It is 10,000 B.C. and a tribe of early humans needs a leader. “Far Cry Primal” is the latest instalment in the acclaimed Ubisoft franchise and, while satisfying, does have its share of flaws.
Players take control of a prehistoric human named Takkar on their quest to unite their tribe, the Wenja, and survive the punishing world of the ancients. That world is gorgeous, with lush, green foliage, white capped mountains, and water that looks almost real. The game world is dense, and almost every in inch has something there. There are no blank areas or wide open fields as those would not make sense in the timeframe depicted. The prehistoric world is extremely dangerous, and the visual scarring on the humans in the game reflects that, as there is no character that goes unblemished.
Stylistically, the game hits all the right spots, from the idea of death being behind every tree, to the language used. Ubisoft decided to aim for as much historical accuracy as can be given to such an ancient time, and so developed an entire language for the game, with subtitles on screen to translate. The characters feel prehistoric, from the gesturing used to the basic vocabulary each person has.
Speaking of characters, the game has plenty. Not only are there numerous characters, but they all feel like unique people as well. Each one has different mannerisms, a different speaking style, and different benefits to the player. For instance, Tensay the shaman gives Takkar the ability to tame wild animals, while Wogah the craftsman unlocks the ability to craft multiple items at once.
Unfortunately, while the supporting characters are varied and deep, the villains are not. The two main villains in the game, Ull of the Udam tribe and Batari of the Izila tribe, have the exact same goal of domination. While this sets up exciting in game events such as a three-way battle encounter, having two villains that do not interact with each other and have the same goal just makes this game longer and provides less of an emotional payoff when Takkar triumphs.
Outside of the main story, players have the option of performing side quests for more experience. More experience means better skills and equipment, so unless a player wants to have the ultimate challenge of just doing the main story with no added benefits, these side quests are fairly mandatory. However, despite the diversity of the side quests, from exploring caves and hunting rare beasts, to escorting other Wenja to a safe location, these quests get very repetitive, very fast. It certainly gets annoying the third time Takkar’s tribespeople wander off without him, forcing the player to fend off an enemy advances on his/her own.
Overall, “Far Cry Primal” is a diverse game that can hold a player’s attention for days. There is certainly enough to do, though the repetition can get tiring. The variety of weapons is not quite like the modern era “Far Cry” games, but that does not harm this game as much as people were concerned. “Far Cry Primal” rates 4 stars out of 5.
