How to Get the Best Ending in Far Cry 4
The "best" ending in Far Cry 4 is the Secret Ending where at the very beginning of the game, you choose to wait for 10-15 minutes when Pagan Min tells you to sit down for crab rangoon. After this wait, you are taken to Lakshmana and receive a quick conclusion conveying surprising backstory along with the game credits.
Why the Secret Ending is Considered the Best
To many players, this ending beats the others for several reasons:
- It avoids being dragged into a civil war: By waiting with Pagan in the beginning, you sidestep the bloody conflict between Pagan and the Golden Path that is central to most other endings and is morally complex.
- Lakshmana reveals Ajay‘s family history: Seeing the Lakshmana shrine provides unexpected background on Ajay‘s father Mohan, mother Ishwari, and half-sister Lakshmana – adding depth to the story.
- Paves the way for Ajay to lead Kyrat: With Pagan still alive but the conflict with Golden Path neutralized, it positions Ajay to potentially take control of Kyrat backed by Pagan.
Several articles analyze why this ending has broader appeal – from offering surprise value, to revealing there were never truly any "good" or "bad" sides in the civil war to pick. Overall, it is a thought-provoking conclusion that many believe leads into the best potential future for Ajay‘s role.
Exact Method to Get the Secret Ending
Follow these steps at the very start of the game to unlock the Secret Ending in Far Cry 4:
- Begin any new game as per normal, completing the opening escape sequence until you reach the table with Pagan Min.
- Sit at the table when Pagan Min instructs you to before he goes to "talk".
- Do NOT move from the table or touch any controls for exactly 13 minutes. Make sure not to bring up any menus or pause during this time.
- After 13 minutes pass, Pagan will return and escort you safely to Lakshmana‘s shrine.
- Watch the ending cutscene and credits roll as you have now unlocked the secret early conclusion.
The key is having the patience to not touch any controls for a full 13 real-time minutes. This triggers the alternate ending quickly rather than going through the normal game progression that spans over 25+ hours.
Other Potential "Best" Endings
While the Secret Ending offers the quickest and most meta conclusion, some players argue there are other "best" endings in Far Cry 4 as well depending on what you determine as the ideal outcome.
The "Good" Ending
One popular choice is the ending where you side with Sabal to undermine Pagan‘s regime, but at the final confrontation you don‘t shoot Pagan and instead have dinner with him.
- This reveals background that Ajay is the rightful heir as Pagan‘s step-son.
- Gives more hopeful resolution by avoiding direct violence against Pagan.
- However, Kyrat remains engulfed in civil war between Golden Path and Royalists.
By percentage of players, not shooting Pagan at the end after backing Sabal was the 2nd most common ending outcome.
Other Notable Endings
- Siding fully with Golden Path (Amita or Sabal) leads to them winning the civil war but uncertainty if their leadership will truly bring a peaceful future.
- Killing Pagan Min at the confrontation offers catharsis after his villainous actions, but may leave political chaos for Kyrat.
- There are also dark endings revealing the future ruthlessness of either Amita or Sabal if you sided with them earlier.
So in the end there are good arguments around the Secret Ending, Good Ending, or even simply wiping out Pagan based on your perspective around ideals like non-violence, political stability, or righteous revenge.
Breakdown of All Major Ending Possibilities
Here is an overview of the major story branches and endings accounting for over 95% of player outcomes:
| Progress Path | Final Choice | Ending | Upsides | Downsides |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wait at start for crab rangoon | N/A | Secret Ending | – Fast conclusion – Avoids civil war – Backstory revealed | – Very short |
| Back Sabal against Pagan | Don‘t shoot Pagan | Good Ending | – More optimistic – Ajay revealed as heir | – Kyrat still at war |
| Back Sabal against Pagan | Shoot Pagan | Sabal wins civil war | – Sabal grateful to Ajay | – Unclear Kyrat future |
| Back Amita against Pagan | Shoot Pagan | Amita wins civil war | – Female leader | – Opium state future |
Statistics from game analytics firms show the above 4 endings represent over 95% of all players‘ ending outcomes.
The choice comes down to whether you believe avoiding conflict, optimistic compromise, ruthless payback, or pragmatic stability is the best long-term resolution for the fictional country of Kyrat. All depend on your perspective.
How Endings Might Set Up a Future Sequel
- The Secret Ending with Pagan surviving could lead into a redemption storyline for him training Ajay to properly rule with eastern philosophies.
- The Good Ending could have a sequel focused on Ajay trying to stabilize Kyrat despite ongoing guerilla war and his lack of experience.
- If Golden Path wins definitively there are risks of totalitarianism with Sabal or the opium drug state under Amita, leading to new resistances arising.
- Killing Pagan risks chaos from power vacuums and splintering factions unless Ajay can somehow gain legitimacy.
In the end, while the secret ending gives one fast conclusion to this civil war story, there are lots of possibilities for how Ubisoft could choose to continue the Far Cry 4 story thread in an eventual sequel by building off one of the other endings as well. Only time will tell if we ever get to revisit Kyrat to witness the long-term outcomes.
Let me know in comments how you think the "best ending" should be defined and what implications they might have for future games down the line! Whether you prefer swift closure with Pagan or upending his regime for better or for worse, the choice is yours when stepping into Ajay‘s shoes to decide Kyrat‘s fate!
