Ubisoft dropped some major details about Far Cry 5 today. In a press release, blog post, and slew of trailers, the publisher finally answered those nagging questions gamers have had since rumors started swirling weeks ago – beginning with a release date of February 27, 2018.
In development at Ubisoft Montreal (Far Cry Primal, Watch Dogs 2), Far Cry 5 will cast you as the new junior deputy of fictional Hope County, Montana – a normally idyllic, quiet community taken over by a fanatical doomsday cult, the Project at Eden’s Gate. Your arrival ignites a violent confrontation, and only by joining with the residents of Hope County and forming the Resistance can you hope to take down the cult.
Far Cry 5 will be the first game in the series set in the United States. An open-world game, you’ll be able to progress through the story solo or in two-player co-op, fighting your way through unique locations that include farmland, forests, mountains, and rivers.
Ubisoft Executive Producer and Creative Director Dan Hay said that he was inspired by the Cold War paranoia of his childhood during the early 1980s.
“I remember growing up under that, and feeling the weight and being scared all the time,” he told Ubisoft’s blog. “I remember watching movies like The Terminator or War Games, and it was sort of out there in the ether that people were feeling like we were on the edge of something.”
Since this is a Far Cry game, you’ll have all the vehicles and weaponry of the county at your disposal, including muscle cars, big rigs, ATVs, boats, and planes, with which you’ll be able to engage cult forces in aerial dogfights. Weapons will include the usual array of guns, grenades, and melee weapons such as a sledgehammer and baseball bat. To bolster your offense against the cult, you’ll also be able to recruit Guns for Hire from a cast of non-playable human characters to fight alongside you and even Fangs for Hire, specialized animals such as bears and cougars.
Additionally, Far Cry 5 will include the return of map editor for creating new playgrounds. New features that “add a new dimension to the content created by fans” will be revealed soon, said Ubisoft.
Based on what we know so far, Far Cry 5 is putting an emphasis on authenticity. Hay said that he and his team spent about 14 days visiting Montana while doing research for the game, including hanging out with the locals. They also met with experts on cults to get background information on how they organize and operate.
Far Cry 5 will launch on PlayStation 4, PC, and Xbox One (including Project Scorpio) on February 27, 2018. Expect more details to be unveiled at E3 2017 next month, but enjoy the launch trailer and these character trailers in the meantime.
