Far Cry 5
A first-person shooter set in a Montana county under cult control.
Last updated
Far Cry 5, a first-person shooter released in 2018, was developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It follows 2014's Far Cry 4 as the fifth main entry in the series. The action takes place in Hope County, a fictional part of Montana, where a doomsday cult called Project at Eden's Gate, led by the charismatic Joseph Seed, has seized control.
Gameplay
Players step into the boots of a nameless junior deputy sheriff stranded in the county, who must team up with local resistance groups to free the region from the Seeds and their cult. Gameplay blends combat and exploration, letting players fight enemy soldiers and dangerous wildlife with a broad arsenal of weapons. It incorporates role-playing game elements like a branching storyline and side quests, and includes a map editor, cooperative multiplayer, and competitive multiplayer modes.
The game was announced in early 2017, and its development was extensive. The team considered several concepts before choosing an American setting. Inspiration came from major socio-political events in modern history, including the Cold War and the September 11 attacks, with the developers aiming to capture and repurpose the despondent social climate that followed those events.
Far Cry 5 launched worldwide for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One in March 2018. It earned mostly positive reviews, though it sparked controversy due to its announcement during a period of heightened political tensions. Critics praised its open world, visuals, gameplay, and soundtrack, but criticized its story and some characters.
Commercially, it was a hit, becoming the fastest-selling title in the franchise by grossing over $310 million in its first week and selling more than 10 million units by March 2020. Several downloadable content packs followed. A spin-off and narrative sequel, Far Cry New Dawn, arrived in February 2019, and a successor, Far Cry 6, was released in October 2021.
Like earlier games in the series, Far Cry 5 is a first-person shooter set in an open world that players can explore on foot or using various vehicles. Unlike previous entries, where players took on a fixed character, here they can customize their character's appearance. The protagonist is a silent, voiceless character without a set personality, which allows for deeper immersion but raised concerns about narrative depth.
Lore & Background
Far Cry 5 is set in the fictional Hope County, Montana, where a preacher named Joseph Seed has risen to prominence. Seed believes he has been chosen by God to protect the people from 'the Collapse', a global catastrophe, and has established a congregation called the Project at Eden's Gate.
In reality, Seed is a radical preacher and Eden's Gate is a militaristic doomsday cult that uses coercion and violence to forcibly convert residents. Seed maintains control with the aid of his Heralds: Jacob, 'the Soldier', a former U.S. Army sniper; John, 'the Baptist', a lawyer who acquires land for the cult; and Rachel Jessop, also known as Faith or 'the Siren', a botanist who uses a hallucinogen called Bliss to run forced work camps. The player takes on the role of a rookie sheriff's deputy—referred to as 'the Deputy'—who is part of a task force sent to arrest Seed.
Gameplay focuses on combat and exploration in an open world environment. Unlike previous titles where the player takes on a set character, the game allows customization of the character's appearance, and the protagonist is a silent protagonist. The game features a new weapons ballistics system including bullet drop over distance, and a renewed emphasis on close-quarters combat with a wider range of melee weapons. The open world is designed as an 'anecdote factory', where two players can have entirely different experiences.
Completing actions earns 'Resistance Points' that trigger major story events and divide each region into three tiers of difficulty. The game also includes a recruitment system with 'Guns for Hire' and 'Specialists', and the ability to tame wild animals. A fishing mechanic was introduced.
Reader's Guide
Far Cry 5 was announced in early 2017 and development was extensive, with the team exploring several concepts before settling on an American location. The game was heavily inspired by socio-political events such as the Cold War and the September 11 attacks, seeking to capture the despondent social climate after those events. Upon release in March 2018, it received mostly positive reviews, with critics praising the open world design, visuals, gameplay, and soundtrack, while directing criticisms towards its story and some characters. The game was the subject of controversy after being announced alongside a period of heightened political conflicts.
Commercially, it became the fastest-selling title in the franchise, grossing over $310 million in its first week and selling over 10 million units by March 2020. Several downloadable content releases followed. A spin-off title and sequel to the narrative, Far Cry New Dawn, was released in February 2019, and a successor, Far Cry 6, was released in October 2021. The game also features a map editor mode called Far Cry Arcade, which allows players to build and share maps using assets from Far Cry 5 and other Ubisoft titles, and includes cooperative and competitive multiplayer modes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the protagonist in Far Cry 5?
You play as a nameless junior deputy sheriff who gets stranded in Hope County. Your mission is to coordinate with local resistance fighters to push back against the cult's occupation.
What happens at the end of Far Cry 5?
The story wraps up with your character being overpowered and captured by Joseph Seed. The final shot shows the deputy in a stark white room, leaving the fate of Hope County deliberately unresolved.
What is Project at Eden's Gate?
It's the doomsday cult that has taken over Hope County, led by Joseph Seed and his three children. The group enforces its apocalyptic beliefs through armed patrols, propaganda, and strict territorial control.
More in Games by Ubisoft Montreal
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Far Cry 5 (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced