance And FSR – AMD Takes The Cake Again
Not only does Far Cry look great, but it also runs pretty impressively as well. AMD and Ubisoft have done a stellar job optimizing the game for PC. Plus the features offered by AMD, namely FSR and FidelityFX CAS make sure you get an amazing combination of both visual fidelity and performance. From the beefy RX 6900XT to the mid-range RX 580, there’s no card that can’t run this game properly. Of course, the settings and resolution may vary, but you’ll always get a consistent 60+ FPS framerate.
We tested the game on a variety of cards, and you can take a look at the results below.
Since Temporal AA causes edges to be a little blurred out, FidelityFX CAS is a huge bonus if you want to get that sharp image back. And FSR upscaling makes even the most entry-range GPUs a beast too, giving you a performance boost that can help you run the game at higher resolutions while still retaining the high quality in the image. That’s how our 1440p went to a smooth 4K on the RX 5700XT too. It’s the best of both worlds, and we can’t help but be impressed every step of the way. We only hope that AMD continues to partner up with more publishers to bring these features to all gamers.
Make no mistake about it: Far Cry 6 is the best Far Cry game in a long time. The game restores the exotic locations that have been lacking since Far Cry 3 and Far Cry 4, as well as adding yet another captivating antagonist to the franchise’s illustrious pantheon of villains. But, more importantly, it’s a joy to play, with a unique arsenal brimming with personality and a depth of content that’s not only extensive but also entertaining.
