Far Cry Primal Review
A Far Cry story set in 10,000 B.C., what could possibly go wrong?
Story
Far Cry Primal is a first-person RPG set in the year 10,000 B.C. You play the role of Takkar, a member of the Wenju tribe whose ultimate goal is to make a home for his people in the fictional land of Oros, located in modern day Central Europe. Within Oros are two rival tribes seeking to claim the land for themselves. The first is the Udam; a savage group of cannibals who seek to destoy the Wenju and control all of Oros. The second is the Izlia; a tribe of fire worshippers who burn all who oppose them. As Takkar, you must unite the scattered members of your tribe and drive your foes out of Oros or be wiped out.
I give the story a 7.5 out of 10
Gameplay
If you’ve played any previous Far Cry title, the gameplay will feel very familiar, just played out is the distant past. Unlike previous installments, that are very combat centered, the core features of Far Cry Primal is hunting and crafting. To aid in this, One of Takkar’s special abilities is his Hunter’s Sight. This allows him to see the scent trail of his prey making them easier to track in the dense forests of Oros. Due to the improved A.I. of the animals in Primal, hunting is more challenging than ever. If you make even a slight amount of noise while tracking a target, they will become aware of you and flee the area. The predators in Far Cry Primal are as dangerous as members of the rival tribes. They will actively stalk and attack you even after you try to escape. To help counter this, you will unlock Takkar’s second special ability, Beast Master. This ability allows you to tame almost every predator in the game to assist you in both hunting and combat. Also, with this ability, you gain an owl as an ally. The owl flies over target areas, marking allies and enemies as well as resources needed for crafting such as specific types of wood and stone.
Crafting in Far Cry Primal is nearly identical to previous games, but greatly expanded. The land is full of various plants that you will harvest and use to craft items to heal yourself and well as enhance all your special abilities. All your weapons and tools need to be crafted from raw materials found throughout Oros. Different types of wood and stone are needed as base materials and animal’s skins acquired by hunting are used to bind them together. As you progress through the game, you find stronger and rarer materials to upgrade your arsenal to become a more effective hunter and warrior. Every weapon can be set on fire, which serves a myriad of purposes from illuminating darkened caves to scaring away predators to creating brush fires to keep enemies at bay.
Combat in Far Cry Primal is different from any previous title because of its strong reliance on melee combat. Your three primary weapons are clubs, spears and a bow and arrows. Later in the game you learn to craft shards of obsidian into primitive throwing knives. You also learn to build more unorthodox weapons such and bee bombs which, simply, are small bee hives you throw at enemies. Enemy A.I. is also greatly improved in this game, making strategy a necessity. When enemy groups attack, some have spears and charge directly at you while others with bows move around to flank you. Enemies will also use the terrain to their advantage, from moving to high ground to attack to hiding behind trees and in tall grass to ambush you. No two attacks are the same in Far Cry Primal, so it’s best not to rush into a conflict.
If there is one aspect that Far Cry Primal falls short on, it’s side missions. There are three types of side quests; escorts missions, hunting missions, and enemy outposts. Escort missions are simple; escort a group of your fellow tribe members from point A to point B. On the way you will be attacked by members of rival tribes and you must defend your tribe and get them to safety. Hunting missions require that you eliminate a group of animals that are causing trouble for your tribe. Enemy outposts are small settlements controlled by your rivals you must eliminate all enemies within to clear the outpost and use them as fast travel locations. Like in previous Far Cry games, there is little variety in the side quests and, while they are necessary to advance the game, become boring quickly.
I give the gameplay a 8 out of 10
Graphics
Far Cry Primal is a testament to the capabilities of next generation technology. The map of Oros is about the same size as Kyrat in Far Cry 4 and contains significantly more wildlife that any previous title. The attention to detail throughout the game makes it a more vivid experience. From the scaling of the Mammoths to the way each animal reacts to other animals and you a feeling of immersion that really sets it apart from other games. The cycle of day and night also changes the dynamic of the game. There are certain animals that only come out at night and only travel in certain areas of the map which makes them more difficult to hunt. There are more predators out at night which adds to the danger of night hunting. The Design of all the wildlife in the game shows that a lot of attention was given to historical records of the animal and plant life of the time period. From their size compared to you to their physical features and coloration, the environment feels very alive and well fleshed out.
I give the graphics a 8.5 out of 10
Conclusion
Far Cry Primal is one of the most original titles in the series and does a good job of keeping that originality throughout. Its only real drawback is the very repetitive nature of the side missions that leaves you wanting a bit more out of them. Beyond that it is an enjoyable game that will entertain newcomers to the series and Far Cry veterans alike. I give Far Cry Primal a 8 out of 10.
