Far Cry 6 is finally set to land later this week, with preload currently available ahead of the 7 October launch. The latest outing for the illustrious series takes the whirlwind first-person shooter to the fictional Caribbean island of Yara.
Ubisoft Toronto is once again at the helm, after successfully steering the ship with Far Cry 5 back in 2018. This time around though, we get to experience the sumptuous looking large open-world on Next-Gen consoles.
Ahead of release Gfinityesports had the chance to speak with Ubisoft's Benjamin Hall, World Director on the project, and discussed how the team evolved the series, guerrilla warfare and feeding pelicans.
Read More - Far Cry 6 Supports Smart Delivery, Free Upgrade to PS5 Version
GFINITY - What lessons have been learned from the previous Far Cry games when it comes to designing the world?
Benjamin Hall - We’re extremely proud of the amazing worlds built in our previous Far Cry games. We’ve looked at all aspects of past games and how we could sharpen and improve on the details that make the worlds of Far Cry such a fun place to be.
One key new feature we’ve added to Far Cry 6 is the holstering mechanic, which allows Dani to put their weapons away. As long as you’re not in a restricted area or doing anything suspicious, you can blend in with other Yarans and avoid the attention of the military forces who are keeping the country under the watch of Anton Castillo. This means you’ll be able to explore the world like never before. You can take time to fish on one of the beautiful Yaran beaches, without finding yourself under immediate attack from a passing patrol. You will, however, have to deal with deadly sea creatures, passing crocodiles and potentially getting drawn into a nearby firefight that’s broken out between another guerrilla fighting against the regime.
G - What one feature are you most proud of that many people wouldn’t spot? What sort of wildlife can we expect to see?
BH - The number of animals the team created for Yara is immense. There are underwater creatures that will amaze you as you dive underwater – or kill you in a heartbeat. Crocodiles crawl through the swamps as they hunt flamingos, who will take flight if they’re startled, filling the sky and making that distinctive cacophony of birdcall. Some of the wildlife is more chilled out, and you can feed a hutia or a pelican, but be aware because you’re never too far from a predator looking for its next meal. It might just be you!
G - How did you push and evolve the Far Cry series without straying away from what made the previous games so great?
BH - The core Far Cry DNA has always been a crucial pillar of the game. It was critical for us that we didn’t leave it behind, while at the same time trying some new twists that bring together that DNA with the guerrilla experience. The two go together extremely well – you get to experience the highs and lows, the adrenaline, and the danger of being pulled into a guerrilla war with complex stakes and consequences.
G - How will the Stadia version compare to next gen?
BH - Throughout development, our objective has been to make the most out of the new generation of consoles, while ensuring it wouldn’t be at the expense of other platforms or previous-gen hardware. The team have put in a tremendous amount of effort to ensure each platform has the best possible experience we can deliver, with next-gen consoles achieving 60 FPS at 4K and 30 FPS on Stadia and older consoles.
G - With Skyrim and other huge world games arriving on VR, are there any plans to do this with Far Cry?
BH - It has been really interesting to see the evolution of VR over the years, but we’ve been concentrating all our efforts on the big screen experience for Far Cry 6. If you’re looking for Far Cry in VR, you can check out Far Cry VR: Dive Into Insanity.
G - PC requirements reveal the game does not need a high-powered PC to run. How have you managed to maintain a quality experience on the lowest powered hardware?
BH - We have an amazing programming team who’ve worked to tweak all aspects of Dunia 2 to squeeze as much performance as possible out of lower spec machines, while at the same time offering some cutting-edge features on high-end machines and next-gen consoles.
G - How does last gen compare to next gen visually and FPS wise?
BH - Last gen will be 30FPS while the new generation of consoles get to experience the full 4K 60FPS HDR experience.
G - Is PC the flagship version of the game this year?
BH - All our platforms are important to us so the team is setup to ensure we can deliver the best possible experience available on each different platform, from console to PC to streaming services you’ll be able to enjoy the world of Yara and the story of Dani Rojas.
G - How does co-op work when it comes to cutscenes and the main narrative? Does it change at all?
BH - In Far Cry 6, we have some of the most cinematic scenes we’ve ever made with 3rd person cut scenes. You get to see Dani and their response to the situations they find themselves in. For co-op, it was important to us that both players get to see their Dani as it plays out, no matter who is hosting. That way the game always feels personal to your journey to free Yara from the clutches of Anton Castillo.
G - Are there any parts in the game when the player leaves Yara?
BH - I don’t want to spoil the experience, so you’ll have to play the game when it launches on October 7th to see if Dani ever leaves Yara!