Summary
- Far Cry 7 may introduce dual protagonists for a fresh gameplay and narrative experience that could redefine the franchise.
- A dual protagonist approach could offer distinct combat styles and relationships with the antagonist for a more layered Far Cry story.
- A big protagonist overhaul with a dual approach could bring untold gameplay and narrative benefits to the Far Cry franchise’s future.
Fans of the Far Cry franchise are waiting patiently for news regarding the next project for the longstanding Ubisoft series, with the dust having firmly settled around 2021’s Far Cry 6 and rumors starting to spread around what a potential Far Cry 7 might look like. While nothing is currently officially confirmed about the next release for the IP, many early reports paint a picture of the project being centered around bold changes to the usual franchise formula.
Aside from minor changes, one aspect of Far Cry that the series has always remained fairly consistent with is its protagonist choices, with this being a clear avenue for potential change that the next Far Cry game could utilize to create a more distinct identity. The recent Assassin’s Creed Shadows recently re-introduced the concept of dual protagonists to the series, and the narrative and gameplay intricacies that this brings could be the perfect match for a truly unique and engaging new Far Cry experience.
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A Dual Protagonist Approach Could Open Up a World of Possibilities For the Next Far Cry
While the Far Cry games are often associated with the high-octane, chaotic gameplay of their distinct open worlds, the narratives and involved characters of any given Far Cry title are massively important to how the game feels and is received by fans. Far Cry has found success with its villains over the years, with the likes of Vaas Montenegro, Pagan Min, and Joseph Seed being considered some of the most memorable villains in the gaming industry’s recent history.
This focus on villains with massive screen presence has often led to the protagonists of more recent Far Cry games being neglected, even being controversially voiceless at times, as seen in 2018’s Far Cry 5. Ubisoft clearly recognized this flaw in the development of Far Cry 6, with the game offering a much more fleshed-out protagonist with a clear personality in the form of Dani Rojas.
It only seems right that the next Far Cry game builds upon these recent developments to the franchise’s protagonist approach, with the player ultimately spending more time with a game’s central figure than any other conceivable character. Another Ubisoft franchise, Assassin’s Creed, has offered a huge protagonist shake-up over the years by offering two simultaneous protagonists to the player, first with 2015’s Assassin’s Creed Syndicate and more recently with the Japan-set AC Shadows.
Far Cry 7 is rumored to feature an in-game timer that will be central to how players can progress through the story, potentially setting a precedent for bold new mechanics that would be a perfect match for a big protagonist overhaul.
Assassin’s Creed has used this approach to offer distinct gameplay and narrative paths across two main characters, with each protagonist being proficient at different types of combat and exploration. AC often splits stealthy infiltration and direct powerful combat between its dual protagonists, and this is something that directly applies to the branching gameplay approach of Far Cry games.
A Protagonist On Either Side of the Conflict Could Be a Game-Changer For Far Cry’s Next Project
Not only could this allow players to spec further into stealth and direct combat builds between protagonists, but this dual approach could also have huge positive implications for the story of the next Far Cry game. The two protagonists could have conflicting relationships with the major villain of the next Far Cry project, for example, allowing for the franchise’s next antagonist to have multiple sides that can be portrayed in a way that would simply not be possible with the traditional lone protagonist approach.
Far Cry narratives often tell the story of an oppressive regime and the relentless rebel groups that aim to topple it, and each protagonist of the next entry could belong to these opposing sides. This would convey the game’s conflict in a much more layered and compelling way, with the player then having direct control over how these clashes ultimately unfold and impact the major setting of the next Far Cry game. The main characters of Far Cry projects have somewhat lost their way in recent years by loosely revolving around a very rigid formula, and two distinct simultaneous protagonists akin to AC Shadows could provide untold gameplay and narrative benefits in the franchise’s future.
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.