Ubisoft is at it again as they produce yet another quality open-world game (at a seemingly rapid-clip it looks like, when was the last time, three months ago?). Whatever magic Ubisoft is brewing, those guys really love their O-W setting. And now here we are again with the latest installment in the Far Cry series.
In Far Cry New Dawn, you play as a Commander with his or her group of like-minded rebels as they try to reclaim Hope County, an area from Far Cry 5 but this time the game is fast-forward some 17 years after a nuclear blast decimated the place.
Straight as a Bullet
Since I mentioned Far Cry 5 I’m going straight to the point here – If you’re familiar with the previous game (our review here), then you’ll feel very at home with New Dawn’s Hope County, because it is effectively the same map but a tad more colorful. And I mean that literally, think neon-ish as if it were from the 80’s. Its really something to look at, but personally the aesthetics did not go well for me. If Far Cry 5’s ending was weird enough, then obviously this is a product of it.
More of the Same
Other than the familiar setting, Far Cry New Dawn is well, unsurprisingly similar to its predecessor. After my romp thorough the game, I can honestly say that as far as gameplay is speaking, there is almost nothing new to experience here. You’ll still experience those all-too-familiar missions like assassination attempts and taking down outposts. A good point to take from New Dawn though is that this time around, the setting feels much more manageable, which leads to a much more streamlined experience. That’s what a nuke does to things, I guess.
Speaking of nukes, I know that Hope Country had it rough the past 17 years… What I didn’t expect though is that more often than not, I’ve been encountering a lot of bugs during my playthrough. Enemies suddenly jetting-off vehicles when shot at, weird A.I. behavior during encounters. It happened a bit frequently with my version of it which I hope it gets fixed soon. Its not game-breaking, but its a bit annoying that its around, considering that this is technically a re-skin of a previous game.
Country Road, Take me Home (stead)
As similar as it is, the game has one shining glory that I believe makes it worth your while and that is your home called Prosperity. Here, you can do a bunch of things similar to Fallout 4 or Red Dead Redemption 2 where you can improve your weapon loadout, plant herbs to stock on curatives and even upgrade your helicopter for easier transportation. It really is the games biggest pull for me as it significantly gives the game that much needed focus, something that I was kind of looking for in Far Cry 5.
For those who are wondering or are used to it already, like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and games before it, the game also presents us with microtransactions. You see, a good chunk of New Dawn’s progression and skills are hugely tied into its crafting mechanic, to which the materials as you would expect is really hard to come by. I get that it is optional and you can probably do away without it… I just find it hard to accept it on a paid, premium game and more importantly – why do I always feel that this pay-to-get-better-stuff is always right in my face? Again, this is not just some simple cosmetic change that doesn’t affect gameplay like Fortnite, this is really somewhat similar to a pay-to-win approach, that I hope I really see less of in a game that you have to pay once.
Verdict
I’m glad this isnt a full $60 game because its pretty much a recycled Farcry 5. The new homestead mechanic though makes it all for the better and is really worth your 30 hours, or $40 if you are curious at the reduced price. If you’re looking into getting your feet wet into the series this is a great starting point but if you are looking for something totally different from the last installment, no cigar.