The Far Cry franchise is a true milestone for Ubisoft’s success, captivating players around the world. The series combines intense action, stunning open-world environments, and engaging narratives, ensuring unforgettable experiences for both veterans and new fans who embark on this journey.
Curious to find out which games in the Far Cry franchise stand out as the best? In this article, we present an updated list based on Metacritic, ranking the most incredible titles in this saga. Could your favorite be among them? Come check it out!
Far Cry Primal (2016)
Far Cry Primal is one of the most daring games in the Far Cry franchise, taking players back to the Stone Age, in 10,000 BC. You control Takkar, the last survivor of his tribe, facing dangers to rebuild his community. The game relies on survival mechanics and a slower pace, offering a unique narrative that breaks away from the traditional style of the series. This different approach divided opinions among fans.
Available for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, Far Cry Primal achieved an average of 75.7 on Metacritic, reflecting critical approval. However, the bold renovation proposed by Ubisoft did not please everyone, leaving the title as one of the least popular in the series. Even so, it is impossible to deny its creativity and the attempt to offer something truly innovative.
Far Cry Instincts Evolution (2006)
Released in 2006, Far Cry Instincts Evolution is one of the games in the Far Cry franchise that failed to meet fans' expectations. As a sequel to Far Cry Instincts, the remake of the original title for Xbox, it follows Jack Carver in a story criticized for its short length and lack of immersion. In addition, the game's artificial intelligence was pointed out as not very challenging, detracting from the overall experience.
The highlight was the multiplayer mode, which brought new maps, new modes and an innovative map editor for the time. With an average of 78 on Metacritic, the title failed to achieve the same impact as its predecessor and is remembered as one of the least expressive in the series, both in narrative and gameplay.
Far Cry 5 (2018)
Far Cry 5 is one of the most recent games in the Far Cry franchise, bringing a new setting and a story centered on Hope County, a rural region in the United States. In it, the player faces the Eden's Gate cult, led by the charismatic Joseph Seed. Available for PS4, Xbox One and PC, the title introduces a more free-form approach to missions, eliminating the presence of watchtowers and excessive icons on the map.
Despite some innovations, the game failed to win over all fans of the series. The lack of charisma of Joseph Seed's brothers and some performance issues, such as bugs, ended up damaging the experience. With an average of 80.3 on Metacritic, Far Cry 5 is not among the most acclaimed in the franchise, but it still offers a solid experience with its changes to the game's structure.
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon (2013)
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is one of the boldest expansions of the Far Cry franchise, bringing a post-apocalyptic cyberpunk-style setting, full of references to 1981s films. Although it shares the gameplay of Far Cry 3, the title offers a unique and fun experience, with dragons that shoot lasers from their eyes and a good humor that won over many fans.
Available for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC, the expansion delivers a distinct adventure in the franchise's universe. However, the repetitiveness of the missions and some moments of questionable humor impacted the game's general perception, preventing it from receiving more acclaim. With an average of 76 on Metacritic, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is at the bottom of the list, but it is still a fun and innovative production, bringing freshness to the Far Cry formula.
Far Cry 4 (2014)
Far Cry 4 was released in 2014 for current and previous generations of consoles, maintaining the core gameplay of the Far Cry franchise with new mechanics and a setting in Kyrat, a fictional region in the Himalayas. The game offers solid gameplay, with plenty of activities, impressive animal AI, and the use of the grappling hook to explore the environment vertically. Available for PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC, it offers an expansive experience of action and mayhem.
However, Far Cry 4's story failed to excite players, and the lack of memorable characters affected its reception. Although the game received praise for its gameplay, the plot and dialogue ended up not living up to expectations, resulting in an average score of 82.3 on Metacritic. The addition of new elements, such as the grappling hook, helped to freshen up the formula, but the narrative failed to make the desired mark.
Far Cry Instincts (2005)
Far Cry Instincts, released for the Xbox, was the first title in the series to reach consoles and marked an important step for the Far Cry games. Although it was a port of the original PC game, it brought changes to the story, such as the character Jack Carver gaining special abilities after being injected with a serum. The game introduced improved stealth mechanics, offering new gameplay possibilities.
Although the visuals were impressive for the time, the game lost the freedom of exploration characteristic of PC titles due to hardware limitations, becoming a little more linear. The main criticism was the AI, which many players considered excessively stupid, which affected its reception. With an average of 85 on Metacritic, the title made history, but not without its problems.
Far Cry 2 (2008)
Far Cry 2 is a title that, despite not being a direct sequel to its predecessor, has gained a good fan base. Released for three platforms, it was more accessible and offered a vast and detailed open world, with a focus on intense combat. The story is set in a fictional nation in Africa, where the player takes on the role of a mercenary searching for a resource trafficker.
Although it disappointed many fans by not continuing the plot of the first game, Far Cry 2 moved the series forward by introducing survival mechanics and a new setting. The AI was improved, but still left something to be desired in some aspects, while the repetitive missions were a negative point. With an average of 85 on Metacritic, the game showed that even with its flaws, it is still one of the most acclaimed games in the Far Cry franchise.
Far Cry (2004)
Released for PC, Far Cry was a milestone in the Far Cry franchise. Developed by Crytek, the game impressed with its innovative gameplay, detailed graphics and open world. The player takes on the role of Jack Carver, who must face enemies on a tropical island, with an advanced AI for the time and a campaign lasting around 20 hours.
Although the game had some issues, such as inconvenient auto-saves and poorly balanced multiplayer, the critics were very positive. With a score of 89 on Metacritic, Far Cry established itself as one of the best shooters of its generation, laying the foundation for future titles in the series.
Far Cry 3 (2012)
Far Cry 3, considered the best game in the Far Cry franchise, stands out for its engaging story, with the villain Vaas being one of the most memorable characters of all time. Set on a paradise island, the game offers a vast open world and several exploration options, as well as interesting character progression, with a good skill tree.
The gameplay is also praised, combining intense action with a dynamic combat system. Despite minor issues in the multiplayer mode, which somewhat detracted from the experience, Far Cry 3 won over audiences and critics, with an average of 89.3 on Metacritic, as well as several “game of the year” awards.
Conclusion
And with that we conclude the list of Far Cry franchise games according to Metacritic scores. But what about you? Do you agree with the positioning of this list? Share your opinion with us in the comments! Enjoy and check it out too our article on the chronological order of Battlefield games and the video with tips about the game from the most recent franchise that we have separated for you below!
