What would become of the world when nuclear disaster strikes? In the time we are living in, it’s a thought that must have crossed the minds of many. There are a lot of possible scenarios for a post-apocalyptic world and although most offer a dark and grim future, Ubisoft goes for a bright neon second run. The post-apocalyptic world of Far Cry New Dawn is colorful but dangerous at the same time.
It’s not a DLC pack
First, let’s talk about the elephant in the room. No, Far Cry New Dawn isn’t another DLC pack for Far Cry 5. Instead, it’s a direct standalone sequel that’s perfectly enjoyable without any knowledge of the Far Cry 5 events. That way, newcomers can enjoy this game as a starting point in the franchise while veterans will recognize some key characters and events from the last game. Ubisoft really has put a lot of effort in New Dawn and you can tell right from the start. Everything just screams Far Cry and for those familiar with the franchise, you know the unnumbered entries dare to push the boundaries.
New Dawn starts with a bang, literally. The crazy people blew up the world and sent it straight into nuclear winter. Those who survived were forced to live underground for years, never seeing the outside again. The team behind the game studied potential outcomes of a nuclear attack and went for a twenty years span, where the nuclear winter eventually makes place for the sun. Once it was safe to move back out, the remaining humans discovered a colorful world where nature claimed back its throne. The world looked extremely colorful with bright colored flowers and interestingly colored animals. The New Dawn of the world looked promising, but it didn’t take long to see the ugly.
Double trouble
People respond to trauma differently. Just like it would be in the real world, the game features three different ‘factions’. You’re part of the Survivors, the people who lived through the disaster and who want to rebuild the world to a place where peace can once more reign. Others found comfort in their religion, the cult of New Eden rejects every form of modern technology and tries to live in communion with nature. It all sounds harmless but once you find out who their leader is, you’ll understand why the cult isn’t always as peaceful as they pretend to be. Both Survivors and New Eden members have something in common. They want to rebuild a safe place where they can live happily ever after while raising the new generation of people who never knew what was before.
And then, we have the Highwaymen. The Highwaymen are more nihilistic and live for the day. No questions asked they take what they think belongs to them. This faction is the real danger and you better stay on their good side if you want to tell the tale. This faction is led by Mickey and Lou, twins. They believe in two kinds of people: problem solvers and problem makers. If you’re a problem maker, well, that’s something that simply needs to be solved. They are on the constant lookout for better gear, better weapons, and smart people to help expand their base. As part of the Survivors, it’s your job to stop the crazy sisters from taking over this new world one corpse at the time.
Prosperity above all
Taking down the twins on your own is pure madness, you’ll need any help you can get. The Survivors created a new base they call Prosperity and this is your main goal of the game. Prosperity doubles as a HUB where you can trigger different missions, upgrade your gear, craft new medicines, and a lot more. Of course, at the beginning of the game, your base isn’t as impressive as it should be. By clearing the story missions and by bringing back home specialists, you’ll grow your base at a steady pace. It’s a different take on a classic Far Cry formula and it really works. You’ll feel a connection with your base since it’s the only place where you can breathe without having to worry about all the things that can kill you. If it’s time to defend your base from the Highwaymen, you’ll fight as fierce as ever due to the strong connection between you and your new home.
Although it’s a welcomed change to fight for a new home instead of some personal vendetta, the missions themselves still feel like classic Far Cry missions. You’ll have to scavenge for materials, take down enemy outposts for rare resources, discover the map bit by bit, and more. Ethanol is your main target since it’s the new currency to upgrade your base. Without ethanol, you’re lost. It’s nothing groundbreaking or new in the Far Cry universe but thanks to the impressive new open world the team created, it never feels like a punishment to take down those enemies once more.
A new frontier
Far Cry New Dawn mainly sticks to the same formula but it does dare to innovate too. One of the new things are the so-called Expeditions. These missions take you beyond the boundaries of the playable map for the first time in a Far Cry game. One of those mysterious locations is the prison of Alcatraz for example. You won’t be able to unlock these Expeditions right from the start since your base must be stable before you can send out the helicopter. These missions offer some welcomed variety from the ‘normal’ gameplay and are even more enjoyable in co-op. If you manage to clear them, you’ll score some sweet rewards too!
Besides the Expeditions, New Dawn also leans more heavily towards an RPG Lite game. The world around you is more hostile than ever before and if you want to survive, you’ll need to learn how to do it. Constantly looking for new tools to upgrade your crazy self-made weapons is just one way to keep progressing in the game. The crafting goes deeper than ever and if you realize you’ll face different types of enemies, you understand why you need to own at least one weapon that can counter each type of enemy; ranging from weak to armored. If you’re playing the game on a higher difficulty level, you better prepare for a challenge!
Conclusion:
Far Cry New Dawn is a great sequel to the amazing Far Cry 5. The team really pushed the boundaries and delivered a stellar neon post-apocalyptic world for you to discover. The crafting of your own crazy weapons, the freedom of discovering everything at your own pace, the memorable characters, the stunning visuals… It all adds up to a surprisingly fun way to enjoy a post-apocalyptic world filled with crazy people and lots of neon paint.
