Injected with some unknown drug the journey that follows is both disturbing and chilling as you rush to construct something to escape. One in particular sees Ajay a prisoner amid a mountain-top prison with “open walls” plummeting hundreds of feet onto a certain rocky death. Instead they offer brief yet enthralling viewpoints into the history of Kyrat and Ajay Ghale. The trippy and rather dark nature that emanated throughout Far Cry 3 makes a triumphant return and it compliments the story perfectly, avoiding over saturating the experience with outer-body experiences aplenty. We don’t often dive deep into story elements with the hopes of avoiding spoilers but as the franchise history goes, Far Cry 4’s story is a welcomed addition. The critically acclaimed elements of its predecessor remain as Far Cry 4 offers an immersive story experience filled with interesting and slightly insane characters, unexpected twists and turns, and a subtle blend of serious dialogue with the occasional humorous undertone. The story follows Ajay’s dealings with Pagan Min and the two bickering leaders of The Golden Path, Amita and Sabal – both of which provide story-changing choices throughout the main campaign. Within minutes of reaching Kyrat Ajay is introduced to king Pagan Min, a vicious dictator hoping to squash The Golden Path rebellion, one way or another. Returning to Kyrat obeying the wishes of his mother, requesting to have her ashes scattered on a place she once called home, Ajay soon finds himself in a brutal civil war that he himself is heavily entwined. Much in a similar way to Far Cry 3 players take on the role of outsider, Ajay Ghale.
The open-world nature of these games often overshadows the storytelling elements of the experience but with Far Cry 3 almost a perfect combination, could Ubisoft pull it off again? Through all the excitement I felt as I sat in eager anticipation (during another day 1 patch), I couldn’t help but wonder – was Far Cry 3 the peak? Have Ubisoft managed to create a sequel deserving of the Far Cry franchise or was the Far Cry 2 to Far Cry 3 leap the best they can throw at us? Let’s find out as I dive into Far Cry 4.The open-world approach taken for many big releases last generation left high expectations for Far Cry 4 and not just in freedom and content variety.
Despite the likes of Assassin’s Creed Unity and Dragon Age Inquisition competing for popularity this past week, Far Cry 4 easily stood out as my most anticipated title of this November’s crazy launch list extravaganza.