Far Cry 4 is the latest installment in Ubisoft’s action game series. After the excellent Far Cry 3 fans of the series have high expectations.
I have been following the Far Cry franchise closely ever since the first game. Having reinvented itself for Far Cry 3, the series found a second life by going back to its roots. Showing technical prowess, the first person shooter took us on an adventure to Southeast Asia in a chain of tropical islands under the control of an insane drug dealer.
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This year the Ubisoft team takes us to the snowy mountains of the Himalayas. Here’s what I thought after playing two single player missions.
The initial bad trip
One of the demons I had to fight in Shangri La
The first level I tried out took place in the mythical land of Shangri La. Between the bad trip and the initial journey, this level follows the hallucinatory delusions of Far Cry 3.
These episodes are triggered when the main character comes into contact with the thangkas, ritual paintings that allow you to relive the story of a legendary warrior from the game’s mythology. In this alternate universe, realistic landscapes have been decked out in shades of orange and blazing golden hues to give a beautiful visual effect.
Back on deadly lands
In this hallucinatory adventure, the hero must defend the sanctuary of Shangri La against horrible masked demons. Your only weapons are a ritual dagger, a bow with a limited amount of arrows, and your pet white tiger.
My feline companion in action
By pressing a button, I could make the tiger attack enemies as I shot them with volleys of arrows.
The gameplay was enjoyable, original and refreshing and it left me with a very strong impression. With frantic action, disorientating graphics, innovative mechanics, complex structured levels, Far Cry 4 will blow you away!
The title by Ubisoft continues the radical momentum started by Far Cry 3 and the Blood Dragon expansion shaking things up in the world of first person shooters.
Intoxication is decimating
The second level I played took me to the high peaks of Kyrat. After the first few seconds of playing the game, I came to realize that the enemy soldiers were not the only threat. The environment is also a character.
The level began with a breathtaking jump in a wingsuit, a special suit that allows you to glide over long distances.
The chasm that I flew across in the Wingsuit.
After several unsuccessful attempts, I finally managed to get pass this obstacle. I found myself in a camp occupied by enemy soldiers.
The purpose of the mission was simple. Just like in Far Cry 3, I had to eliminate all forces and liberate the camp. Only this time, I had to cope with the harsh environment of Kyrat as well.
Climate and altitude play a part in the gameplay. For example, the game’s hero suffers from a lack of oxygen when in high altitude areas. A variable that must be taken into account before attacking. And the Kyrat wildlife throws in another obstacle.
Wild animals won’t always be on your side
I haven’t even mentioned the enemy soldiers now have new movement abilities similar to you. Opponents can jump across chasms and even climb to attack you.
A game for adults
Far Cry 4 takes players seriously which is nice. The two levels that I visited during my demo introduced me to the game’s mechanics. Ubisoft wants to shake the status quo that dominates the genre (thinking back to the gameplay in several levels of Far Cry 3) to create an element of surprise.
Much like Bioshock Infinite before it, Far Cry 4 raises the bar. It invites you on a real adventure and will most likely be a new masterpiece in the world of Ubisoft escapism.
Far Cry 4 will be released on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Xbox One on November 18, 2014.
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