Far Cry 5 is the fifth edition in one of modern gaming's most famous series. Created by Ubisoft Montreal, the game's release date was February 27th 2018 for PlayStation 4, PC and Xbox One systems, and offers a huge amount of exploration and fighting based action.
If you love open world exploration, imaginative side missions, level editors and games with a two player cooperative mode, Far Cry 5 could be ideal. Read on to find out more about its gameplay and how to find the cheapest copy for your favourite gaming system.
The very first Far Cry title appeared way back in 2004, and was initially just a Windows-only release. Set on a series of tropical islands, the first game saw players take the role of Jack Carver, a special forces agent tasked with finding a lost journalist, who had been kidnapped by a group of bloodthirsty mercenaries.
The original was a huge success, so it was no surprise when Far Cry 2 arrived in 2008. This time, players were parachuted into an anarchic Central African scenario, and could play as numerous characters representing powers from around the world. They could ally with different factions, meet friends of their character, and control vehicles as they fought to find and kill “the Jackal” - an arms dealing mastermind responsible for the country's fate.
It was back to the Pacific for Far Cry 3 in 2012, when players took the role of Jason Brody as he fought against psychopathic pirates in a jungle environment. Then, Far Cry 4 arrived in 2014 for PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and Windows, transporting gamers to the Himalayan nation of Kyrat to fight on one side of the country's civil war.
All of the Far Cry games have featured a powerful level editor – one of the most innovative aspects of the game. And most have come with a multiplayer mode as well, allowing you to take on friends or strangers on maps of your own creation.
Almost every edition of Far Cry has also been well received by critics, which is why Far Cry 5 was so eagerly awaited. For example, Far Cry 4 averaged in the 80s for reviews across all systems, and hardly had a bad reception from any publication.
In keeping with the great Far Cry tradition, Far Cry 5 is an open world exploration title with plenty of quests and tasks for players, but it does have some important new features. Most significantly, the character system has been overhauled. This time around, players don't inhabit a set character and follow their story arc. Instead, you can create your own character and experience a huge range of different narratives – creating a diverse, constantly changing in-game experience.
This time around, the game takes place in the community of Hope County, Montana, USA. But things aren't going well in the American heartland, because a dangerous cult has taken root. It's your job to venture through Hope County, seeking out the cult's leader Joseph Seed, and to rescue the county's people from their evil clutches.
Within both the cultists and the locals, you'll come across a vivid cast of characters, all of which have stories of their own and information or tasks for you to complete. But the core of the game is simple: clearing out different sectors of Hope County so that locals can return to their lives, and the sinister cult is destroyed.
Along the way, you'll encounter a variety of elements. There are “prepper stashes” full of goodies like weapons and money. There are streams that can be fished for food, and a crafting system to create new useful items.
And there are also things known as “perks”, which players earn as they complete missions. With these perks, you can upgrade your character's abilities, making it much easier to finish the game. And they can also tailor your character to be a survivalist, a money-maker, or a soldier, depending on you're personal playing style, giving you plenty of flexibility about how you tackle the cult.
Another key aspect of Far Cry 5 are collectibles. If you hunt these down, you'll be able to unlock extra missions and get more out of the game. They are scattered all over the map, usually in hard to access locations, but finding them is much easier if you acquire maps from the in-game gun stores. Here are the collectibles you'll need to look out for:
Baseball Cards
Bobbleheads
Whiskey Casks (which are always located in aquatic environments)
Cigarette Lighters
Vinyl Records (which also unlock tracks on the in-game radio as you collect them)
Comic Books
Along with collectibles, the game also includes “alien objects” which can be hunted down with the assistance of a particular non-player character. It's worth doing so, as when you get them all, you'll be given an extra-terrestrial weapon to use towards the end of the game.
Finally, it's worth mentioning Far Cry 5's own microtransactions system. Most exploration-based titles include some form of real-world currency, and Far Cry 5 is no exception, with its Silver Bars currency able to purchase in-game items. However, these aren't vital to beating the game, and tend to be superficial items like skins, although if you spend real money you can access vehicles and weapons more quickly, so impatient gamers with some cash to burn might want to give it a go.
Has Far Cry 5 caught the imagination of reviewers in the same way that the first four instalments did? Well, by and large the answer seems to be yes.
For reliable gaming site IGN, the game was worth a score of 8.9/10, while their review called it “another great game in the open-world series.” They loved the setting and the environmental touches such as wildlife, as well as the size of the game world and the intensity of the action.
The story was more or less the same for Trusted Reviews, who gave the game 4 stars out of 5. For them, the stunning scenery was a big draw, along with the characterisation of the enemies and – again – the use of wildlife as an in-game element. But they did detect some passages of play when the pace dropped, slightly tempering their praise.
There have been some doubters, though. For instance, Polygon gave the title 6.5/10 and were not big fans of the narrative, citing the lack of background information about the cultists and ideas like the drug “bliss”, which turns takers into zombie-like drones. Then again, despite their criticisms, the reviewers judged that “behind the plot is an open world filled with what Far Cry as a series does best”, so it wasn't all bad.
If you want to take on Seed's holy warriors and liberate Hope County, the game has been released for Windows, PS4 and Xbox systems, and there are a variety of buying options to choose from.
The Standard Edition – The cheapest option by far, the Standard Edition of Far Cry 5 is available for PC (as a download only), Xbox and PlayStation 4, and includes the game itself, with no additional extras.
The Deluxe Edition – Available for Xbox and PC users (not PlayStation 4), the Deluxe Edition includes the “Deluxe Pack”, which features the Big Game Hunter Pack, the Ace Pilot Pack, the Explosive Pack, and the Chaos Pack. These packs add extra collectibles, tools and weapons to the standard game, helping you to access vehicles more quickly and hunt down animals.
The Gold Edition – Comes with the Standard version of the game, the Deluxe Pack and a Season Pass for good measure, allowing you to really hit the ground running when you enter the world of Hope County. Only available for PC users as a digital download.
The Father Edition – PC owners can also get hold of this special edition of the game which comes in a physical format. It includes a range of goodies, including a fold out world map, the official soundtrack in CD form, a 30cm “father figurine” and a Steelbook. So it's a good option for serious Far Cry collectors.
Mondo Edition – A kind of lower cost hybrid option for collectors, the Mondo Edition is available for PC, Xbox and PlayStation 4 owners and features artwork created by the Mondo Collective which has been inspired by the game. So if you want a uniquely creative collector's edition, it could be ideal.
The Hope County, MT Collector's Case – Probably the ultimate edition for Far Cry fanatics, the Hope County MT Collector's Case includes the game, a DLC pass and all of the physical extras, as well as a 45cm tall resin deer skull and – as the name suggests – a special carry case themed around the game. Only available for PC owners.
Season Passes – Not all of the editions of Far Cry 5 come with a Season Pass, but is it worthwhile purchasing one alongside the Standard or Deluxe editions? Season passes for the game are available from a wide range of hotukdeals merchants, including CDKeys and Game.co.uk and they are a great way to unlock the game's latest DLC. For instance, the initial DLC Pass came with the Dead Living Zombies, Hours of Darkness and Lost on Mars DLC, as well as access to the reissue of Far Cry 3 on online platforms. So it's a big addition to the game's content. But be sure to compare prices of Gold Editions and Standard Editions + Passes, to make sure you are getting the best deal.
Unfortunately, there are no plans as yet to convert the game to the Nintendo Switch, although Ubisoft reportedly have plans to take their leading titles to Nintendo's next generation console, so don't give up hope.
As usual, Far Cry 5 features cutting edge graphics which can be demanding for older PCs, so it makes sense to double check that your system measures up before buying. Here are the recommended minimum specifications:
Operating system: 64-bit Windows 7, Windows 8.1 or Windows 10
CPU: Intel Core i5-2400 or AMD FX-6300
Graphics card: nVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 or AMD R9 270 (2GB of VRAM in both cases)
RAM: 8 GB
Disk space: 30 GB
However, Ubisoft also have some recommended specifications to really enjoy the game at its best:
Operating system: Windows 10 (64-bit) or later
CPU: Intel Core i7-4770 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600
Graphics card: nVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 or AMD R9 290X (4GB VRAM)
RAM: 8 GB
Disk space: 30 GB
Before you purchase a copy of Far Cry 5, it's worth having a quick look at how the Far Cry Arcade works, as we haven't really touched on it as yet. The Far Cry Arcade is an online service maintained by Ubisoft which acts as a worldwide community for Far Cry players. And it's also a forum for “creators” who tinker with the in-game editor, showing off their new worlds and graphics.
But it's not a discussion forum. It's actually another game mode, allowing players to take part in 6 vs 6 match-ups on custom maps, or schedule matches with friends on a range of specially curated maps. Each player has a profile which changes as you rack up the kills, and support is available for wannabe map creators who want to add their creative skills to the fun.
In addition to Far Cry Arcade, you might also want to keep in touch with the game's social media team, whether that's on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.
Ubisoft regularly release DLC for their leading titles, and that's bound to be the case for Far Cry 5. In fact, as we mentioned above, the Pass already provides access to a batch of downloadable content, including the following packs:
Hours of Darkness – In this add-on pack, you travel back in time with a Hope County old-timer called Wendell Redler as you relive his ear stories from Vietnam.
Lost on Mars – Taking a completely different course, this pack sees you taking the role of Nick Rye, an astronaut dispatched to Mars, where he has to fight an alien invasion.
Dead Living Zombies – A tongue-in-cheek add-on which sees a Hope County B-movie director called Guy Marvel battling zombies.
As noted above, these DLC packs have been joined by a reissue of Far Cry 3, which took place on Rook Island in the Pacific. If you want to get hold of these extra packs, the DLC was launched on 27th March 2018, and more should be available later in the year.
Along with the 6 on 6 games available on the Far Cry Arcade, the game itself has a 2-player coop mode which is right at the heart of the action. So if you have friends who want to help you out as you clear out Hope County, go ahead.
Your mate joins the open world game as a “friend for hire”, functioning as an extra gun to direct at the cultists, and you can chat via microphones and headsets whenever you like, giving the game a strategic element that one player mode lacks.
However, one player always acts as the “host”, and you can't explore Hope County autonomously. If the visiting players wanders too far away, he is transported back within range of the host, something players might want to bear in mind.
Definitely one of the gaming events of 2018, Far Cry 5 promises hours and hours of exploration, character interaction, fighting and – if the you feel like relaxing – even a spot of fishing. And it should be easy to get hold of an affordable copy.
Firstly, shop around for the right edition. If you're into the series and have a Far Cry collection that you want to complete, be sure to opt for a Collector's Edition. But if you're all about playing the game, go for the Standard, Deluxe or Gold Editions.
At some stage, you'll probably feel the need to purchase the DLC packs, so be aware of any deals for DLC Passes when you make your purchase. The Gold Edition comes with the Pass as part of the deal, but it may sometimes work out cheaper to buy the Standard or Deluxe Edition and the DLC Pass separately.
The way to find out is by browsing the hotukdeals Far Cry 5 listings. The community is hunting constantly after reductions for the latest gaming titles, and include big names like GAME, Amazon, Smyths, Argos, and CDKeys.
It might be a good idea to hold off until major sales events if you're hunting for the biggest discounts. For example, Amazon Prime Day in summer is often a great time to find bargain games (or console deals if you need to upgrade), and the same applies to Black Friday in November.
Then again, whenever you need to buy Far Cry 5, you can be sure to find big savings by shopping with hotukdeals. So have a look around and get ready to enter the cut-throat world of Hope County.
The latest edition in the Far Cry series sees players venturing to the chaotic environment of Hope County, Montana, where a vicious cult has taken over. With hours of enjoyment guaranteed and a massive world to explore, Far Cry 5 is a fitting extension of the saga, and gamers can buy it for less by browsing the Far Cry 5 listings at hotukdeals.
