After the huge success of Far Cry 4, fans have been aching to see where Ubisoft takes the series next.
How many of us thought it would go back to the Stone Age?
In just a few weeks, Far Cry: Primal will hit the market, yanking the franchise back millennia and featuring more of the same beloved gameplay … only with added loincloths, spears, and tusks.
There’s lots to be excited for (as there always is with a Far Cry game), but what whets our appetite for destruction most?
Explore A Prehistoric World As Big As Far Cry 4’s
Far Cry 4 featured a huge open-world playground (46km2, for the fact fans out there) and Primal’s is set to be around the same size.
This looks absolutely stunning so far, with an authentic day-night cycle that affects the behaviour of certain enemies (making them less cautious and more dangerous). There will also be an impressive range of wild animals living in the vast landscapes, with their own distinct characteristics.
On your travels, you’re sure to encounter beasts of all kinds – wolves, mammoths, wildcats, and more – as they live their own lives. What’s more, they will also see you as a nice warm meal, so be prepared to either run or stand your ground.
Still, that might not always have to be the case …
Become A Primitive Beast-Whisperer
Don’t want to be devoured by a hungry animal? Well, Far Cry: Primal gives Takkar (the game’s protagonist) a handy ability to tame beasts with the help of raw meat and chanting.
Getting wild creatures on your side gives you a handy companion to survive alongside, including bears, badgers, and sabre-tooth tigers – not a bad line-up of potential buddies.
Discover A Rich Setting With A Unique Feel
Far Cry: Primal is set in 10,000 BC, in a fictional Central Europe location (known as the Oros valley) created just for the game. Hero Takkar belongs to the Wenja tribe, but becomes trapped in Oros when a hunt goes wrong – he has no weapons to fight with, and must use whatever resources available to survive.
Ubisoft has built fictional language-systems for Primal, inspired by real ancient-world linguistics. Three languages feature, one for each of the tribes players will encounter: Wenja, Izila, and Udam. This should all help to make the world feel more believable and involving.
Survive With No Guns And No Vehicles
First-person shooters with modern or futuristic weapons are ten a penny – but how many have you played that equip you with clubs?
Games like Skyrim give us access to plenty of melee weapons, but Primal’s Stone Age arsenal is sure to be a refreshing change to the norm. Axes, bows, and spears will all be up for grabs, amongst others.
All of these have to be built by hand from items found in the Oros valley, with more powerful weapons available as players progress. Finding food is a must, as is making fire – and even leading your own tribe. Managing and looking after your own people will play a major role in the game, so be prepared to feel some serious guilt if you let them down.
Command Your Own Owl Companion
While Takkar can tame and issue commands to the wild animals he meets, he also has a pet owl he can control. With binoculars and sniper-scopes still some way off, Takkar uses his owl to scout locations and highlight targets.
Your owl can also help with long-range weaponry: rather than launching grenades, Takkar can use his little winged pal to drop beehives on enemies, and even attack with its claws.
It’s nice to see Ubisoft finding inventive ways to transfer familiar elements of the series into such a different setting.
With less than a month until Far Cry: Primal’s release, fans’ wait for more is almost over. This could well be one of the series’ most fun and immersive entries – and definitely the most original.
What do you think about Far Cry: Primal taking the series back in time? Let us know!
