Gaming

Review: ‘Far Cry New Dawn’ Is a Fun and Crazy Sequel


One of Far Cry 5’s alternate endings sees the fictional town of Hope County destroyed by a nuclear bomb. What would otherwise be a conclusion sets the stage for the first ever Far Cry sequel. Far Cry New Dawn is the series’ take on the post-apocalypse. This stand-alone entry eschews the usual post-apocalyptic visual trappings by featuring a lush and vibrant world. It also introduces some enhancements to the basic gameplay of Far Cry 5.

Far Cry New Dawn is perfect for fans of the fifth installment and newcomers alike. It’s also a great example of how to create a condensed open world game with enough content to satisfy but not overwhelm.

Hope County is very different from before. There are new valleys, rivers, lakes, and hills. Thanks to the real-world super bloom effect, nature has returned in a big way. The land now teems with colorful animals and overgrown forests. Scattered ruins are the only remains of the previous civilization. From the outside, it’s a peaceful, idyllic land. Unfortunately for Hope County residents, a band of marauders called the Highwaymen arrive to shatter their tranquil existence.

Leading the Highwaymen are twin sisters, Mickey and Lou. Like their father who founded the group, the two women are absolutely ruthless. They take what they want and don’t care who gets hurt. In their eyes, there are only two kinds of people: those who solve problems and those who make problems. The uncooperative Hope County residents are “making trouble.” Given the Highwaymen’s sheer numbers, defending against these land pirates is no easy task.

This is where you come in. As “The Captain,” your job is to help the residents of Prosperity fortify their settlement to resist the Highwaymen. You’re also tasked with exploring the wilds of Hope County in order to find recruits to aid in Prosperity’s development. Along the way, you’ll get into countless shoot outs, fight dangerous animals, take over outposts, and even participate in blood sports. All of these activities will prepare you in facing the challenging Highwaymen during the latter parts of the game.

Upgrading Prosperity is a key component of Far Cry New Dawn. You do this by finding “specialists.” They help you obtain and upgrade weapons, vehicles, medicine, and more. Ethanol is a vital resource for upgrading your base and certain gear. Elevating Prosperity means access to better weapons and equipment, a longer health bar, fast-travel, and faster vehicles. Some enemies and wildlife are impossible to take out without the right gear. It’s best to upgrade Prosperity and its individual stations whenever possible.

Taking over Highwaymen-controlled outposts is the game’s best way of nabbing ethanol for upgrades. Once a player secures an outpost, they can use it as a remote base of operations. They can use outposts as fast travel points, to upgrade equipment, and deploy vehicles. Players can also scavenge the base for more ethanol. Doing this allows the Highwaymen to retake and fortify the outpost. If you want to retake the fort, you’ll have a harder fight on your hands. However, there’s more ethanol to obtain. Conquering and reconquering outposts forms one of Far Cry New Dawn’s primary gameplay loops.

Players can also venture outside of Hope County via expeditions. Similar to outposts, these missions take place in locations such as San Francisco, Las Vegas, and New Orleans. Expeditions are another source of ethanol and other craftable materials. Players can also replay harder versions of expeditions for additional loot. Expeditions are not only enjoyable but show players how the rest of the country fared after the war.

You can play the entirety of the campaign, as well as outposts and expeditions, with a co-op partner. If you don’t have anyone to play with, you can recruit “Guns for Hire.” You find these A.I.-controlled allies all across Hope County. In order to unlock them, you’ll have to complete their respective sidequests. There are also a couple of “Fangs for Hire.” These animal companions are every bit as effective as their human counterparts.

When not blasting colorful enemies away, you can spend your time searching the land for treasure. These collectible quests are another great source of ethanol and materials. The missions usually have some kind of story, which makes completing them more rewarding. Players will even encounter minor puzzles along the way. Turning valves or flipping switches isn’t exactly mind-bending work, but the variety is appreciated. Some of the better guns require animal pelts, which means you’ll have to go out and hunt. Animals, especially the gold-tiered beasts, can and will kill you fast. It’s very easy to get lost in the game’s numerous sidequests since they’re so satisfying. Thankfully, there aren’t too many. Collecting is all well and good, but only to a certain point.

Though not as original as Far Cry Primal or as over-the-top as Far Cry: Blood Dragon, Far Cry New Dawn is an overall excellent offshoot. While there isn’t the abundance of content found in Far Cry 5, its outposts and expeditions give it considerable replay value. Plus, the game is just gorgeous to look at. Those looking for a bite-size open world adventure, or who are fans of Far Cry, should give Far Cry New Dawn a try. It is legitimately one of this month’s most enjoyable titles.

Get Far Cry New Dawn at Amazon





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