Far Cry 6 is will be out only a few weeks away and we can’t wait! It’s been 17 years of Far Cry and the world still hasn’t had enough. Our next instalment of this iconic RPG shooter series leaves behind the mountains of Montana to the hot and tropical Caribbean.
Like all Far Cry games, Far Cry 6 is going to feel extremely familiar to longtime fans but expect some gameplay shakeups as well. As well as the series’ trademarked maniacal villain, all in all, our current dictator feels acceptably ominous. This time we’ll be in the thick of a revolution trying to oust a brutal dictator from power. It’s no drugged up Christian cult but I’ll take it.
Far Cry 6 will release on October 7th 2021 after much delay. Its launch date was originally Q1 of 2021 but was pushed back until this quarter. Unsurprisingly, Far Cry 6 will be another cross-gen release, heading to the PlayStation 4|5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC – Epic Games & Ubisoft Store and Google Stadia.
Before the game goes live here’s everything you’ll need to know about Far Cry 6.
What’s the story in Far Cry 6?
In Far Cry 6 you’ll be fighting in a revolution against the rule of Yara’s dictator Antón Castillo. (Played by Breaking Bad actor Giancarlo Esposito). It’s a dangerous time for the country, with the trailer showing government agents with guns and riot shields and civilians with explosives.
After ruling Yara with an iron fist for fifty years, the island’s ‘El Presidente’ Antón Castillo finds himself facing a violent uprising. As expected you’ll be playing the role of a revolutioinist. Dani Rojas (either male or female) an orphan and Yara native. Rojas leaves the army with the aim of escaping the island, but when Castillo’s forces murder many innocents in front of them, Rojas decides enough is enough and joins the revolutionaries. She’s there to open the eyes of the people to Castillo’s empty promises to restore the island.
“The idea with Antón is he definitely lulled people into believing this was the only answer for them. That he was the one that was going to solve all their problems,” Navid Khavari, Narrative Director says. “And so for us, it became super-interesting on the character side to explore the idea of, you know, there definitely were some people that voted for him, that believed in him, that now are regretting that choice; and there are those that still support him.”
The Tropical Nation Of Yara
One of the main game differences of Far Cry 6 is its setting. I know we’ve done a tropical setting via Far Cry 3 but the main difference will be in its city-scape. Aside from a couple of small villages or low lying buildings we’ve never really seen a proper town in a Far Cry game. Let alone a whole modern city like Yara’s capital of Esperanza. So you can expect more of a vertical / Assassin Creed kinda jump guerilla jump and kill play.
“The verticality is a complete game-changer,” said Khavari in an interview. “Being able to run across rooftops, use back alleys, fight against some of the toughest opponents in the game in this setting, I think is really unique and fresh.”
Far Cry 6 is, of course, open-world and features a range of areas within the island including beaches, waterfalls, jungles, villages, and the capital Esperanza. The rebels use tunnels and sewers to navigate the larger settlements undetected, but also have access to plenty of vehicles to drive around the island.
The animals inhabiting the island are a diverse mix of creatures, some of which can be deadly if provoked. Crocodiles lurk in the rivers, while flamingos and storks soar in the skies. Domesticated animals also live on Yara, and you’re able to ride on horseback if a car is not easily accessible.
Far Cry 6 Gameplay Changes
Far Cry 6 has a number of changes coming to the shooter. As we’ve seen from revealed gameplay and talks with the team working on the game. Here are some big ones:
- A lot of what used to be skill tree perks are now linked to armor and clothing items. For example gloves that give you a damage bonus against certain enemies, or pants that let you automatically repair your vehicle while you drive.
- Weapons can be upgraded with attachments and mods.
- New ‘Resolver’ weapons are improvised devices that require items found throughout Yara. Some examples are a flamethrower, mini-gun, and a CD launcher.
- ‘Supremos’ are last-resort devices that turn the tide of a fight. One such device is the Exterminador, which launches mortars from the equipped backpack.
- Quest markers can sometimes be given to you as a photo on your in-game phone. Which should make exploration more fun.
- Your ‘Guns for Hire’ are coming back as ‘Amigos’ and are only of the animal variety. So far we have Guapo, a gold-toothed crocodile, and Chorizo, an adorable dog in a wheelchair.
- Vehicles can now be customised with all sorts of additions, such as a plow or a mounted gun turret.
- You can also ride horses! Which was weirdly absent in Far Cry 5.
But one of the biggest change to the Far Cry formula is probably how character progression works. Since Far Cry 3, we’ve earned XP to unlock new perks and abilities in RPG-style skill trees – but not anymore. Now, almost all of your character progression is tied to your weapons and gear.
You do still technically level up, increasing your Guerilla Rank as you complete missions, clear outposts and checkpoints, and generally do all the Far Cry-ey stuff. But instead of earning skill points to unlock different abilities, you’ll move up the resistance army’s ladder, which gains you access to new weapons and items which can then be customized to fit your preferred playstyle or meet a specific challenge.
The simplest way to look at it now, I think, is like this: instead of picking a ton of upgrades you’ll always have, you now swap between them like separate loadouts.
Far Cry 6 Post-launch Content
It wouldn’t be a Far Cry game without DLCs coming into the mix. Whether it’s loosely related to the game or previous Far Cry games, it’s always worth getting the Season Pass if you love Far Cry.
Far Cry 6 comes with three upcoming DLCs based on Far Cry’s Become The Villain. Where you can embark on a new twisted adventure as you play from the perspective of Vaas, Pagan Min, and Joseph Seed. Each DLC will feature a new open world that is a physical representation of each villain’s mind
The next brings back Far Cry 3’s Blood Dragon. A retro-futuristic Kick-Ass Cyber Shooter to current-gen consoles.
