HHW Gaming Review: ‘Far Cry 6’ Is A Liberating Good Time, With A LOT To Do

Ubisoft ups the ante with Far Cry 6, the latest chapter in the famed Far Cry video game franchise. Does this game return the beloved first-person shooter/adventure game to its glory? It most certainly does.

Living La Vida Loca

One common aspect that all Far Cry games feature is giving players so much to do in the games massive worlds while experiencing all kinds of mayhem. Before we are thrown into the madness that is Far Cry 6, the game explains how you are taken fresh out of the frying pan and into the fire with a gripping prologue. You take control of your character Dani Rojas, who you could decide to be male or female for your adventure. For our playthrough, we chose the male version of the reluctant protagonist.

The prologue also introduces Far Cry 6‘s main villain, Anton Castillo, a brutal but deceitfully charming dictator played brilliantly by the great Giancarlo Esposito (we will talk more about him further in this review). During your first encounter with Castillo and his loyal soldados or soldadas (soldiers) while attempting to flee the fictional island nation of Yaras, we see just how evil Castillo is. He orders one of his men to put a hot slug in an older woman and scuttles the boat leaving with his son. The latter was also trying to get away from his rule.

Like in any Far Cry game, where there is an evil villain and his massive army, there is a small group of people waiting for the right person to lead them and help them rise and take down their oppressor. From there, you are given a choice to join the revolution or take yourself to Miami. If you choose to stay, you are then tasked with the mission to convince three other factions scattered across Yara to join the fight and take down Castillo and his regime once and for all.

Far Cry 6 excels because it lets players engage in some crazy antics while embarking on its main story. The massive world of Yara is very much alive as random acts of destruction happen while traveling around the island while bumping Ricky Martin’s smash hit “Living La Vida Loca” or Camila Cabello’s “Havana” in your custom rides. You can also travel via other means like horses, a zebra (we’re not joking), boats, planes, helicopters, and even a buggy that can take you instantly from the roads of Yara to the skies.

The craziness fans have come to expect from the Far Cry franchise is taken to another level. Players are quickly introduced to their “amigos,” animal sidekicks that help you take down the bad guys, ridiculous, fully customizable weapons, and other side quests and side games that will have you saying what in the world?

We easily spent hours just engaging in treasure hunts, fishing, and hunting down animals before engaging in missions to help the game’s story progress. You can even spend some of your time partaking in cock fighter mini-game (pause), and, yes it’s pretty entertaining.

Viva La Revolution

While Far Cry 6’s craziness does get most of the attention, the main story is a gripping tale that is not only powered by the main characters but also by solid performances from its supporting ones. For the first time in a Far Cry game, the main protagonist, Dani, is given a voice. This addition helps push the story tremendously and gives your usually soulless character much more of a presence this time around. No longer are you just a tool of the rebel faction tasked with taking down targets and bad guys across the map.

Every character, including Castillo, is given their own time to shine in the game and don’t fall victim to being forgettable later on down the line as the story progresses. The island of Yara itself is a character in the game and is brought to life brilliantly due to how diverse it is. While it’s not called Cuba, the fictional island of Yara accurately captures the feel of the entire island nation, successfully recreating the stuck-in-time feeling the people of Cuba experience. We were amazed as we went from the beautiful beaches to the lush green forests, shanty towns, and even an abandoned park that hilariously rips off Jurassic Park.

Exploring Yara is an experience all in itself.

The Choice Is Yours

Another aspect we genuinely appreciate in the Far Cry franchise is that it gives players the ability to choose how to play. In Far Cry 6, Ubisoft takes that to another level giving the players the power to decide how they want to approach the liberation of Yara.

You can choose to embark on missions with a guns-blazing approach with your amigo by your side, or if you’re like us, go for a more stealth approach, and if you happen to get caught, still wreak havoc on Castillo’s forces and accomplish your goal. There is no right or wrong way, but do understand, if you choose to let one of your fully customizable weapons speak very loudly, Castillo’s army will come down on you with everything. If the notoriety meter hits the max, it means the dictator’s special forces are on the way, and trust us when we say they are not easy to deal with or evade. But, we must add that it is entertaining to unleash hell on them when they arrive, even if that means it will result in our death.

Speaking of weapons, Far Cry 6 offers players to acquire A LOT of them to use in their quest to dethrone Anton Castillo. With the help of the game’s weapons expert Juan Cortez, players are bestowed with a backpack called a “Supremo” that either shoots rockets, can discharge an EMP to disable vehicles, or instantly zap you back to life. Players can collect new Supremos by either progressing through the story or purchasing them.

Players can upgrade their weapons by collecting scraps of metal and broken glass in abundance throughout Yara. Dani’s “Resolver Weapon” requires you to steal uranium that can be found at anti-air gun sites that need to be taken out for you to fly around Yara freely without having to worry about being shot down. All upgrades take place at workbenches located at camps (also upgradable) you establish or encounter throughout Yara.

Dani’s sex isn’t the only thing that players can change. You can also change Dani’s gear. Each piece has a different perk that will aid you when taking on missions. For example, when tasked with burning Castillo’s miracle tobacco that also is a cure for cancer but also poisoning Yara’s citizens, you can put on gear that will protect you from the poison and keep you from burning up from the fire.

Again, the choice is yours, but don’t be surprised if you find yourself just sticking to one or two weapons and a particular look that become your favorites.

Final Verdict

Far Cry 6 is not perfect and does have its share of faults. Enemies appear almost too much at times, and engaging with helicopters and planes early in the game can be annoying because you’re not properly equipped to deal with them at that moment. While traveling through Yara, you might find yourself frustrated trying to navigate through mountains, and driving some of the vehicles like the buggy feels weird.

BUT, despite those issues, Far Cry 6 is easily one of the best entries in the franchise, delivering what players have come to love from it. It has a captivating story, an exceptional cast of characters, a protagonist with caring about and a villain who is worth remembering, and strangely likable even though he is a brutal dictator.

Far Cry 6 is worth every dollar and will only grow when the expansions hit the game. So go ahead and join the revolution. This game is a liberating good time.

*We conducted our review of Far Cry 6 on Xbox Series X*

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Photo: Ubisoft / Far Cry 6