Far Cry 4 Review

Should you pick up Far Cry 4? Logan Barnes tells you why.

I’m not going to sugar coat it or beat around the bush, Far Cry 4 is the best game I have played on Playstation 4 since the console’s release. What? You need more convincing? Okay, then…

Developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft proper, Far Cry 4 is a first-person shooter that incorporates stealth gameplay, run-and-gun, and crafting elements to create an experience that is as unique as it is fun. From the campaign’s engaging characters and exciting choices to the multiplayer’s seamless connections and functionality, Far Cry 4 takes gamers on an expertly crafted, almost perfect ride. Let’s start with the single player.

Players take on the role of Ajay Ghale, a young man raised in America that has returned home to the fictional country of “Kyrat” in attempt to spread his mother’s ashes at “Lakshmana.” When he arrives, he quickly becomes embroiled in a civil war between the rebel group, The Golden Path, and the government’s army, led by dictator Pagan Min, a character that I couldn’t help but like. From there, Ajay uncovers information about his past that will shape who he becomes and what becomes of Kyrat.

Kyrat is a visually stunning country inspired by Indian culture and the Himalayan Mountains. Ajay will explore Kyrat and make significant choices throughout the game that determine the country’s future. There is no black and white decision like the one at the end of Far Cry 3, but instead you are given a series of choices as the story progresses that really make you think. For example, Ajay, at one point, is given the choice of burning a drug-making facility to harm the government or capturing it and using drug-money to fund the rebellion. Moral choices like this drive the story.

Gameplay remains largely unchanged with shooting, sneaking, and hunting all being as fluid and as easy as the previous iteration. Some additions have been made that overall improve the game, though.

First of all, stealth has been enhanced. Enemies can now listen for silenced weapon fire, making standing on a hillside and wiping a base out no longer the best option. This provides an additional level of challenge that I found enjoyable. Another addition to stealth is the ability to carry bodies at-will. This makes hiding evidence of an engagement much easier.

When it comes to hunting, you now have the option of using knives or arrows for a “clean kill” that awards more skins and “karma,” points for a pseudo-leveling system with its own benefits. Animal parts can still be used for crafting new accessories, but you have to be careful. Animals are a lot more aggressive and will attack quite often. Especially eagles. Watch out for eagles.

Raw combat also has some new additions. There are now elephants you can ride into battle to wreak havoc on enemy bases once you have the required skill. Vehicle-to-vehicle takedowns are now available, allowing high speed chases to end with a dramatic hijacking. New enemy types also add things to the mix, like the stealth enemies that can call animals to attack you.

As far as multiplayer goes, there’s both competitive and co-op multiplayer. The competitive side is more of the same, tired first-person shooter game modes we’ve seen before, but with the nice controls and mechanics of the single player game. Far Cry 4 really shines in the co-op department. There’s nothing quite like flying around on a helicopter with a buddy and hunting down animals. Clearing outposts is much more fun when you can plan simultaneous takedowns and assassinations. Screwing up also has the potential to generate some hilarious fun. Co-op just takes everything the single player open world does right and multiplies it by two.

Now, the game is not without its faults, but they are very few and far between. I mostly encountered bugs when using the wingsuit and trying to land. I’d get caught on air and fall to my death or I’d crash through the ground and go through the bottom of the game world. Other negatives include too many wild encounters with enemies. It’s kind of a drag to have to stop and have shootouts with five or six different enemy convoys on my way to the next objective, but this can be remedied by flying.

Overall, Far Cry 4 is what Far Cry 3 wishes it could have been. With a story that makes you think, superb gameplay, an interesting cast of characters, and compelling cooperative multiplayer, it only improves on a formula that was already very good. Not to mention after doing the 20-hour story, there are still plenty of quests left to do. Even with the few minor hitches here and there, you will get your money’s worth from this game.

Far Cry 4 is crowned with a 9/10.

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