Hello everyone!

I'm seriously surprised: I was convinced that if I ever found the strength to write a review for Far Cry 5, it'd be a scathing critique with a low overall score. I mean, I'd come across plenty of negative opinions, and in the first few hours of playing, I was about to give up, but... But somehow, the game managed to win me over. Yeah, it's got its flaws, but my emotions from playing it were just too intense for me to bring myself to give it a lower score. I'm not even going to try to list everything that's in this game, but I'll do my best to mention some of the strong (subjectively) aspects of this project.

You can pet the dogs hereWhat I got from this game was pure ecstasy. If I'm being honest, in Blood Dragon, I was nostalgic and in awe of the setting, while in the fourth (even with all the action going on) I just enjoyed the downtime, but here, it was pure ecstasy. And yeah, I think Far Cry 5 is way better than the third. I haven't played the latest one yet, skipped Primal (the Stone Age setting just doesn't appeal to me), but I might give New Dawn a shot. For now, Far Cry 5 is at the top of my list among all the Far Cry games. I found myself wanting to play it every free evening, and if I enjoyed the Tibetan adventures, now (sorry, Pagan Min) I'm having a blast in the American wilderness.

The first-person viewI'm writing this review as a player who's experienced the main storyline, solo (there's a full co-op mode, by the way).System requirements:

Minimum:

Processor: Intel® Core® i3-4370 / i3-6100 / Pentium G4600 / AMD FX-6300Graphics card: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1050 Ti 4GB / AMD Radeon R9 270RAM: 8 GBOperating system: Windows 7/8/10 64-bitAvailable space: 40 GBRecommended:

Processor: Intel® Core® i5-2400 / i5-7400 / AMD FX-8350Graphics card: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1060 6GB / AMD Radeon RX 580RAM: 12 GBOperating system: Windows 7/8/10 64-bitAvailable space: 40 GBProcessor: Intel® Core™ i5-6500 / i5-7400 / i3-8100 / AMD Ryzen 3 2300XGraphics Card: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1650 4 GB / GTX 1060 3 GB / GTX 970 / AMD Radeon R9 290XRAM: 8 GBOperating System: Windows 7/8/10 64-bitStorage Space: 40 GBI did notice one thing - the long loading times. Although, to be fair, they seemed pretty long in the previous parts too. But other than that, I didn't encounter any issues with the gameplay.

Wolfman🔶STORYThis time around, the events take place in a rural American setting - a fictional county called Hope, located in the state of Montana. Rumors start circulating that something's not quite right in the county, and that's when Joseph Sid comes into the picture - a self-proclaimed prophet. Joseph claims that a collapse is imminent, but there's still a chance to prevent it. He sets up his own religious community, dubbed "Eden's Gates," cuts off all ties with the outside world, and essentially takes control of the entire local population using a mix of sweet talk and brutal public executions.

IntroThe US government can't just sit back and do nothing, so they send in a team to arrest Joseph on a helicopter. As the player, I got to experience the story through the eyes of a silent, nameless deputy sheriff's assistant (and that's the first major minus in the game: the main character has no voice or backstory).

Joseph in all his glory From Cyberpunk 2077: If you're God, protect yourself and usBy all accounts, the operation was a failure. Joseph's surrounded by a thousand armed followers, and his family - two brothers and a sister - are all on board with his ideology. After a failed attempt to fly out with Joseph on the helicopter, the police officers are captured by the Sid family.

Family PortraitBut the main character's luck is about to change - he stumbles upon a local resistance member. Not everyone in Hope is thrilled about the radical sects: Joseph and his family have already managed to get on the wrong side of the peaceful locals. It's time to put an end to him and his messengers. The main character is going to have to get involved in this conflict, as there's no one else to turn to: his colleagues have been taken by Joseph's messengers, and there's no way to contact the government in the Hope district.

The plot is confusing and uninteresting, and it's also full of ridiculous character actions: the main character didn't even try to contact his superiors or leave the district to come back with a full army. After their first defeat, Joseph's messengers should have killed the main character instead of constantly capturing and releasing him.

Meeting JacobBut, to be honest, the story isn't the main focus of this game, and I'm willing to forgive it for that. The game has several story endings, one of which is a secret one that repeats the situation from the previous part. If you don't react to the sheriff's order to put handcuffs on Joseph, a cutscene will start, and after that, the final credits will roll. But I'd recommend saving this ending for a second playthrough and experiencing the rest of the story firsthand.

BrotherhoodI was spoiled on one of the endings by everyone who could possibly spoil it, and it was a bit disappointing - I wanted to experience the full range of emotions. But that ending is definitely a plus (one of the authors in this thread didn't hesitate to include a spoiler in the 'pluses' section, writing it out in plain text; so, be careful when reading reviews).

The Local Church is Fed Up Too I think it's a pretty sweet move to put the theme of radical sects right in the center of the story. I mean, for America, these kinds of religious communities aren't exactly new, so it looks pretty realistic. I'm not exactly a history buff, but when the game started, my first thought was that the devs must have taken some real-life scenario like Jonestown as inspiration. The main antagonist? He's probably based on some serial killer-preacher like Charles Manson - both had tough childhoods, both could talk the talk, and both had that 'you'll fall in love with me, then freak out' vibe.

Joseph and Charles Manson I've gotta say, this is one of those classic cases where the main villains steal the show with their charisma. And it's not just Joseph who's got everyone's attention - the whole family is fascinating, and I found myself wanting to see more of them. Unfortunately, that's not exactly what I got. You'll get to meet each member of Joseph's family about four or five times throughout the game, and I have to admit, it took me a while to keep track of everyone's names. I mean, I knew Vera's name, but the others? Forget about it. I had to give them nicknames just to keep them straight - Vanya, Yasha, and Stalin.
Joseph's younger brother, John By the way, their names are actually pretty standard for American characters in the original game - Joseph, John, Jacob, Faith. Our localization team decided to change John's name to Ivan, and I think it was a great call. The Russian dub is actually really well done, too - there's minimal profanity, and the voice acting is top-notch. Although, I have to say, Vera's voice did grate on me a bit.
Vera and the drug den CONTROLS Far Cry 5 is a first-person shooter with standard controls and a familiar layout. At the beginning, you'll get a lot of helpful tips and tutorials. The controls work smoothly, but the jumping mechanic is a bit wonky. Sometimes my character could climb up a steep slope, but other times she'd get stuck on a tiny obstacle that was half her height.

The beauty of Montana At the start of the game, you get to choose your character's gender, but let's be real - it doesn't make a difference in the story. You won't be able to romance anyone, so you can just pick the character you like and forget about it. I actually played as a woman for the first time in this game, and it was a nice change of pace. Character selection I've got to say, the main character's name is a mystery - everyone else calls him Pomocnik or Salaga. Throughout the entire game, Salaga won't say a word, but he'll occasionally show some emotions, like screaming when he takes damage. She can pop up anywhere After the initial mission, the game asks you to give Salaga a makeover - pick his face, hair, clothes, and accessories. You can change his clothes throughout the game, but it doesn't affect his stats, so it's not a big deal in first-person mode. There are costumes galore - some you can buy, some you have to earn GAMEPLAY I was expecting another Far Cry experience, and I was right - but not in the way I thought. I was expecting to have to open up the map, find all the markers for story and side quests, and then... well, that's exactly what I got. But it was a letdown, until I reached the first island, that is. Time's running out, Vanya... At the beginning, you'll find yourself on a small island owned by Datch, the resistance member who helped you escape from the cult. Datch will be in touch regularly, and at first, he'll be guiding you through the basics of the game and giving you a sense of what's to come. I've got to give the devs credit for the self-deprecation - when you need to climb up a radio tower, Datch will say something like: I know what you're thinking. No, you don't have to climb the tower. Don't worry about it.

Datch And you know what? He's right! No more radio towers to open up the map. Kudos to Ubisoft for poking fun at themselves. His name's Guy Marvel, and he's the director As you travel the world, the territory opens up. Initially, a massive map will be marked with single objects. And get this - the map design has changed from flat to a 3D model. A huge world This part's progression is a far cry from the previous ones. The world is still massive and treacherous, with hostile sectarians roaming around. The difference lies in the fact that, unlike before, there's no clear narrative direction. When the tutorial part (Dutch Island) is out of the way, it's all about the story: take down Joseph. But you can only do that after dealing with each member of his family - there are three of them. And each one controls a massive region in the county. The family You can start with any region, in any order. During my first playthrough, I had no idea what I was supposed to do, so I just went for it - and my first island was White Tail Mountains, a region controlled by Jacob. The mountains in this region are insane! Your goal, once you're in a region... well, it's not exactly a straightforward march to the messenger to take him down. Trust me, he'll find you, but to make that happen, you'll need to get resistance points. Each region is initially infested with sectarians. Any action taken against the sect's activities will give you resistance points: capturing outposts, rescuing hostages, taking out VIP sect members, completing side quests, and destroying sect objects. To take down Jacob, you'll need 10,000 points; for Ioan and Vera, it's 13,000 each. Under the Influence of Bliss To be honest, I found myself collecting markers all over the map, and at first, it seemed like a total snooze-fest. Where were the engaging story missions? But I noticed something important that was missing before: now all the missions, although they're still pretty generic, finally have some personality.

The old outposts were getting on my nerves, and for good reason. They've seriously decreased in number - if I remember correctly, there used to be around 30 of them on the entire map, but now it's more like a dozen. And it's not just some fenced-off area where enemies roam; these outposts are actual objects with their own stories. It could be a store or a gas station that's been taken over by fanatics.

First Region Liberated! When you free a hostage, not only do you get resistance points, but they also give you valuable intel. Almost every challenge has its own story. Even if it's just a time trial, the route has its own history. And what about scavenging? There are survivalist hideouts - either they're marked on the map as a precious gem or someone you meet or a freed hostage will tell you about it. Your task is simple: find the location and figure out how to get in. Of course, the hideout has its own story - it could be a burned-down mansion or an underground cave with deadly waters. If you can solve the puzzle, inside you'll find a treasure trove of valuable resources, including cash, silver bars, and a unique outfit.

I'd say it's pretty fishy If the hunt doesn't feel new, the fishing mechanic is definitely a plus - it's an art form in the game (and in real life, it's even harder). There are different types of fish in different waters, and you can sell them in stores. Fishing also has difficulty levels, and you can buy better rods in the store. (when you catch a fish on the hook, it'll put up a fight, and the line might snap)

FishingOne of the coolest features of this game is the ability to track your progress in the region. If you open up the map, you'll see a scale in the bottom right corner that shows how many points you've collected. As soon as the scale is full, a warning message will pop up on your screen, telling you that the Herald of Joseph is ready for a showdown.

Time to take Vera off the hit listBut the final conversations with the heralds aren't the only ones you'll have throughout the story. If you take a closer look at the scale, you'll notice that it has different levels. Each time you reach a new level, the herald will decide it's time to have a serious talk with you - aka try to convince you to join their side. In the Jacob region, you'll constantly get hit with a dart that's laced with a narcotic, and it'll send you straight to a cutscene. In the John region, John himself will mark you and send his goons after you, reminding them to use tranquilizer bullets. And in the Vera region, just one hit of the narcotic and you'll be seeing things.

It's like this a few times. Each cutscene is different, and the actions you need to take are different too. I think I was a bit disappointed with the fifth part at first because I started with Jacob. Sure, he's got charisma, but the challenge he offers is the same every time you meet him (except for the final showdown). And while it was cool the first time, it got old fast. You've got to navigate through some trippy corridors to the tune of Elvis's 'Only You' and take out all the enemies before time runs out. Don't get me wrong, these sections are important to the story, but it was a real drag having to do them multiple times.

The oldest of the brothersJohn, on the other hand, takes a more aggressive approach. While Jacob will let Salaga go after each meeting, John will basically take them prisoner, where they'll have to listen to a long monologue before the player has a chance to make a break for it.

In the clutches of JohnIn a bid to win me over, Vera's gone all out with the happy pills, churning them out in her region and acting like she's old buddies with Salaga - she's all smiles, friendly, and welcoming. She's trying to show me that I've got nothing to fear, that I just need to trust the Father, aka Joseph. Her cutscenes, even though they're basically a hallucination, are genuinely beautiful - no denying that. But all the friendly characters are warning me: Vera's a seasoned manipulator, and I shouldn't trust her. Hey, Vera!Each region's got its own vibe - and it's not just about the landscape. The challenges are different too. For instance, in Vera's region, you're often fighting off attacks from the blissed-out, whereas in Jacob's region, the enemy's got animals they call the 'judges' - usually wolves, which the sectants have tamed and trained to do their bidding. Judge-wolfWhen it comes to fighting the bad guys, you've got your standard arsenal, of course. But even if you don't have any gear, you can always duke it out with your fists. You can scavenge for stuff like a club or a shovel and get creative. Or just throw something from a distance. Positive shovelAs for firearms, things are looking up - at least, because you don't have to hunt down specific animals to get the gear you need. The gun system's a bit different here, with various types of firearms: pistols, shotguns, assault rifles, sniper rifles, RPGs, bows, and submachine guns. The more resistance points you earn, the more rare guns you can unlock in the shops. Most guns come with upgrade options, too - scopes, silencers, extended mags, and so on. It's great to see these direct references to the Blood Dragon DLC popping up everywhere. I just picked up this sniper rifle, and I have to say, Ubisoft does a great job of coming up with unique descriptions!

My favorite sniper rifle In one of the side missions, there's another reference to Blood Dragon. The music is even the same!

Far Cry 3^ Blood Dragon Explosives can be crafted, and resource scarcity is usually not an issue. You just need to scavenge as much as you can on the map and search every backpack. Skills are now available for almost any ability, and you don't need to grind for points by shooting enemies nonstop. Points are rewarded for small achievements that you can check out in the special tab: for example, taking down five enemies in close combat or hitting ten headshots with a sniper rifle. The skills are actually really useful and come in different 'price categories'.

The Dutch island is finally free I highly recommend not ignoring the Arcades (which I did the first time) - the game also rewards skill points in arcade mode. Plus, all the skills and points you earn in the main game carry over to arcade mode. Arcades are essentially small tasks on the levels. By the way, levels can be user-generated, and you can even create your own using the map editor. In the game menu, you can also launch the three DLCs, but I chose not to play them.

Additional ModesBut the coolest new feature in this part is the call to a teammate. Not a real friend for co-op, not just some random dude like in the fourth part. In this game, there are nine characters you can take with you on missions (although I'll say right off the bat: you can't call a teammate on some missions). At the start of the game, all teammates are marked on the map in advance. To make them your allies, you'll have to go to each one and complete their unique tasks. Initially, you can only take one teammate with you, but if you unlock the leader skill, you'll be able to take a second one. Taking out outposts with teammates is a breeze, because you can choose a specialist to fit your playstyle. You can give your teammates orders: which direction to move or which enemy to take out, by marking them. My two teammates came to take out an outpostGood boy Bumer. That's the dog you'll have to rescue and comfort in the Ioann region. Good boyThe scout dog. He'll immediately mark all enemies on the location (yeah, we can do that ourselves, but we have to zoom in with the binoculars, and he doesn't have the ability to see through walls), and he'll bring back supplies and guns from killed enemies. He can also bite an enemy's throat. Ah, in his quest, there were loving owners who were killed by fanatics. Poor Bumer was really upset when he saw them. You'll have to comfort him. Bumer saw his killed ownersYeah, you can pet the animals (but not the hostile ones). It may not be useful in combat, but it's pretty adorable. Man's best friendExperienced pilot Nick Ray. His task can also be taken in the Ioann region. King of the skiesHe controls an aircraft equipped with a machine gun and provides air support by shooting down enemy planes. He can also drop a bomb on enemy vehicles from above. Wind in My FaceAfter completing its unique mission on Nick's farm (where it lives with its pregnant wife), you can unlock a similar plane. Shooting down cultist objects from the air is super convenient.

Fearsome FighterSharpshooter Grace Armstrong. You can unlock her partner in the Io region too. She's a pro with the sniper rifle.

Eagle EyeGrizzly bear Chuburger. He's available in Jacob's region. This bear grew up among grizzlies and developed a taste for fast food, which led to him getting diabetes. He's a beast in combat, can withstand crossfire for a decent amount of time, and takes out enemies quickly. He also causes chaos on the enemy's territory, which you can use to your advantage - that's what I call bear service.And yeah, you can pet this bear too, and it'll lick Salage's face in response.

This bear won't just nip at your earOur old buddy Herc Drabmen. He's still as chatty, goofy, and optimistic as ever, and... really cool. His one-liners are something else:Check out how I move. I'm dancing and falling at the same time.

Whenever enemies show up, Herc's always ready to lend a hand with his bazooka. Trying to sneak past an outpost with Herc is out of the question, since he'll immediately charge in and start firing his bazooka.

Old Reliable HercHunter Jess Black. She's Datch's niece. You can also find her in the Whitechapel mountains. She's one of my favorite partners in this part - I've had enough of hunters in the fourth part, so now it's the enemy's turn to suffer. With Jess, you can walk through the dense forests inhabited by wild animals without them attacking you. She's a stealthy hunter who can take down enemies silently with her bow and arrow, as long as you aim correctly.

Master of stealth Silent assassin-puma Peach. You can find her in the Vesper region. Another great helper for stealth gameplay. She moves on her haunches, and enemies can't see her in the grass. She sneaks up quietly and takes them down silently.She's also available for petting.

Peach Pyromaniac-lover Shark Boshaw - where Boshaw is, there's always a fire; and he's a bit of a wild card himself. He's the cousin of Hawk. He'll come in handy when you need to turn the sectarians into kebabs (and what else would I use my flamethrower guys for?). You can also find him waiting for Salagi in the Vesper region. (By the way, he had a thing for her)

Shark Iron lady Adelaide Drabman - Hawk's mom. She left his dad for another guy; she's not shy about her high libido, saying she'd sleep with Nick Ray, Ian Sidor, and even the local pastor. She reminds Salagi that it's not a good idea to mess with her at sunset, since her husband is doing yoga at the time and she likes to watch his fifth point. She controls her personal helicopter Tulip, from which she takes out ground and low-flying air targets.

She'll fly in on her chopper A woman with attitude.

Ada usually doesn't back down from a fight Even if you don't have any of these sidekicks at first, don't worry: the first freed civilian can become a sidekick and help you out. Sidekicks are also useful because if you get knocked out, a sidekick will rush to your side and revive you. Even animals can revive you - except for Nick Ray, who's stuck in his plane and can't help. You can also revive your sidekicks if they take too much damage. However, the same can be done by enemies to their teammates, so it's best not to leave anyone for dead.

The Battle with Faith With these teammates, I felt confident enough to tackle the heavy difficulty level right off the bat. After the final credits roll, you can enable the New Game+ mode with all the skills and ability points you've acquired, and play on an insane difficulty level. Learning to Fly with Nick The health system has also undergone some changes: now it's a solid bar with no divisions. You'll either recover by using health packs or slowly over time. They've also removed the animations for pulling out bullets and fixing bones. The Path of Pain Save options are both automatic and manual through the in-game menu. Within each mission, there are checkpoint points that you'll respawn at if you die. However, if you quit, you'll have to start from the nearest safe spot. Transportation CHARACTERS

I've already mentioned some of the characters above - my teammates are absolute game-changers! Each one has their own personality, and when you've got two of them together, they'll exchange some really entertaining banter. Even the minor characters in each region are memorable - whether it's Ilya's crew, the Pum squad, or the folks in Falls End. The dialogue would be even more engaging if the main character had a voice, though - as it stands, the characters with Solaire talk to him like he's responding to them. Joseph Sadd. Also known as The Father. Let's start with the big guy.

Joseph Sadd He's the founder of the Eden Gate cult. The middle brother out of the three. He grew up in a pretty rough household, with his parents frequently beating him and his brothers. Eventually, they lost custody, and Joseph was sent to a foster home that turned out to be even worse. One day, Joseph supposedly had a vision from God himself, warning him of an impending apocalypse, and that Joseph might be able to prevent it if he guides humanity back to the right path. The three brothers went through a lot before finally settling in the rural Hope district and starting their own cult. In one of the heart-to-hearts, Joseph will mention his late wife and daughter.One thing that struck me about Joseph is that he seems like a pretty chill and even charming guy. But don't let that fool you – he's ruthless and won't hesitate to do whatever it takes to get what he wants. I've got to give it to him, though – he's got a certain... appeal. I mean, I wish I looked as good as he does at 42! The actor who plays him, Greg Bryk (who also played the role in the miniseries), does an amazing job of bringing him to life.

I mean, it's hard not to stareJacob Sid – the oldest of the brothers – has always tried to look out for them. But Jacob's patience wore thin in that toxic foster home they were stuck in after their real parents lost their rights. He snapped and set the house on fire, killing the foster parents in the process. He ended up in juvie, and then joined the US Army and served in a war. He's the one who controls the region around White Tail Mountain, where he's recruiting both civilians and wolves to join his cause. He's got some pretty twisted methods for manipulating people's minds and turning them into killing machines. And just in case things go south, he's got a bunker where he and his followers can hole up and ride out the apocalypse.

Yasha SidJohn Sid – the youngest of the brothers – had a pretty rough start in life. After Jacob's little incident, the brothers were split up and sent to different foster homes. John ended up in a pretty wealthy family, but they weren't exactly saints themselves. As he grew up, John became a successful lawyer, but he's got a dark side – and a pretty twisted one at that. He's got this angelic face and a charming smile, but don't be fooled – he's got a demon inside. Unlike Jacob and Vera, John's got a more... let's say, 'persuasive' approach to getting people on his side. He's all about intimidation, violence, and torture. And he's got a bit of a temper, to say the least. Joseph's the only one who can calm him down, like in that scene where John goes off the deep end and starts drowning Salaga. And then there's his thing with the word YES – I'm still not entirely sure what's going on with that. John's convinced it's got some kind of deep significance, but I'm not buying it. He's just a bit... unhinged, you know?

Demon with an Angel's Face Vera Sid - my stepsister. She's a local from Hope County, in the region of Hayes River. Man, she's been through some tough times. It's no wonder the brothers had a major influence on her when she was just 17. She'll tell Sajag that she was bullied a lot, she was an outcast, and it was only when she got into the whole heroin thing that things started to spiral out of control. But then the brothers came along and turned her life around for the better.She's into growing plants that produce a substance called Bliss, which gives you this crazy high and gets you hooked. Bliss is all over the place in her region - it's in the soil, the water, even the streams. They use it to recruit locals, and when people start getting these hallucinations, Vera starts singing to them. Some of the anti-heroes have gotten so hooked on Bliss that they're basically just mindless killing machines now.

Vera Sid 🔶GRAPHICSI've gotta say, the screenshots did a great job of showing off the game's visuals. I can see why some people might think the graphics are a letdown, but I think they're actually really well done. The environments are so detailed and realistic - you've got mountains, plains, forests, waterfalls, fast rivers, and even caves. The towns and villages are done in a super authentic American style, but there's this one thing that's just a bit off - every single person is carrying a gun and ready to use it. And, of course, there's some good-natured teasing of America and President Trump.

The Beauty of America The character designs are also really well done. Yeah, the NPCs all look the same, but the main characters are super memorable. And I love the animation on their faces.

John's got some serious moves Honestly, the vibe in this game is super chill. And the soundtrack? I'm obsessed with every single track. From the main menu tunes to the background score while you're just wandering around, the radio songs... I even fell in love with Christian rock, which I wouldn't have expected. Of course, there's plenty of metal too, but the energetic music during battles is just what you need to get pumped up. I immediately downloaded the entire playlist on my phone. While it's still enjoyable to listen to, I really missed the visuals. One thing Ubisoft can't be faulted for is creating unique settings. From African savannas to neon-lit post-apocalyptic futures, Tibetan landscapes, and even ancient stone age environments (I haven't played it, but it looks awesome on screenshots), each one is distinct and memorable. I'm a fan.

Nick's plane view THE VERDICT This game doesn't feel like a Far Cry at all. It's like a completely new project with the same name. I mean, Ubisoft promised a brand new Far Cry, and in my opinion, they delivered. I've seen some successful experiments in the past, like Blood Dragon and Far Cry 4, but this one takes the cake. Of course, not everyone will agree, and that's totally fine – gamers have different opinions.

They say there's no paradise on earth... Far Cry 5 is like the culmination of five years of Ubisoft listening to player feedback on the previous games, taking all the negative comments to heart, and then delivering a game that's a work in progress with a healthy dose of self-irony and humor. Maybe it's not perfect, but getting rid of the towers and giving the collection of what seemed like identical and dull missions a unique storyline is a major plus. The main storyline isn't exactly a masterpiece, but it looks convincing, especially since there are cults in America's history – and they're not exactly the kind you'd want to emulate. I've got to give the game credit for its charming villains and, to a lesser extent, the members of the local resistance. The only thing that's missing is a protagonist with a face, a name, and a backstory. Five stars from me. Not five with a minus, like in school, but a solid five stars, despite all the flaws that are easily outweighed by the game's strengths. Out of all the Far Cry games, this one's my favorite.

A smooth ride Cons: a silent, nameless protagonist; the same Jacob's challenge a few times over; the logic behind the characters' actions. Pros:

the rural America setting – it's cozy and visually pleasing; a great soundtrack; a living, breathing open world where everything's alive and something's always happening – it's even more eventful than the previous game; the missions don't feel repetitive because each one has its own story; memorable characters, especially the villains; a new feature – fishing; no more towers – the map unfolds as you explore it; freedom to play it your way – you get to create your own storyline: where to start and who to send first to the gates of Eden; two endings to choose from and one secret one.