It has been over three years since the last mainline Far Cry game was released, and Ubisoft has been radio silent regarding the franchise’s next entry. The Far Cry series initially gained traction with players thanks to its survival mechanics, dense open worlds, and charismatic villains. However, increasingly repetitive and uninspired gameplay from recent entries like Far Cry 5 and Far Cry 6 caused the series to lose its momentum. Ubisoft has been taking its time with Far Cry 7, and recent rumors indicate that the developer will be taking a big swing with this next game.
According to a report by Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson, Ubisoft is looking to make some major departures from the “Far Cry formula” with Far Cry 7. The initial premise of Far Cry 7 will include some familiar elements for longtime fans of the series: the player character finds himself stranded in a dangerous environment where he will have to rescue his kidnapped family from a cult. The big switch-up with this game is that the player will have 24 real hours — or 72 in-game hours — to accomplish his mission. If the player isn’t able to do so, then they will fail the game and presumably end the campaign. While Ubisoft’s big swing could be the shot in the arm that Far Cry needs, its implementation has many fans concerned.
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If history has shown anything, it’s that Ubisoft is doing what it can to retain the fanbase it had during the lifespan of its most beloved titles.
The Risk of Wasting Players’ Time in Far Cry 7
The Pros of a Time Limit
On paper, the 24-hour limit in Far Cry 7‘s story is an intriguing gimmick. The Far Cry series loves to put its protagonists in tense, make-or-break situations. However, this tone can sometimes be upended as the games’ open-world nature then encourages players to take breaks and play around in the sandbox. An in-game time could do a much better job of conveying the life-threatening situation that Far Cry 7‘s protagonist finds himself in. It could also encourage replayability, as players will likely only have the time to obtain certain Far Cry weapons and upgrades in a single playthrough.
The Cons of a Time Limit
The time limit would certainly help Far Cry 7 to stand apart from its predecessors, but it could easily make the game a frustrating experience. Some longtime fans are already up in arms at the idea that they won’t be able to explore, hunt, and progress through the Far Cry 7‘s side objectives at their own pace. The game could anger fans even further if it only provides a satisfying ending for players who are able to beat the game within 24 hours.
The clear goal with Far Cry 7‘s time limit is that players lock-in and rescue their in-game family before the timer reaches zero. That said, if there is room for failure, then some players will inevitably fail to complete the main story within 24 hours. While this would result in a negative ending for the story — similar to Far Cry 5‘s controversial ending — Ubisoft needs to make sure that it still presents a concrete ending for anyone who obtains this outcome.
If a player sinks 24 hours into this game, a simple “Game Over” screen prompting them to restart the story is the last thing that they’ll want to see. In order to avoid making players feel like they’ve wasted their time, Far Cry 7 needs to deliver with its bad ending. If the player fails to complete the game within the time limit, then they should at the very least be given a unique cutscene and alternate ending to sink their teeth into. Maybe if time runs out, the protagonist’s family is killed, but the player is still able to continue the campaign and explore the open world. Rather than having their objective be to rescue their family, it transforms into getting revenge on the cult that killed them. This new time mechanic gives Ubisoft unique opportunities for Far Cry 7, and the developer would be wise to capitalize on it.
Far Cry
Far Cry is a long-running first-person shooter franchise set across diverse locations around the globe. Developed by Ubisoft, the Far Cry series features open worlds, unique characters and villains, and tons of weapons.