Monday, December 22, 2014

Far Cry 4


Far Cry 4
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Players: Single-player and Co-op campaign, Multiplayer
Genre: Action Adventure, First-person Shooter
Distribution: Optical Disc, Download
Platform: Playstation 4
Release Date: November 18, 2014

My experience with the Far Cry series is admittedly very limited. I played Far Cry 2 for a bit, but didn't own a computer or a console that would run Far Cry 3, so while I heard good things I never got to experience it for myself. With little in the way of preconceived notions I got to jump right in and see what the fuss was about.

The opening cinematic immediately illustrates to the player the war torn country of Kyrat. The player comes face to face with the sadistic leader of the country's government, Pagan Min, and is set on a course of direct opposition. Pagan Min is an exciting villain, one I was looking forward to thwarting at every turn and seeing his reaction. He's voiced by the tremendous Troy Baker, whose work I always enjoy; he brings to life a character that truly seems to find glee in the suffering he causes. Sadly, the players interactions with Min are lacking. Almost all of the player's interactions with the antagonist take place via radio in very one-sided conversations. It's disappointing that a character with so much potential was so underutilized.

The land of Kyrat is beautiful. Every inch is highly detailed and full of things to do. The lakes, rivers, mountains, and forests that make up the country are filled with enemies to slay, animals to hunt, and items to collect. Exploration is encouraged by a plethora of items intended to supply the player with interesting tidbits regarding the history of the land you're currently rampaging across. Liberating enemy outposts open new fast travel locations to the player, cutting down on the amount of time required to traverse the wilderness. Finding and deactivating the radio towers responsible for spreading the corrupt government's propaganda reveals some of the points of interest in their region. They're also often the highest point around, making them excellent places to test your wingsuit prowess.

Far Cry 4 is loaded with missions, it feels like there are hundreds of things for the player to tackle. The main campaign missions are decent; I felt myself seriously considering the ramifications of the the plans presented by Amita and Sabal, the leaders of the Golden Path. One values the traditions of the past and the other longs to drag Kyrat into the present by any means necessary. The campaign missions varied enough that they never got too repetitive. The same cannot be said for some of the other missions scattered throughout the landscape. The side characters that send you out into the world with tasks to complete were all written in the most stereotypical way imaginable. Their missions often seemed to be the same as the last, with a change in location the only variety to be found

When I started to find myself bored with my third strange drug trip, hostage rescue, or assassination I'd go search for a piece of a thangka that's kind of a family heirloom. Finding those pieces leads the player to the mystical land of Shangri-La. In the Shangri-La missions the game changes completely, having the player take control of a warrior striving to rid the land of evil. The landscape is eerily beautiful and the player gives up his trusty firearms for a magical bow that slows time and can eventually fire multiple arrows. You also gain the ability to summon a tiger to fight at the player's side. The change of pace allows the player to time their breaks from Kyrat to coincide with the occasions when the regularly available missions seem to be bogging you down.

When my tickets to Shangri-La were all punched and I needed a respite I found myself setting goals for myself, instead of seeking out the next mission. There is little more satisfying in Far Cry 4 than successfully taking a stronghold without the alarm being sounded. Almost as exciting are the moments when all your plans fall apart and you have to adapt on the fly. Packs of wolves can expose you before you're ready, the single guard you missed after five minutes of scouting the enemy base can sound the alarm while you watch helplessly from across the outpost; those are only examples of the several complications that can arise. When you're on the brink of death and finally victorious, those are the moments that really shine looking back on them.

Conclusion: The lack of face time for the villain and the poorly conceived side characters with repetitive missions don't do too much to mar the game. In addition to the amazing world the developers built, the sheer number of things to do will keep most gamers busy for quite a while. Accomplishing many of the goals is possible with several different approaches, which increases the fun to be had and the replay value.

Rating: 8.5/10

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