Far Cryis a franchise all about iconic villains, chilling but unique atmosphere, and its overarching themes of “insanity.” At least it has been sinceFar Cry 3and arguably earlier, butFar Cry 5seemed to ignore much of the atmospheric elements of past games. The fifth entry has all the staples of a properFar Crygame, and yet, the gameplay experience is far more stereotypical and silly compared to pastFar Crygames. The villain’s screen time is split into thirds among his three “apostles” sub-villains, and the game never really takes its narrative or atmosphere seriously.Far Cry 6wants to change that, and everything shown of the sixth entry so far seemingly proves that.
Leaving Hope County and the Seed family behind,Far Cry 6brings the series to a revolutionary setting in the fictional country of Yara. Players take on the role of a citizen of this Caribbean nation who’s engulfed in the political revolution, taking the fight to Anton Castillo’s dictatorship. BothFar Cry 5andFar Cry 6are tackling themes of resistance and uprising, but in completely different manners. WhereasFar Cry 5’s narrative never really takes itself seriously and prioritizes gameplay, the impression ofFar Cry 6(so far) is that the next entry is placing an even greater emphasis on the game’s world and story.
RELATED:Far Cry 6’s Delay is Surprising, But Ultimately a Good Thing
Far Cry 5’s Atmosphere Was Far Different Than Previous Entries
Back whenFar Cry 5was first teased, it was a chilling first glimpse. Several short teasers of Montana landscapes, bookended by some jarring incident, whether it was a body floating in the river or someone getting slammed into a church bell. It’s the kind ofatmospheric insanity that previousFar Crygames were all about, and also (no pun intended) hammered home the game’s American cultist setting aptly. Then the game was officially unveiled and it was almost like the polar opposite: monster trucks with American flags, absurd caricatures of villains, and an overall much more zany and stereotypical atmosphere. Any semblance of nuance in those teasers was lost.
From whatFar Cry 6has revealed so far in interviews and trailers thus far, the two games seem nothing alike.Far Cry 5did showcase Joseph Seed as its central antagonist, but a majority of the game focuses on the ensemble cast of his “apostles” instead. Joseph Seed’s villainy inFar Cry 5was admirable when he did have screen time, but his brothers and sisters acted as fragmented, lesser versions of the game’s true villain. Their motivations were questionable at best, and nonsensical at worst. If anything, players just wanted to defeat these villains because they were annoying, not compelling.Far Cry 6is clearly taking a different approachthis time around.
Taking a More Grounded Approach in Far Cry 6
It’s clearFar Cry 6is taking a similar approach to previous entries, more akin toFar Cry 3orFar Cry 4’s narrative and world. The game still places a singular tyrant at the core of the game’s story, but from everything shown of the game’s world thus far, it runs parallel with the game’s villain instead of against them.Far Cry 5’s world and gameplaydid everything in its power to not take the game’s story seriously. With Giancarlo Esposito playing the role of the game’s villain, it’s clearFar Cry 6is going for a much more serious tale of resistance compared toFar Cry 5. The supporting characters in the story mostly seem to echo that same seriousness as well.
For one thing, the main characterDani Rojas is a fully-performed protagonist inFar Cry 6. Dani Rojas is a reluctant revolutionary who grew up in Yara, and will presumably be thrust into the game’s conflict. Aside from maybeFar Cry 4’s Ajay, Dani probably has the most interesting background compared to any otherFar Cryprotagonist before them. Dani’s voice and motivations will be a welcome return forFar Cryfans, especially sinceFar Cry 5’s silent protagonist made the game’s story far less impactful compared to previous titles. Even ifFar Cry 3’s Jason was the least interesting video game protagonist, his presence alone made Vaas' villainy much more impactful. Dani is less of a “fish out of water” protagonist compared to previous games, which makes their presence far more interesting in the game’s story.
Far Cry 6 Already Has a More Interesting Narrative Hook
Far Cry 6also adds a human element to Anton’s villainy, which could make or break the game’s narrative. Anton’s son, Diego, adds an element of vulnerability and character motivation for the antagonist. So long as Diego’s character arc doesn’t feel insignificant compared toFar Cry 6’s overarching narrative, Anton’s son posesan interesting opportunity forFar Cry 6’s narrative.Far Cry 5had Joseph Seed’s brothers and sisters as his allies, but their subsequent defeats at the hands of the protagonist don’t even seem to phase him, at least not tangibly. Diego represents a chance to capitalize on a very human aspect of Anton Castillo, a chance that’s hopefully not wasted.
At least for now,Far Cry 6seems to be battling all of the issues that plaguedFar Cry 5’s story. Pair all of the aforementioned benefits withthe game’s revolutionary setting in the Caribbean “Yara,“and already the game has a more interesting hook. Going for a Cuban Revolution-inspired atmosphere pairs with theFar Cryfranchise framework quite well, and Giancarlo Esposito’s casting as the villain is only going to make the story more compelling. Again, no shame to the villain’s portrayal inFar Cry 5, but the writing and character design for the Seed family never reached the highs ofFar Cry 3and4. HopefullyFar Cry 6can achieve similar narrative heights.
