A series like Far Cry is rather unique within the industry. There are very few other FPS franchises that completely swap out characters and settings between every major installment, but all still feel like a cohesive whole. Some are more different than others, but the formula of an open-world shooter has proven a strong enough foundation to build one of the biggest series in Ubisoft history. From its start in 2004 until now, we’ve had plenty of numbered and spin-off entries to shoot and explore, but which holds up as the best? Let’s review the main Far Cry series and decide which ones are the best and which should be left behind.
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon
79%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Google Stadia
Genre
Shooter, Adventure
Developer
Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft Shanghai
Release
May 01, 2013
Despite being a small DLC that was later spun off into a stand-alone release, Far Cry: Blood Dragon is everything about the series at its best. The story is a witty and genuinely entertaining riff on ’80s sci-fi action flicks, complete with old-school still image cutscenes and cheesy dialogue. It reuses a small zone from the Far Cry 3 map but makes it feel completely fresh with the neon aesthetic. That more streamlined scope in terms of length and size of the world keeps the game focused and getting bloated like the worse entries on this list do. It’s just big enough to make exploring feel worthwhile, but it is contained enough to complete the entire thing without making it your job, and it is a blast the entire way through.
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Far Cry 3
84%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Genre
Shooter, Adventure
Developer
Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher
Ubisoft Entertainment
Release
November 28, 2012
While the first two entries were by no means failures, and the second had quite a cult following, it was Far Cry 3 that made this series the powerhouse it would become. At the time, it was given the monicker of “Skyrim with guns” which doesn’t quite do this game justice. Yes, you are given a massive, beautiful tropic environment with dozens of quests, treasures, animals, and events across the map, but Far Cry 3 goes further. Vaas, the main antagonist, made such an impact that each game following it would attempt to replicate it. He was perfectly acted, interesting, dangerous, and always captivating when on screen. Before the formula was driven into the ground, Far Cry 3 felt like a breath of fresh air.
Far Cry 2
72%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Genre
Shooter, Adventure
Developer
Ubisoft Montreal
Release
October 21, 2008
Before Far Cry 3 set the formula for the series going forward, Far Cry 2 took a lot of big risks. It was still an open-world game, but far more brutal and almost survival-like in design. This title wanted you to feel immersed, such as having you reference a physical map in the game instead of pausing to open a menu or treating sickness with medicine in real time. The simulation aspects have also arguably not been matched since. However, for all these advanced systems, it is still an almost overwhelmingly tough game, even for the time. You will find a wildly rewarding game if you can overcome the oppressive difficulty.
Far Cry: Primal
72%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Google Stadia
Genre
Shooter, Adventure
Developer
Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher
Ubisoft Entertainment
Release
February 23, 2016
We admit that the idea for this game sounded terrible on paper. A Far Cry game, but you’re a caveman with spears and rocks? How could that be fun? Well, Far Cry Primal pulled it off thanks to taking the series in a completely unexpected direction with fresh ideas. It didn’t hit as hard as Blood Dragon, but hunting animals, taming them, and doing the usual open world tasks like crafting and leveling up skills felt more appropriate in the ancient setting. If it had been as contained as Blood Dragon, it probably would’ve faired even better, but it was just as big as Far Cry 4 that came before, so fatigue was starting to set in.
Far Cry 4
76%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Google Stadia
Genre
Shooter, Tactical, Adventure
Developer
Ubisoft Montreal
Release
November 18, 2014
Speaking of Far Cry 4, it ranks here for being basically Far Cry 3 part 2. If you take that first game, swap out the island setting for a mountainous region based on the Himalayas (which is admittedly beautiful), some new guns and abilities, and a slightly less impactful villain following Vaas, you get Far Cry 4. In that sense, it isn’t bad at all. It is arguably more mechanically sound, but that only somewhat holds water if you play it in a vacuum. It’s more of the same and starts the series’ trend settling into a predictable formula, even reusing a few setpieces that were standouts in 3.
Far Cry 5
76%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Google Stadia
Genre
Shooter, Adventure
Developer
Ubisoft Montreal
Release
March 26, 2018
At this point, the series has fallen into a very comfortable formula with Far Cry 5. The only differences to highlight come from a few mechanical changes, but mainly in the setting and story. This is the first game set in the U.S. and is a bit less fun to explore because of it. It’s a beautiful place, but the variety and general map design and layout feel uninspired and generic. The villain and plot are somewhat interesting, focusing on cults and religion, but the characters just aren’t well-written enough to deliver on those themes. The plot progression is as by the numbers as they come, too, meaning even the main content feels like a checklist.
Far Cry 6
71%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Google Stadia
Genre
Shooter, Adventure
Developer
Ubisoft Toronto
Release
October 07, 2021
Far Cry 6 is another attempt at an ambitious plot and villain, but at this point not even Giancarlo Esposito could breathe fresh life into this tired trope. We’re back in a tropical locale, so on that front, we’re feeling much like Far Cry 3 again and running through a somewhat generic rebellion plotline. It wants you to think about themes like slavery and oppression but shies away from actually making a statement on them itself. It’s a fun game, but you can have more fun playing while listening to something else while enjoying the mayhem.
Far Cry
78%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows)
Genre
Shooter
Developer
Crytek Frankfurt, Crytek
Publisher
Ubisoft Entertainment
Release
March 23, 2004
Few will actually even remember the first Far Cry, and that isn’t a terrible thing. Ubisoft didn’t even make this first entry, and it certainly feels like it. It’s a far more linear experience with basic gunplay but a weird twist in including sci-fi elements partway through the game. It’s an oddity that doesn’t really impact the series following it, but it could be worth a look just to see how much the series has diverged from its inception.
