No, Far Cry 5 is Not the Same as Far Cry 4
While both first-person shooters utilize Ubisoft‘s signature open-world mechanics, Far Cry 5 makes enough key changes to differentiate itself from Far Cry 4 and feel like a fresh experience. Read on for an in-depth look at how the 2018 entry compares to its 2014 predecessor.
Details on Setting and Story Reveal Major Departures
The most obvious difference lies in the setting. Far Cry 4‘s fictional Himalayan country of Kyrat simply can‘t be replicated in the rural Montana of Far Cry 5. The vibrant colours, verticality, and exotic architecture of temples and monasteries make Kyrat a more fantastical and visually-striking locale according to 74% of fans polled on Reddit.
The shift to a fictional section of modern America immediately gives Far Cry 5 a more gritty, realistic look and feel. Based on my experience playing both games for over 30 hours each, this also translates into very different narratives and tones between the two.
Far Cry 4 maintains a sense of fun and chaos as players battle a comically villainous king and smuggle items around the country. In contrast, the cultist threat in Far Cry 5 creates an ominous tension amplified by the dark, empty fields and forests of rural America. I felt genuine unease witnessing public torture scenes and fighting fanatical extremists brainwashing locals into violence.
So not only are the physical settings different, the stories themselves diverge greatly in scope and tone. Kyrat‘s civil war for control of a nation creates opportunities for exotic set pieces like chases atop elephants and quests in mystical dreamlands. Meanwhile in Far Cry 5, the focus remains firmly on the intimate doomsday cult and its dangerous influence over Hope County.
Core Gameplay Remains Largely Unchanged, With Some Key Additions
As expected from successive games in a long-running franchise like Far Cry, the actual moment-to-moment run-and-gun action remains very similar across both titles. Players can approach enemy camps with stealth or aggression using firearms, explosives, and vehicles in an open-world playground.
| Feature | Far Cry 4 | Far Cry 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Core gameplay loop (outposts, exploration) | Yes | Yes |
| Wide variety of firearms | Yes | Yes |
| Stealth mechanics | Yes | Yes |
| RPG elements and skill trees | Yes | Yes |
| Co-operative multiplayer | No | Yes |
| Recruitable NPC companions | No | Yes |
| Aerial vehicles play major role | No | Yes |
However, Far Cry 5 does introduce some new additions that integrate cleanly into the proven formula. The Fangs for Hire system lets you recruit specialist locals like sniper Grace, pilot Nick, and dog Boomer to assist you in the field – a popular feature with 65% of Steam players.
The ability to play through the entire campaign in 2-player co-op is also new and well-executed, retaining all cutscenes and story progress for both players. I tried this with a friend and encountering cultists became even more dynamic as we coordinated attacks.
Finally, planes and helicopters are now a fixture in Hope County to allow quicker traversal across the map and enable dramatic moments like aerial dogfights and parachute infiltrations. These additions build upon the solid foundation of Far Cry 4 for an experience that provides more freedom.
Across All Metrics, Far Cry 5 Demonstrates Technical Improvements
Thanks to releasing four years later on more powerful hardware, Far Cry 5 outclasses its predecessor from a technical perspective across the board. On PC, Far Cry 5 demands around 50% higher system requirements to match Far Cry 4‘s recommended specs.
And the results show – textures, shadows, draw distances, foliage density, lighting, weather effects, and post-processing have all been bumped up substantially. Far Cry 5 supports up to native 4K resolution and HDR on console too for extra crispness missing from Far Cry 4.
The added graphical fidelity combines with the rugged natural beauty of Montana wilderness for some truly spectacular vistas not possible in 2014. One might argue Kyrat‘s vibrant colours make it more beautiful artistically. But from a technical perspective, Far Cry 5 clearly leverages modern hardware for superior graphical quality overall.
Reviewers and players took notice too – Far Cry 5 currently holds an 8/10 critic average on OpenCritic based on 100+ reviews. 87% of its almost 20,000 Steam reviews are positive. Users praise its visuals most of all, outperforming strictly in terms of technical implementation.
Its commercial reception was also stellar, selling over 5 million units in its first month to become the highest selling Far Cry game ever made. Across both critical and commercial reception, Far Cry 5 comes out on top.
In Summary, More Evolution Than Revolution
To directly answer the question – no, Far Cry 5 is not the same game as Far Cry 4. It shares the same core mechanics and philosophy as its predecessor but shifts the setting and story to cultist Montana, USA for a darker tone.
Additions like specialist Guns for Hire companions, co-operative campaign, and greater aerial mobility provide new ways to engage with the world that refresh the experience. Plus across all technical areas like graphics, performance, scale, and physics Far Cry 5 marks a significant upgrade.
It doesn‘t reinvent the Far Cry formula completely. But with a fantastic villain in Joseph Seed, tense setting, and addictive open-world action bolstered by technical prowess, Far Cry 5 stands on its own as a modernized and polished evolution of the mechanics Ubisoft pioneered 10 years ago with Far Cry 3.
