Far Cry New Dawn Review (PS4)

Written by Alexander O. Cuaycong and Anthony L. Cuaycong

Title: Far Cry New Dawn
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft Kiev, Ubisoft Shanghai
Publisher: Ubisoft
Genre: Action, Adventure
Price: $39.99
Also Available On: Steam, XB1

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As hard as it may be for gamers to wrap their heads around, Ubisoft's Far Cry New Dawn is a direct sequel to the eminently enjoyable Far Cry 5. Never mind that it strays from most of the serious themes the previous installment’s dramatic narrative tackled. Sporting a more colorful look and design, it boasts of a far wackier feel — so much so that it comes across, and wrongly, as a spin-off. It doesn't barrage players with a nitty-gritty storyline; instead, it doubles down on what made the series fun in the first place — its ridiculous tone and the vibrant world it presents and represents. And whether or not it takes a step back depends on the perspective of those who lost themselves in the plot of its predecessor, never mind its reliance on a familiar formula lurking just beneath its fresh coat of paint.

Far Cry New Dawn is an open-world adventure shooter that takes place 17 years after the events of Far Cry 5. While set in the post-apocalyptic wasteland of Hope County, Montana, it lets gamers loose not in a broken world similar to that in, say, the Fallout franchise, but, rather, in one holding the promise of recovery. Animals and plant life are starting to return, with pockets of human life banding together to survive the nuclear fallout. The objective is simple enough: find and tap resources — including human resources — to take the measure of The Highwaymen, bandits organized and led by twin sisters Mickey and Lou. Needless to say, the endeavor involves no small measure of exploration on foot or through the use of vehicles, and features much of the same old, same old to which fans of the series have long become familiar: doing specific missions, shooting bad guys, crafting weapons, and so on and so forth.

That said, Far Cry New Dawn dares to inject its uniqueness. Compared to Far Cry 5, there’s a definite shift in its tone and scenery; it eschews the shades of gray and black that characterized its older sibling, and in their place introduces a far more energetic color palette to its environments. Its version of Hope County is thick with trees and foliage, and while not all parts of the map are accessible, those that can be traversed sport a richness of energy. Which is to say it conveys its theme of rebuilding quite well; it shows the living — and the acts of living — amidst a harsh world, struggling and yet resolute in the belief that better is out there and achievable. And none portray the optimism better than the very surroundings gamers are compelled to conquer: jungles rich and lush with life, with broken down vehicles and buildings overgrown with vegetation. In other words, the story may be relatively sparse, but the storytelling is supreme.

Still, Far Cry New Dawn isn’t carried by the design or story. Rather, it’s defined by the gunplay, which, sadly isn’t as polished as expected. In trying to distinguish itself from Far Cry 5, it employs leveling mechanics akin to role-playing games. Upgrades to equipment have been made necessary, and gamers are thusly tasked to make their gear, at the very least, adequate for the job. Weaker opponents are felled even by the weakest of guns, but tougher, elite enemies require stronger, buffed-up weapons to neutralize. Concomitantly, scouring the map for parts to craft bigger and better ordnance becomes a requisite. The intent is clear; it forces constant movement for supplies and emphasizes the importance of tactics in both foraging and combat. In practice, though, it engenders grinding more than anything else.

This is Far Cry New Dawn's biggest flaw, and, by extension, its most divisive feature. Its mechanics force gamers to engage it not at their own pace, but on its terms. It requires flitting from mission to mission — and rinsing and repeating the effort — in order to get weapons to keep up with the competition, as the alternative courts death. And, no, higher-level enemies do not become smarter or more appropriately challenging to fight; they simply exhibit greater resistance to damage, making them literal bullet sponges against under-equipped gear. While it can be satisfying to subsequently bring down tougher opponents, the very act of grinding en route effectively kills the anticipation.

Far Cry New Dawn isn’t a bad first-person actioner by any means. To the contrary, it offers more than its fair share of points of interest to keep gamers engaged. Nonetheless, it shows its rough patches after some time. Even by the usual Ubisoft standards, it possesses farming requisites that add tedium to the provision of what amounts to basic tools for its completion. In this regard, it winds up actively eroding its best aspects: exploring the world and engaging in the formation of the future. Instead, it puts forth sidequest after sidequest in the path to progress. And because it concentrates on the journey at the expense of its destination, it winds up as a mixed bag that leaves a lot of What Ifs and Could Have Beens in its wake.

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THE GOOD

• Great, colorful visuals
• Keeps the open-world feel of the Far Cry series while adding its own unique spin to the environments
• Conveys theme of rebuilding quite well

THE BAD

• RPG-lite mechanics force grinding
• Same old mission formula
• Requires flitting from sidequest to sidequest

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RATING: 7/10

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