Ever since Far Cry 3, sneaking my way through outposts eliminating enemies one by one has been one of my favorite things to do in video games. I’m happy to report that systematically taking down murderous thugs is just as fun in rural America as it is in the Himalayas, and that Far Cry 5 is another great game in the open-world series Ubisoft seems most willing to have fun with. It may be playing a familiar tune, but all of these combat, physics, and wildlife systems all mix together to create unexpected moments of intense and hilarious action.

This time around you play as a sheriff’s deputy, part of a task force sent into the fictional Hope County, Montana. Rural America may not be quite as exotic or exciting a playground as a tropical island or a secluded mountain, but it’s a gigantic open world where things are constantly blowing up, wild animals are pouncing, and a never-ending supply of cultists are lining up to be your target practice. The mountains, valleys, plains, forests, rivers, lakes, and caves of Hope County make it a place where there’s never a dull moment.With all of that scenery and action, Far Cry 5 is a nice-looking game, but it isn’t on the same level as, say, Horizon: Zero Dawn. Even comparing it to another recent open-world Ubisoft game, it’s not quite as attractive as Assassin’s Creed Origins. It’s generally good enough, but I was sometimes distracted by the pop-in caused by the density of the landscape. Even on the PS4 Pro, it’s hard not to notice all the magically appearing trees as you stroll through the wilderness. In fact, other than resolution on a 4K TV, there isn’t a stark difference between the PS4 and the Pro at all.

You can also count the number of unique cultist goon faces on one hand, so expect to be shooting the same faces over and over. Rounding out my technical complaints would be long load times – upwards of 60 seconds – on both PS4 and PS4 Pro, a couple glitched missions I had to restart, and the one time Far Cry 5 completely froze on me.

This dark corner of Montana is controlled by a man named Joseph Seed, a zealot leader who hasn’t left quite the same impression on me that Vaas or Pagan Min did in the previous two Far Cry games. He doesn’t have any particularly memorable lines, and his motivation for wanting to end the world is murky. But the story ends up in an unforgettable place, making this an open-world adventure that is worth seeing through to completion.


I like that, for the first time in a Far Cry game, you can choose between a male or female protagonist and do some light customization. Alas, it’s merely a cosmetic decision, as either way your character will be mute (so there’s no custom voice acting) and most people will refer to you as “The Deputy.” And for a series as bonkers as Far Cry, the customization options here are a little conservative. You unlock more as you progress, so it’s not as dire as it initially appears, but they are few and far between and rarely much more than a shirt or jeans. The one exception is a Far Cry Primal-style caveman/woman outfit, which is fun – I wanted to see more of that. But this being a first-person game, you won’t see much of yourself in the campaign anyway... unless you die a lot.
The vibe is like an ‘80s action movie that happens to be set in a conservative state.
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While most of the original soundtrack is the pretty standard action movie stuff you might hear in an episode of 24, the menu music is a very pleasant bit of acoustic Americana that I would listen to even if I weren’t playing. There are also a few original gospel songs sung by the cult choir that are both catchy and creepy.
Now, is Far Cry 5 an especially political game? I don’t think so. There are a few things you can point to as commentary on rural America’s relationship with guns and the Second Amendment, and I’ve encountered one character who is a satire of a stereotypical Trump supporter (he has a mission called Make Hope Great Again). But the story doesn’t seem to be making any grand statement about current events or political ideologies. The vibe is more like an ‘80s action movie that happens to be set in a conservative state. Rural America isn’t being ridiculed or laughed at here. Instead of leaning on stereotypes, the people you encounter are well-written, and most are charismatic and funny.


Every IGN Far Cry Review Ever

The Far Cry series and its off-shoots first appeared on the scene all the way back in 2004. Take a look at the following slides to see how we rated each game in the series.

Released Mar. 23, 2004, Reviewed by Tom McNamara.I started out loving this game. It had so much of what I'd been missing. Sure, it looks fantastic, but it also plays well and is satisfyingly long; each of the 20 levels should take you about an hour or more to play through, if you don't get risky and keep your head down. But I hit a few level design roadblocks that, combined with the Spartan save game system, made for some numbing repetition of load, die, load, die, load, die, ad nauseum, until I finally figured out the correct strategy. If Far Cry had manual saves, even a limited number per area or for the whole game, I would have been overjoyed. I really hope they add this in a patch, or perhaps add it as an unlockable feature."


Released Sep. 27, 2005, Reviewed by David Clayman.Far Cry Instincts is a must-play for anyone with a remote interest in shooters. The new feral abilities and completely redesigned single player experience mean that even gamers who played the heck out of the PC version will find value in this title. Graphically, the developers have clearly pushed the Xbox to its limit. Whatever quirks this game exhibits (fairly long load times and sporadic pop-in) are a product of trying to do too much on aging hardware. The map editor, multiplayer, and feral melee attack are reason enough to give this game a try, so stop reading and join the hunt."

Released Mar. 28, 2006, Reviewed by Charles Onyett.Though it offers little that's new, what really matters is if the game's still fun, which FCIE most definitely is. Slaughtering things with feral powers is always enjoyable, and the expanded multiplayer options help to keep this game entertaining long after you blaze through the new single player content. If you're thinking of buying this game, consider the following. If you never played FCI before and are looking for a new shooter experience, by all means get this game. If you were a big fan of FCI and are really into map modding, you'll appreciate FCIE's expanded options. If you were one of the many waiting for a true sequel to FCI, however, keep waiting."

Released Mar. 28, 2006, Reviewed by Charles Onyett <br><br> "Though it offers little new content, what really matters is if the game is still fun, which FCIE most definitely is. Slaughtering things with feral powers is always enjoyable, and the expanded multiplayer options help to keep this game entertaining long after you blaze through the new single-player content. If you're thinking of buying this game, consider the following: If you never played FCI before and are looking for a new shooter experience, by all means get this. If you were a big fan of FCI and are really into map modding, you'll appreciate FCIE's expanded options. If you were one of the many waiting for a true sequel to FCI, however, keep waiting."

Released Dec. 12, 2006, Reviewed by Matt Casamassina Ubisoft is a very talented development studio; one of the best in the world. Far Cry Vengeance does not represent even half of the company's potential. I can only imagine that the franchise's originator, Crytek Studios, is looking at this port and laughing; or maybe crying. If you want an action-filled FPS, get Call of Duty 3. And if you just want something pretty to look at, you're better off with Red Steel."
That story takes place on an open-world map that, in true Ubisoft fashion, is packed with so much to find and so .