Summary
Ubisoft’sFar Cryfranchise is a staple of AAA open-world FPS titles. Tracing its history back to 2004, the first couple of titles showed a lot of potential early on, but still didn’t quite stand out from their peers. But withFar Cry 3in 2012, the series was widely agreed to have elevated itself into premier genre territory. It was theFar Cryentry that was the complete package, making the biggest generational leap with tight gameplay, an exotic and beautiful island map, and a riveting story.
A major part ofFar Cry 3’s plot being so strong was thanks to its memorable villain, Vaas Montenegro, portrayed by Michael Mando. Vaas is now often counted amonggaming’s greatest villains, and deservedly so. The character left such an impression and proved so popular that Ubsisoft attempted to have its antagonists be the focal point and most interesting narrative aspect with subsequent releases. However, many felt this became a case of diminishing returns, as none were able to outshine Vaas, despite some solid efforts. If a seventh entry is going to shake off some of the staleness that the series has suffered from in this regard, then it needs to nail its villain again. It’s worth noting, though, thatFar Cry 7is currently only rumored to be in development.
Far Cry 7 Has to Pick Up the Ball in One Area the Series Has Lacked Since FC3
Vaas is Far Cry’s Best Antagonist So Far
Previously,Far Crydid feature some decent bad guys, withFC 2’s The Jackal providing a rough blueprint for what would follow. When Vaas arrived on the scene inFC 3, though, he instantly became iconic for the series. Ubisoft tried to capitalize on this by bringing in some big star power for its villains in later entries:
Giancarlo Esposito
The Mandalorian,Breaking Bad,The Boys
Though these were all portrayed well, none were able to surpass the intensity and personal complexity that Vaas displayed - which is not to say it depends on the actor. The character’s nihilistic-leaning philosophy, violent chaotic impulses, and twisted plans drew comparisons toBatman’s Joker, high praise indeed for any antagonist.
EveryFar Crysince has struggled to match the legacy of Vaas' presence.Pagan Min arguably came closest, but still didn’t quite outdo him in the end.Joseph Seed and his religious cult familywas an interesting angle, but again failed to leave as lasting of an impression. And while El Presidente Castillo was promising, he didn’t really get enough screen time or have as interesting of a motivation to be memorable enough. As it stands, Vaas remainsFar Cry’s top dog villain.
Far Cry 7 Needs to Focus on Having a Villain as Compelling as Vaas
Vaas set the bar quite high and perhaps Ubisoft is a victim of its own success in this instance. If some of the information in theFar Cry 7rumorsis accurate to a degree, then it looks like it might feature another ensemble of antagonists, similar to Seed’s cult. This may give it the chance to have one or two stand out, instead of putting all its eggs in one basket and risk falling short with a singular adversary.
Still, along with any changes to the existing elements and formula,Far Cry 7needs to come out swinging with its villain’s characterization and depiction if it hopes to deliver a truly compelling one that might at least give Vaas a run for his money. It would go a long way to re-establishing its roots while evolving the series, and give fans a reason to be excited aboutFCvillains again.
Far Cry 6
WHERE TO PLAY
Play as Dani Rojas, a local Yaran and become a guerrilla fighter to liberate the nation. Welcome to Yara, a tropical paradise frozen in time. Far Cry 6 immerses players into the adrenaline-filled world of a modern-day guerrilla revolution.
