Let's hope you've got nowhere to be, because Ubisoft just released four new trailers for their upcoming open-world adventure game, Far Cry 5, over their official YouTube channel. Check out the full announcement below:
There's a lot going on in this trailer, so we're only going to summarize the basics. For starters - this game looks gorgeous. The graphics might not be on the same level as other industry giants, but there's no denying that the setting of Montana is used to its fullest here. There's something captivating about it, a lonesome tranquility that could really make you believe you're so far removed from civilization, from the erstwhile protections of society.
Other gathered tidbits are along the lines of what we've been hearing from recent rumors. The antagonist is indeed the leader of a cult - an extremely devout, violent cult at that - and seemingly in keeping with the Ubisoft traditional villain archetype as well. By that we mean the calm, charismatic yet quick-to-anger leader that players will love to hate. Although not exactly breaking new narrative ground for the series, there's still plenty of room for innovation in the rest of the plot.
Follow-up trailers to the official announcement have revealed three supporting characters for the game: Pastor Jerome Jeffries, Nick Rye, and Mary May. Each seems to follow the same thematic approach to their trailer; a slow pan around the individual as they reveal their personality, backstory, and motivation, before the character eventually unveils some kind of weapon that hints at their involvement in the story.
In an interview released over Ubisoft's channel, Creative Director Dan Hay goes into depth about the characters of Far Cry 5. "They have real personalities, they have real opinions about stuff... the world feels real," he explained. "You're gonna need to get help." In a comment regarding the central antagonist, Hay stated that:
"...we have to compete with ourselves. We built Vaas, we built Pagan Min, we wanted the Father to be amazing... a cult leader that absolutely believes the End Times are coming and that he has to save as many people as he can, whether they want to be saved or not, was the genesis for what we built."
All in all, the story of Far Cry 5 seems to emphasize the serenity of the northern wilderness being violated by depictions of brutality and violence, all driven by an underlying religious undertone. It's certainly new territory for the franchise, which has previously taken place in removed, exotic locations on the opposite side of the world.
The livestream of the announcement revealed a number of promising details for the game as well. For starters, Far Cry 5 will see a return of the map maker, which allowed players to design their own maps in previous installments, as well as an expansion on the series' cooperative mode. Now people will be able to play through the entirety of the campaign with a friend, instead of just through short multiplayer side missions. During the campaign players will be assuming the role of a Deputy Sheriff of their own creation, though the extent of this customization is not yet known.
For more reveals related to the Far Cry series, check out the official website for the game, or follow Ubisoft's Twitter account.
