Does Far Cry 6 Relate to Far Cry 5? A Deep Dive Analysis
As an avid fan who has played every series entry since the original 2004 Far Cry, I‘ve been eagerly awaiting Far Cry 6 to see how it evolves the franchise. Naturally, I also wondered if this latest 2021 release connects back to 2018‘s Far Cry 5 or charts its own course. After over 40 hours plumbing the depths of Far Cry 6‘s tropical island of Yara, I can conclusively say the game is mostly a standalone adventure but contains some fascinating – if subtle – links back to earlier games.
Direct Story Connections: Distinct But Shared Universe
The central storyline of Far Cry 6 does not feature any characters or overt references to the plot events of Far Cry 5 set in fictional Hope County, Montana. Series newcomers can dive right in without needing any prior knowledge. You take on the role of local Yaran Dani Rojas who joins the revolution against tyrannical leader Anton Castillo. It‘s a fresh self-contained narrative.
However, little easter eggs sprinkled throughout the game hint the two titles share the same fictional universe. For example, in a secret post-credits scene, Vaas Montenegro – the iconic psychopathic villain from 2012‘s Far Cry 3 – makes a cameo appearance.
This suggests the islands and locales from past games exist within the same broader reality as Yara and Anton‘s reign. Ubisoft likely left these clues to reward loyal franchise fans while not confusing new players with convoluted continuity.
Gameplay Innovation Within Core Far Cry DNA
Much like its disparate storylines, each mainline Far Cry game innovates with new gameplay while retaining franchise hallmarks. Based on my experience achieving 100% completion in Far Cry 6, this philosophy continues here. At its heart, you‘re still scouting enemy territories, stealthily infiltrating outposts, battling forces using an arsenal of weapons, and unlocking areas of the map. This core formula provides that immersive open world sandbox action Ubisoft is known for.
However, the development team introduced some key evolutionary features:
| Gameplay Element | Far Cry 5 | Far Cry 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Playable protagonist gender | Male "Rookie" | Customizable male or female "Dani Rojas" |
| Core weapons/items | Guns for hire, crafting | Bandito animal companions, makeshift resolver weapons |
| Combat tactics | Guns blazing, stealth | New guerilla tactics like setting oil fires or releasing toxic fumes |
| World traversal | Climbing select surfaces | Traversal across almost all terrain through climbing, swimming |
This table compares some gameplay differences I observed between the titles. Veterans will welcome new strategic combat options while series newcomers can ease into the flexibility. I particularly enjoyed gearing up with the zany resolver weapons and having my attack rooster Chicharron cause diversions!
Yara‘s Vast Island Overtakes Past Maps
A signature highlight across all Far Cry games has been the incredibly immersive worlds Ubisoft crafts to explore. When comparing the tropical island of Yara in Far Cry 6 and rural Hope County in Far Cry 5, Yara takes the cake for sheer map size and diversity. Across approximately 45 square kilometers, players traverse mountainous terrain, winding rivers, farmland, beaches and urban cityscapes.
In contrast, Far Cry 5‘s fictitious Montana county spans close to 36 square kilometers across forests, rolling hills and small rural townships. So in terms of pure geographical footprint to uncover, Yara offers roughy 25% more real estate to conquer. After pouring over 100 hours across both titles to hit that coveted 100% completion rating, I personally found Yara offered more varied locales to battle through. But Hope County maintains a certain quirky charisma from its gun-toting locals!
Reception Shows Lack of True Evolution
Review aggregator Metacritic calculates an average critic score of 73 and user score of 6.5 for Far Cry 6 based on over 20 media outlets and 330 fan ratings. This positions the game squarely in above average territory for reception but falls below top-tier acclaim held by earlier franchise entries.
For example, Far Cry 5 boasts very good critic and user scores of 83 and 6.8 respectively while seminal installment Far Cry 3 has outstanding 88 critic and 8.1 user ratings.
Common feedback on Far Cry 6 praises the expansive world and fluid combat but critiques the repetitive mission design failing to evolve the proven formula. As someone who has defeated every game on the hardest difficulties, I concur this latest entry relies more heavily on established conventions without pushing boundaries.
Source: Metacritic User Reviews Summary – Far Cry 6
So in summary – Far Cry 6 offers a meaty serving for trigger-happy fans keen to sink their teeth into another chaotic island uprising. But those seeking true next-gen innovation may leave mildly satisfied but ultimately longing for more.
The Verdict: Familiar Not game-changing
To directly answer the original question – does Far Cry 6 relate to Far Cry 5 – the two games share loose connections expanding a common fictional universe but tell distinct standalone stories. Gameplay retains that signature Far Cry formula while introducing some new flexibility. And the exotic locale of Yara serves up Ubisoft’s most ambitious and varied world to date.
Yet for all its beauty and madness, Far Cry 6 doesn‘t radically advance the first-person shooter genre like its trailblazing predecessors. As a diehard fan, I‘m thrilled to immerse in another rebel-fueled romp and take gratification from subtle links to past characters and lands. But I long for the next true evolutionary entry that will innovate like the original 2004 Far Cry blew minds with its open world tropical paradise simulator nearly 20 years ago!
