Far Cry Games With The Best Gameplay, Ranked

Summary

• Far Cry games offer compelling gameplay, despite a lack of innovation, keeping fans engaged.
• Far Cry 3 set the foundation for the series’ action-packed gameplay that fans love.
• Far Cry 5 provides satisfying combat experiences with changes in gameplay elements for player enjoyment.

Far Cry is one of Ubisoft’s most popular open-world series. Ever since Vaas made a name for himself in the third game, the open-world action and dynamic performances in each Far Cry game have tried to maintain the highest standards every single time.

The stealth and action in these titles are in a class of their own, and fans love to explore them time and time again. Despite a lack of innovation pervading this series, almost every Far Cry game boasts compelling gameplay that will keep fans coming back for more.

8

Far Cry

Still Fun To Play Despite Its Annoyances

As one would expect from any debut entry in a series, Far Cry is a bit rough around the edges and can take a while to get used to. Enemies can spot the player from ridiculously long distances and hit with pinpoint accuracy, making the title way harder than it has any right to be.

These issues may be grating, but players who manage to come to grips with the dated gameplay will find a ton of things to love about Far Cry. The gunplay is surprisingly fun, and stealth feels satisfying once players manage to beat the odds and clear an outpost without raising the alarm.

7

Far Cry 2

Immerses Players With Its Gameplay

Far Cry 2 is one of the most immersive games in the series, and is still impressive to this day. Players must fight off malaria, use the environment to their advantage, and open a physical map to navigate the unnamed African nation they’re exploring.

The gunplay and stealth feel great and were amazing back in the day, but the reality is that this gameplay loop has been perfected to a T in later titles. However, that should take nothing away from the greatness of Far Cry 2 as one of the most ambitious and enjoyable games in the series.

6

Far Cry Primal

Prehistoric Weapons Are Fun, But Players Will Miss Guns

A Far Cry game set in prehistoric times boasted a ton of promise. Players loved the idea of taming wild animals, chucking spears, and using makeshift weapons to take out their enemies.

However, in practice, players soon realized that they missed the crunchy and satisfying feel of the guns they could wield in this world. Relying on tamed animals and prehistoric weapons to take out enemies is still a ton of fun, but nothing replicates the adrenaline rush players enjoy when they use their favorite gun to wreak havoc on an outpost.

5

Far Cry 3

Set The Foundation For Far Cry’s Action-Packed Gameplay

Far Cry 3 is one of the most important video games ever made, helping Ubisoft establish a legacy as one of the most beloved video game developers who dominated the AAA space. Exploring the Rook Islands, acquiring a ton of powers, and encountering several compelling villains throughout this journey is a blast every single time.

What makes Far Cry 3 even better to play is the emphasis on action, which made everything from full-frontal assaults to sneaky takedowns a joy to execute. There’s nothing more satisfying than either mowing down waves of hapless pirates who try to fight back against Jason or moving around in the shadows and eliminating threats without raising the alarm.

4

Far Cry 4

Refines The Game From Its Predecessor

Far Cry 4 may not be the evolution that fans wanted from the series after its predecessor became such a major hit. However, no one could speak out against the gameplay. The improvements may have been minor, but they went a long way in ensuring that players would have a ton of fun liberating Kyrat from Pagan Min’s terrifying reign.

The gunplay is tighter and more satisfying, while players have more options for silent takedowns. It’s a noticeable upgrade over its predecessor in every way, although the lack of innovation ensured that this game would forever live in Far Cry 3‘s shadow.

3

Far Cry 6

A Lack Of Balance Takes Away From An Otherwise Cathartic Experience

It’s a shame that Far Cry 6 dropped the ball and halted the series’ momentum. Since it uses the same engine as its predecessor, the gameplay feels great, but some balancing issues rear their ugly heads. Fans can’t help but feel that this game was rushed out to meet a release date instead of being play-tested and polished to an acceptable level.

Sniper rifles and shotguns are so powerful that players will barely face a challenge as they tear down outposts and kill enemies in the hundreds. To make things worse, enemy AI is pretty lackluster and leads to shootouts feeling rather one-dimensional after a point. Still, mini-missiles and a wealth of varied weaponry ensures that players will still have a great time destroying their enemies in Far Cry 6.

2

Far Cry New Dawn

Despite Feeling Phoned In, The Gameplay Feels Excellent

Far Cry New Dawn boasts a beautiful world along with some excellent action-packed gameplay that is in line with Far Cry 5. It may seem like a been-there-done-that experience, but fans who loved the gunplay and stealth in their previous adventures across Hope County will enjoy more of the same in Far Cry New Dawn.

It may lack innovation, but that isn’t a huge issue for fans who just want to enjoy more Far Cry 5 with a fresh coat of paint. The gameplay is tight and satisfying. The simple act of clearing out outposts ends up being dynamic and rewarding every single time.

1

Far Cry 5

Combat Is More Satisfying Than Ever Before

After Far Cry 4‘s release, it was clear that the sequel needed to do something different to prevent fans from lashing out. This was achieved in Far Cry 5 by changing a few elements of the game, removing towers, and employing non-linear storytelling to let players take out the members of the Seed family in whatever order they see fit.

This ensured that players would have a great time controlling the deputy and liberating Hope County from the influence of cultists. The egregious spawn rate is the only complaint in what is otherwise a fun, action-packed title. This game does justice to the classic gameplay loop of Far Cry while making exploration more engaging than ever before.