Set in the fictional town of Hope County, Montana, Far Cry 5 looks stunning, plays well and is as good as the other games in the Far Cry series from Ubisoft. This is the first game set in the United States which has been a unique experience for all players.
Rook, short for Rookie, approaches Hope County with other U.S Marshals in order to search out Joseph Seed, also called “The Father” who has become the head of a cult called Eden’s Gate in the town and the surrounding area. He believes he must protect his congregation from a potential collapse. Given the impression from the beginning that he is definitely the antagonist and very horrible person, there really is no choice once things go horribly wrong and you find yourself cut off from any help coming to save you. Eden’s Gate might have numbers, but there is a few who will join you in taking down. Some of them are not even human.
Right away the first thing to catch me off guard were the graphics. The depth of the imagery had no bounds. Seriously, players might as well be playing in VR or better, right there in Montana with Rook. Details are so absolutely clear (like the impeccable details on clothing). This even includes the the aspects of the characters too. It’s hard not to get sucked in to the story when it’s like dealing with real people. The members of Eden’s Gate are over the top, but it is hard not to see them as exaggerated characters from real life. One of the most dangerous people are those who believe that their actions are blessed from a higher power. Is Joseph Seed pretending to be a prophet, or does he truly believe he has been sent by God?
If played right, the stealth features can be very beneficial. Although some have complained the the stealth features have been sub-par, it all comes down to playing the odds and working with the landscape. Everything else seems to run smooth. Controls move as they should along with the timing of Rook. The first ten minutes of the game throw you head first into running, shooting and hiding. The load times are amazing, and the action only pauses for a brief second before continuing. Much like the other games in the series , Far Cry 5 plays almost the same in terms of features like tagging and moment. One feature made it’s way from Far Cry Primal, as animals can be used to help the player. The radio towers are back as well, but they seem to be unique this time around.
Of course, taking back Montana is more fun with friends. The Co-Op is great and the different modes available make sure that even if you don’t spend time progressing the story, you will still be playing for hours on end. There are currently three different expansions and an Arcade mode where you design your own maps. With these types of add ons, you could be playing until Far Cry 6 comes out.
This game is beautiful to look at, has a story that hits a little too close to home, and has the potential to be played all year with the DLC and Arcade mode. Any fear that the Far Cry series had run out of ideas by setting the game in America were quickly put to rest. This game shows there are out there places even in our own backyard.
Far Cry 5 is available now on Xbox, PS4 and PC.
