Far Cry New Dawn Review

Posted on 27th February 201927th February 2019 by Bone-Idle.ie

It is going to be hard to talk about Far Cry New Dawn without spoiling Far Cry 5, be warned if you have not finished 5 it might be worth holding off reading on until you do.

If you have played any of the recent Far Cry games, you pretty much know what to expect. Really good gameplay set on a really big open world, that needs to be explored and unlocked. Enemy encampments that need to be liberated, and lots of other treasures to find and collect. There is nothing revolutionary here, just fun.

New Dawn is technically a narrative sequel, but probably more recognisable to gamers as a spin off both in terms of the lower price point, and more obviously the recycling of the Far Cry 5 map.

New flora and fauna has sprung up to reclaim the land, ensuring a bright and vibrant new visual styling. A new starting location ensures the map is fresh, but some locations, and characters, are very familiar.

17 years have passed since the bomb dropped on Hope County. As the survivors begin the difficult task of rebuilding their settlement (Prosperity) they find themselves caught between a roving band of Highwaymen, led by psychopathic twins Mickey and Lou, and the remnants of the new Eden project, it is not a particularly safe place to be.

Neither group has your best interests in mind, but the Eden project appears to be the lesser of two evils. Led by the son of Prophet Joseph (presumed dead), you side up to him to create a mutually beneficial alliance against the Highwaymen. He agrees to the uneasy alliance provided you head off to get proof of Josephs death.

This is the adventure you go on, the story is pretty solid but much shorter than most Far Cry games. This is a welcome surprise after putting so much time into Far Cry 5. There was an obvious risk of player fatigue that they have managed to bypass with the visual upgrade and faster story.

This is a Far Cry title you can pick up, and finish, in a reasonable timeframe, but it also has all the collectibles for those that like to devote more time to a longer session.

The lower price point seems fair, there was still a lot of work to go into this game, the clever restyling of the map and new story ensures this feels new enough to keep things interesting, but it doesn’t do enough to make it feel like a whole new experience that would warrant a €60 price tag.

Overall: The long and short of it. If you still had a Far Cry itch but didn’t have the heart to play a full new campaign, then this will satisfy that need. If you don’t like or have burnt out on Far Cry recently then this doesn’t have that “Blood Dragon element” that would make it a worthy purchase.