Well, that's my weekend sorted: Far Cry 5 has landed on Xbox Game Pass and I'm installing it on my Xbox Series X right now. You can also play it on PC, on Xbox One, on Xbox Series S and on compatible devices via Cloud Gaming, and you should – because while the fifth Far Cry isn't the one with Giancarlo Esposito of Better Call Saul in it (that's Far Cry 6, which is coming to Xbox Game Pass later), it's still a Far Cry game. You know what that means: endless possibilities, hours of fun and lots of things to blow up.
Although it's possible for me to play this one via the Cloud on my Xbox I'm going for the full install, because Far Cry games are always devastatingly beautiful and I want to see this one in all its visual glory. The Montana setting of this story may be a little less exciting than some of the previous games' lusher environments, but there's still some spectacular scenery to enjoy in between battles.
Is Far Cry 5 a good game?
The reviews say it is: Far Cry 5 has a healthy 82% rating on Metacritic. Xbox Tavern called it a masterpiece, TheXboxHub says it's "a bloody laugh" and IGN gave it a very respectable 89%. Our sister site GamesRadar said that it's "always rewarding" and that it "will eat your weekends and snack on the evenings." It's also the only review I've ever read that begins with the words "there's a wolverine biting my balls."
The story revolves around a cult leader and his followers, and there are distinct echoes of real-live events such as the Jonestown massacre and the terrible events in Waco. Although I'm not American (I'm a Scot) I consume so much American media that the setting feels closer to me than the previous games' jungles and tropical islands. Many reviews say the writing isn't as good as the concept, with some of the characters falling into lazy stereotypes and the cult leader lacking some of the charisma that recruits ordinary people to become cult members, but ultimately the story's only there to guide you into the action. And the action here is very good: multiple reviews praise the even better combat, the simpler crafting and the improved perk system for upgrades such as increased ammo capacity.
It's also a huge game. You can expect to complete it in about 18 hours if you only focus on the core goals, but if you like to do all the things you're looking at around 45 hours of game play. If you need me over the next few days you'll find me in Montana.
