Despite its ups and downs, theFar Cryfranchise has a dedicated fanbase that eagerly awaits new entries in the hopes that Ubisoft will attempt to go back to what made these games so good. Far Cry games have been all about survival against a dictator with his own army on an island they’re stranded on, and the formula hasproduced many hitsover the period of more than twenty years that the franchise has been running.
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These are nine Far Cry games ranked from good to the best.
The One that Started it All
Released in 2004, the original Far Cry introduced players to the expansive, open-world gameplay in the form of lush tropical environments. At the time, it was a technical marvel, with visuals and enemy AI that were ahead of their time. The game followed Jack Carver, a stranded sailor who had to fight mercenaries and uncover a dark conspiracy on a mysterious island.
While the graphics and the large map were impressive, the gameplay could feel repetitive and punishing due to its steep difficulty curve. The lack of a fast-travel system also made exploration tedious. Nevertheless, Far Cry laid the groundwork for the series’ hallmark element: stranded on a stunning island with enemies all around.
8Far Cry 6
Gus Fring in a Far Cry Game
The main selling point ofFar Cry 6was the casting of Giancarlo Esposito, who plays Anton Castillo, the main antagonist of the game, but that was more or less it. Set in the fictional country of Yara, Far Cry 6 put players right in the middle of a modern-day guerrilla revolution against the Breaking Bad star.
Review: Far Cry 6
Yara may be an awful place to live, but playing Far Cry 6 is well worth the trip to the rotten paradise.
The richly-detailedopen world, vibrant visuals and diverse environments were standout elements, offering players a playground filled with chaos and destruction, but they weren’t enough to distract players from the shortcomings.
Many players thought that Giancarlo’s talent was wasted in the game due to the pacing of the plot. Critics also pointed out that Far Cry 6 felt like more of the same, with formulaic missions and an over-reliance on Ubisoft’s open-world design tropes. Its customization options, including quirky weapons like the Resolver arsenal, were fun to play around with and added creativity to gameplay.
I had extremely high hopes for Far Cry 6, and I actually thought that Anton would finally be a villain to rival Vaas from Far Cry 3. But unfortunately, it didn’t meet my expectations, despite being a good game.
7Far Cry New Dawn
A Colorful, Yet Divisive Sequel to a Solid Game
Far Cry New Dawn
As a direct sequel to Far Cry 5, players take on the role of Security Captain inFar Cry New Dawn, leading a fight against the Highwaymen, a ruthless gang led by the twin sisters, Mickey and Lou. Set in a post-apocalyptic version of Hope County with vibrant visuals and RPG-lite mechanics, the game tried to add a unique spin to the franchise, but it mostly fell flat on its face.
The progression system, featuring an upgradable home base and tiered weapons, brought fresh ideas, but also drew criticism. Many felt that the game leaned too heavily into the RPG elements, which detracted from the series’ traditional open-world chaos. Additionally, the story lacked the emotional weight of its predecessor. While it didn’t hit the mark for everyone, New Dawn still offered fun combat encounters and creative weaponry like the Saw Launcher, making it a worthwhile experiment in the Far Cry series.
6Far Cry Primal
The Franchise Goes Back in Time
Far Cry Primal
Far Cry Primaltook the series in a completely different direction, trading guns and vehicles for spears and mammoths. Set in the Stone Age, it follows Takkar, a hunter who must unite his tribe and survive in the harsh land of Oros.
The lack of modern technology and comprehensible language meant that players had to brace themselves for a fresh take on gameplay. The game allowed the taming of wild animals, not just to assist in combat, but also for traversal, and crafting primitive tools and weapons like a club and a spear. Many players welcomed the lush, prehistoric setting and the ability to control creatures like saber-toothed tigers with open arms since there were few games at the time that did something similar. The absence of firearms and vehicles, however, alienated some long-time fans. Plus, the story was widely regarded as disjointed and an afterthought, which didn’t help the game’s case with the critics too much.
5Far Cry 2
A Diamond in the Rough
Far Cry 2 is probably one of the most-polarizing entries in the franchise, with some fans considering it the best in the franchise, while others completely disregard its existence. Set in a war-torn African country, the game stood out for its gritty realism and survival mechanics. Players had to contend with weapon degradation, the constant threat of malaria, and dynamic fire physics which are often commended to this day, adding a layer of unpredictability to the gameplay that very few future titles had.
While therealismwas refreshing, it was also frustrating. Constantly repairing weapons, curing malaria and traveling across vast distances without any fast travel tested the players’ patience. The story, centered around hunting down an arms dealer known as “The Jackal,” was middling at best, lacking any emotional depth.
4Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon
Neon Nostalgia Done Right
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon
Acting as a standalone expansion for Far Cry 3, Blood Dragon was a neon-soaked love letter to ‘80s action movies and science fiction. Players step into the shoes of Rex “Power” Colt, a cyborg soldier who’s tasked with taking down a rogue AI and its army of cyborgs on a bizarre island.
What makes Blood Dragon special is its commitment to over-the-top humor and style, a formula that had never failed the Saints Row games. From the VHS-style cutscenes to the synth-heavy soundtrack, the game leans into its retro aesthetic. The gameplay retains the core mechanics of Far Cry 3, but swaps realism for outrageous fun, including laser guns and cyber-dragons. Even to this day, Blood Dragon remains a cult favorite, offering a bite-sized Far Cry experience packed with charm and creativity.
3Far Cry 4
Scaling New Heights
Arguably the prettiest game in the entire franchise, with jaw-dropping vistas of the Himalayas andbreathtaking graphicsthat were birthed in Ubisoft’s in-house Dunia engine,Far Cry 4puts players in the shoes of Ajay Ghale, who becomes mixed up in a civil war against Pagan Min, the tyrant on the mountains.
The game introduced new features like rideable elephants and added verticality to the gameplay thanks to a grappling hook. The usual gameplay loop of the Far Cry games was refined to perfection in the fourth entry, and Pagan Min, with his flamboyant personality, became one of the franchise’s most memorable villains, despite lacking depth when compared with Vaas.
2Far Cry 5
A Cult Classic, Literally
Set in rural Montana,Far Cry 5takes players into the heart of America to confront a doomsday cult led by the seductively charismatic yet terrifying Joseph Seed. The game depicts themes of a modern-day cult and juggles it with faith and fanaticism, creating something that hadn’t been explored by the franchise before or after this title.
The gameplay improved upon previous entries, giving players more freedom to take on whichever region and its boss that they wanted to take on first, something that was previously implemented inThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildand widely commended. Players could team up with NPC allies like Boomer the Dog or even aco-oppartner. This and the addition of aerial combat in the sprawling map of Hope County enhanced the Far Cry experience to new heights.
1Far Cry 3
The Masterpiece That Redefined the Franchise
Far Cry 3is widely regarded as the title where the franchise peaked. Sure, the future entries further polished the gameplay loop, improved the graphics or added new things, but with the sheer coherence of everything from the killer opening act and Michael Mando’s performance as Vaas to the well-written story and action-packed gameplay, Far Cry 3 did what no other title in the franchise was able to do.
The game follows Jason Brody, a tourist stranded on a dangerous tropical island who must embrace his dark side to survive, but even morememorable is the antagonist, Vaas Montenegro, who is still praised for his captivating and unhinged performance. It can’t be denied that Far Cry 3 set a new standard for the series and inspired countless other open-world games.
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