Ubisoft showcased its first gameplay for Far Cry 6, bringing the first-person shooter series to a next generation of consoles while revealing some extended character customization options, branching open world design and Giancarlo Esposito’s villain role. This will also be Ubisoft Toronto’s latest project after producing Watch Dogs Legion as a launch title for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in 2020.
The studio’s stream started with a countdown, which added more details into Far Cry 6‘s tropical setting of Yara. In a first, the series will feature urban environments on top of its vast nature. Players will be given more flexibility in sneaking past enemies across streets or taking them head-on with allies in all-out warfare.
According to Ubisoft, Far Cry 6 will be inspired by Cuba. This was shown in a mix of postcards and CRT-style footage during the pre-show, with a juxtaposition of palm trees, busy street vendors and posters of Yara’s ruthless president (played by Esposito). The postcards would also give viewers a warm impression of Yara, but later easter eggs and messages would darken the mood with story details. A few slides suggested some in-game spots would hide bonuses (and bodies) if players were curious enough to explore.
A new Far Cry 6 trailer profiled El Presidente Anton Castillo, as he smiled at the presence of a rising rebellion in Yara. Players are recruited into the opposing force systematically taking out the region’s state forces. They will also get access to land, sea and air vehicles to help them in battle.
At some point, they are also captured before meeting the villain face-to-face. Presented by narrative director Navid Khavari, describing a location “frozen in time,” players will be learning more about Castillo, who forces his opponents into labour or death with every ounce of resistance. As Dani Rojas, players lead an army of guerilla fighters and recruit a cast of new characters. At the start, players can select their gender and customize their looks before jumping into the fray.
Another trailer showcased the game’s own friendly hubs. Players in Far Cry 6 get full access to an armoury, training area and opportunities to engage in some extra dialogue with recruited characters. Players in enemy territory can sneak, bribe or drive their way through to objectives. This is where it pays to keep guns holstered to avoid confrontations.
When the guns come out, players can use sardine cans, batteries and rejigged bike engines to create some deadly contraptions. Another gun lets players fire macarena song discs at soldiers, giving them one last song amid their carnage. The ally system from Far Cry 5 makes a return, with players being able to travel with a puppy, crocodile and other animals they rescue in the wild.
The brief Far Cry 6 gameplay reveal came with an official release date of October 7, 2021. More info is expected to come with the next Ubisoft Forward presentation on June 12, 2021 at 3PM EST.
