Far Cry New Dawn Review

Far Cry New Dawn is a spin-off and a sequel to 2018’s fifth entry in the Far Cry series. It takes place nearly two decades following its predecessor’s dramatic conclusion. (Spoiler warning: Far Cry 5 concludes with a nuke initiating a post-apocalyptic age.) Set again in Montana, New Dawn follows a group of survivors trying to prosper in the face of great adversity. That adversity arrives mainly in the form of a new group of bandits known as the Highwaymen. Blood Dragon and Primal demonstrate the franchise’s potential for crafting stellar or lackluster spin-offs. But where does New Dawn fall in the pantheon of Far Cry entries?

Comparing the Series

Much has been said about Ubisoft’s reluctance to deviate from the status quo in its prominent IPs. Far Cry 3 cast an incredibly wide shadow the license has yet to truly escape. Then, Far Cry 4 is essentially a carbon copy of its predecessor. Meanwhile, Far Cry 5 introduces a handful of alterations to the basic formula. Rather than littering Montana’s map with icons to check off a list, Far Cry 5 encourages exploration. Your character aims to discover outposts waiting for liberation. Although traversing the open world is more intuitive, the actual gameplay loop remains chiefly unchanged from the previous iterations. Far Cry 5 is a cautious step forward rather than a confident leap.

Conversely, New Dawn seems reluctant to step away from its parent game’s light. Spin-offs provide the perfect opportunity to lead a popular franchise in a fresh direction. Unfortunately, Ubisoft opts to regurgitate most of Far Cry 5, only adding a few minor tweaks along the way.

Story

The player character is a nameless captain who dedicates his days to wandering in search of settlements needing guidance. Ultimately, the hero’s caravan travels to Montana when summoned by a hastily assembled collection of survivors. They seek to establish a slice of paradise called Prosperity. Alas, they face opposition from the Highwaymen, an assortment of scavengers, brawlers, and bandits led by the villainous twin sisters Mickey and Lou.

Lasting approximately 10 hours, the main story works best as an epilogue for some of Far Cry 5’s personalities, particularly those associated with Eden’s Gate. While the franchise is known for its fun antagonists, Mickey and Lou are New Dawn’s saddest disappointment. Following a somewhat effective introduction, the twins disappear for large chunks of the campaign, only showing up sporadically to ensure the player does not forget about them.

For the most part, New Dawn plays its story straight, which does not quite match the setting. The Highwaymen and Prosperity’s residents are both willing to pillage others to aid their own causes. Yet, the latter’s quest is presented as noble. The mass-murdering protagonist does not strive to protect a native culture from being invaded by outside influences. Nor is he just trying to survive. In a post-apocalyptic world, everyone is fair game.