Far Cry 5 is fast approaching – and it’s looking like the best one yet.
Set in the fictional Hope County, Montana, you play a sheriff’s deputy who’s tasked with ending a brutal regime spearheaded by a preacher called Joseph Seed.
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We’ve spent hours on the new game – and can confirm there’s plenty of action, bags of freedom and, best of all, an enormous map to explore.
Here, we pick out the five things that could make Far Cry 5 the shooter to beat this year.
Looks that kill
Far Cry 5 is powered by the Dunia engine – the same powerhouse behind the last few games.
This time, it’s been tweaked and refined to make Hope County the most believable setting yet.
The result is an incredibly vibrant world, packed with intricate details.
Textures, so often the first casualty in games of this scale, are pin sharp – backed up with an impressive draw distance.
Despite not having the lush jungles of Far Cry 3, or the mountains of Kyrat, there’s still plenty of variation in the landscape.
Lakes, teeming with fish, are dotted around the map – broken up with settlements, hills and fields of corn that stretch as far as the eye can see.
Obviously, the game will look its best at 4K – but 1080p gamers will still have plenty of eye candy.
Guns, lots of guns
As per the last game, you’re able to explore the massive map at will – but tread with caution. It’s teeming with baddies of all shapes and sizes.
Thankfully, you’ll have a range of weapons including such as shotguns, pistols, rocket launchers, bows, and explosives to help you survive.
They all pack bags of feel and some, an impressive punch.
The shotgun sends foes flying backwards aggressively with a satisfying thud, while the silenced pistol allows for surgical precision.
By far the most fun can be had with the bow – a well-placed head-shot causing an enemy’s body to shut-down instantaneously and crumple in a heap on the floor.
Add to the mix brutal takedowns and a range of melee weapons – from pitch forks, sledgehammers and baseball bats – and you’ve got everything you need to start a revolution.
Getting around
Far Cry games have never been known their vehicles, but Ubisoft has ramped things up for Far Cry 5.
You’ll be able to traverse the map in muscle cars, all-terrain vehicles, boats and planes. The latter is incredibly fun as you’re able to drop bombs on unsuspecting enemy camps as well as take part in aerial dogfights.
A huge Optimus Prime-style truck is also a delight.
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Armed with two machine guns on the bonnet and a huge amount of horsepower, you’re able to smash through enemy blockades like a knife through butter.
It seems like a small detail, but explosions and fire effects are absolutely on point – coupled with deep, aggressive bass.
If you’re thinking of investing in a new TV sound system, this could well be a good enough reason to.
Back up
The best thing about Far Cry: Primal was the buddy system. This allowed you to ‘train’ wildlife into unstoppable, loyal killing machines.
This is returning in Far Cry 5- although there’ll be no Saber-toothed tigers this time around, sadly.
The only animal we’ve seen so far is trusty dog Boomer, which can take down enemies, create distractions and retrieve weapons.
That being said, you’re able to throw meat chunks to attract wild animals – who’ll rip any enemy to shreds.
Twice as fun
Yep… for the first time in the series, you’ll be able to take on the full campaign with a pal.
A Co-op mode obviously featured in Far Cry 4 but felt separate to the main story.
In Far Cry 5, co-op has been a huge part of the development process and has shaped missions and vehicles.
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The plane, for example, has two seats. So, one of you can pilot while the other drops bombs.
You can even create your own character – gender and appearance included, of course.
Far Cry 5 is released on March 27, 2018.