As a passionate gamer and content creator who loves open world first-person shooters, I wholeheartedly recommend Far Cry 6 in 2024. While it doesn‘t revolutionize the franchise‘s formula, it provides a huge and beautiful island sandbox full of chaotic emergent gameplay. Read on for my detailed thoughts.
At a Glance
Far Cry 6 is absolutely worth your time in 2024 if you enjoy captivating open world adventures and engaging first-person shooter gameplay. Exploring the tropical island of Yara provides countless hours of chaotic fun.
Some criticisms of Far Cry 6 are valid – the story loses momentum, and it doesn‘t innovate much on Far Cry 5. However, the superb villain, massive open world, and excellent core gameplay make Far Cry 6 one of my favorite games of 2021.
Overview and Critical Reception
- Far Cry 6 released on October 7, 2021 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
- Developed by Ubisoft Toronto and published by Ubisoft
- Metacritic scores: 79 on PC, 75 on PS5, 73 on Xbox Series X
- Sold an estimated 3.5 million copies in its first month
- As of Jan 2022, has over 10 million unique players (source)
Reviews praised the massive open world, strong performances, beautiful graphics and environments. But many critiques focused on repetitive mission design and a lack of innovation from previous entries.
In my opinion, the pros outweigh the cons by a long shot. While not revolutionary, Far Cry 6 is a polished execution of the series‘ core formula.
Is the Story Any Good? A Tale of Revolution
The story follows Dani Rojas, a guerilla fighter on the tropical island of Yara seeking to overthrow the fascist dictator Antón Castillo. Castillo is played masterfully by Giancarlo Esposito, who steals every scene with magnetic menace and rage.
This narrative of revolution against a brutal regime remains engaging and relevant. It begins strong, though loses momentum in the bloated final act.
- You spend around 23 hours on just the critical main story path
- Dani Rojas is not the most memorable protagonist, acting mostly as an avatar for the player
- Juan Cortez (voiced by Oscar Jaenada) is a much more likeable character
The wonderfully realized tropical island atmosphere pulled me through the story‘s lulls. The environment tells stories through propaganda, architecture, and seamlessly integrated world-building.
While the narrative has issues, the performances, setting, and relevance of its themes make it succeed more than it fails. After 70 hours, I was satisfied with my experience.
Addictive, Chaotic Gameplay in a Beautiful Open World
Far Cry‘s open world first-person shooter gameplay shines here, delivering insane chaos and freedom across a stunning island paradise.
Massive Open World Sandbox
- Yara‘s size is around 12 square miles according to estimates – smaller than FC5‘s map but packed with diverse biomes
- Jungle, beaches, farmland, cities, industrial zones, and more make exploration exciting
- Beautiful graphics and dynamic weather like tropical storms
- Detailed environment tells an immersive story through propaganda, architecture, etc.
Yara provides an incredible backdrop for Far Cry‘s signature emergent gameplay moments. Storming beaches under mortar fire or fending off swamp alligators always feels epic.
Satisfying Gunplay and Stealth
The first-person shooting fundamentals are rock-solid. Ranging from pistols to RPGs, each weapon feels great to wield. Stealth melee and bow kills are also endlessly satisfying.
- You can silently headshot enemies or go in guns blazing – both are rewarding playstyles
- Makeshift weapons like the CD launcher or nail gun encourage creativity
Taking over camps undetected or causing explosive chaotic rampages never gets old across dozens of hours. The core gameplay loop still holds strong in FC6.
Freedom Through Vehicles and Side Activities
Driving tanks through tropical beaches or flying a fighter jet never stops being fun. The huge map and diverse terrain make vehicles exciting.
Tons of side activities like racing challenges, treasure hunts, and wacky guerilla operations add variety to the experience. Yara invites free-form exploration and experimentation.
While the main story has some repetition, the open world activities kept me engaged for 70+ hours.
How Does It Compare to Other Far Cry Games?
Far Cry 6 stays true to the formula of recent entries like 3, 4, and 5. It doesn‘t deviate much or take bold risks, instead iteratively improving the existing template.
Far Cry 6 vs. Far Cry 5
- Map size is comparable but more diverse biomes in FC6
- FC5‘s Montana setting feels more cohesive vs Yara‘s diversity
- Both suffer from too much repetitive content padding out the game
- FC6 has more satisfying stealth and gunplay, with fun guerilla makeshift weapons
- FC5 has a slightly better-paced story and villains
- FC6 adds quality of life improvements like standing on vehicles
FC6 edges out FC5 thanks to refined gameplay and a more vibrant world, but both offer a very similar experience.
How Long to Beat Far Cry 6?
- Main story: 23 hours
- Main + extras: 37.5 hours
- Completionist run: 70.5 hours (source)
Far Cry 6 is certainly one of the longest in the franchise, with a completionist run exceeding 70 hours. The narrative drags in the back half with repetitive resource gathering quests. Focus on the critical story path and faction missions to avoid boredom.
Where It Ranks Among Far Cry Games
In my personal Far Cry rankings, I would put the games in this order from best to worst:
- Far Cry 3
- Far Cry 6
- Far Cry 4
- Far Cry 5
- Far Cry Primal
- Far Cry New Dawn
- Far Cry 2
Of course, ranking comes down to personal taste – FC3 remains my favorite for the iconic Vaas villain, while FC2 has its defenders for the hardcore survival mechanics.
But I believe FC6 earns a very strong #2 spot. The refined gameplay and rich world-building push it just above FC4 and FC5.
The Verdict – Absolutely Worth Playing in 2024
For shooter fans, Far Cry 6 is a must-play. While it doesn‘t reinvent the franchise, the flawless execution of the core Far Cry formula makes it a joy.
The pros heavily outweigh the cons:
Pros
- Satisfying first-person shooting with plenty of options
- Huge, beautiful, dense open world that‘s fun to explore
- Memorable performance by Giancarlo Esposito
- Chaotic emergent gameplay moments
- Fun scenarios like weaponized CD launchers
- Meaty game length provides good value
Cons
- Story loses focus in second half
- Repetitive mission design
- Forgettable protagonist
- Not much innovation from FC5
Far Cry 6 delivers chaos, action, and fun in spades across a stunningly realized tropical island. Brand new players and series veterans alike will find plenty to love in the insane guerilla antics against Anton Castillo‘s regime.
While not flawless, FC6 is absolutely one of the best entries in the franchise and deserves a spot in any FPS fan‘s library. Especially with discounts bringing the price down in 2024, I couldn‘t recommend Far Cry 6 more. Just be ready for a long and wild ride through jungles, beaches, and cities brimming with emergent gameplay possibilities.
