Trade in the guns, rockets, grenades and vehicles of past "Far Cry" video games, and replace them with arrows, torches and traps among other prehistoric weapons. The fast-paced modern day shooter that is "Far Cry" has just made a 10,000 plus year trip back in time, and with it comes "Far Cry Primal," the latest in the long running series by Ubisoft.
"Far Cry Primal" takes players to the Stone Age, where they assume the role of Takkar, a regular hunter turned into tribal leader. The story showcases Takkar's rise through the ranks. Unfortunately, unlike in the other "Far Cry" games, the story does not include a stellar villain. The story falls flat in that regard. While the made up language(s) featured are a nice novelty, they wear themselves off quickly.
While "Far Cry Primal" does not feature a villain in the vain of Vaas or Pagan Min, it does feature a compelling supporting cast. Each member of the cast has something to offer Takkar, and it is a shame that these characters are not properly fleshed out.
However, "Far Cry Primal" makes up for this in more ways than one. The first is in its combat. As mentioned above, long gone are the guns and other weapons of mass destruction. In their place are prehistoric weapons. It is just as satisfying, if not more, to torch an enemy with fire or beat him down with a club than it is to shoot an enemy down with a mill machine gun.
Another way in which "Primal" succeeds is through its villager collection. The concept is simple: Takkar is building his new village and needs people to occupy it. "Primal" offers various ways to collect new villagers, such as completing story missions or saving them from the outskirts and inevitable peril they are in. The more villagers a player has, the more resources he or she will collect. By traditional video game tropes, more resources is always a good thing.
In between the various stories and side missions that account for the game's approximate 20-hour length, I found myself improving my gear, collecting more villagers and, above all, taming beasts. Beasts, such as the Bloodfang Sabertooth and Leopard, can either be tamed, ridden, or both. These beasts are perhaps the most valuable assets in "Primal," as each offers skills, such as the ability to auto-tag enemies, that help in a player's conquest of the jungle.
"Far Cry Primal" is not your typical "Far Cry" video game, which is not a bad thing. Its unique combat system compensates for its mediocre storyline by allowing players to take advantage of a wide arsenal of prehistoric weapons and beasts. In addition, its collection and upgrade system will have players coming back for more. "Primal" is certainly a unique game, and it is one that should be given a go.
Reach Staff Reporter Johnny Flores Jr. here.
Annenberg Media