Console Corner: Far Cry 5 review

Big, bold, beautiful and brilliant.
Joseph Seed takes centre stage as a charasmatic cult leader in Far Cry 5Joseph Seed takes centre stage as a charasmatic cult leader in Far Cry 5
Joseph Seed takes centre stage as a charasmatic cult leader in Far Cry 5

I suppose it goes with the territory but there never seems to be enough space here when reviewing open world sandbox games.

Lack of space is not a problem you will have in Far Cry 5, though, in what is undoubtedly Ubisoft’s biggest and best openworld yet.

If you are a fan of the Far Cry series then rest assured the tried and tested routine of man against the world in harsh environments is alive and well.

In FC5 you will take on the wilds of Hope County, Montana to slowly build a resistance to charismatic preacher Joseph Seed and his cult who hold a dictatorial rule over the area.

Trapped with a task force in Hope County you must work alongside factions of a Resistance to liberate the county from Seed’s and Eden’s Gate rule.

Mad despot takes over rural wilderness and must be overthrown... sound familiar? Yes but in FC5 the series has truly been set free from the shackles which have dogged previous Ubisoft openworlds in the Far Cry series as well as Assassin’s Creed and Watchdog.

The biggest change is that you are finally in control of your own destiny and progression. This will please the majority and makes for an infinitely better gaming experience.

BUT for those that like lineal, step-by-step game progression then suddenly being thrust into the game with the entire region of Hope County immediately open for exploration and little by way of direction on what to do first or next could prove daunting.

Scale, choice and decision making are immense but can prove somewhat intimidating. However you like your action-adventure first person shooters this is definitely a good problem to have!

The gameplay and more importantly gunplay is slick and on point as ever and the dynamic open world begs to be thoroughly examined and explored and that requires time.

Some story missions can be a grind but the organic discovery element more than makes up for that and then some. The Specialists and Guns For Hire recruitment/buddy system is superb and Far Cry Arcade has frightening potential with gamers able to build and share small maps that have single player, two-player co-op and multiplayer objectives using elements from a host of Far Cry games and Assassin’s and Watchdog titles.

FC5 is so big, so organic and so exciting I cannot speak highly enough of it. While the plot may sound crazy there is actually a seriously good story and excellent characters threading it together. Where the series will go next is anyone’s guess but it will have a lot to live up to.

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