Honorable Mention: Far Cry Primal
It may well have had one of the worst reveals ever, but when Far Cry Primal finally released, it silenced many of its skeptics. Some just didn’t understand how a series that relies so heavily on FPS mechanics could go to the prehistoric period. Yet, it managed to pull it off perfectly.
There was a certain awe about heading out and exploring this foreign world teeming with life. Mammoths herded together and minded their own business, Sabertooth tigers made every journey one fraught with ambushes, and the dense greenery made for fantastic views. Ubisoft put a lot of time into the research behind Far Cry Primal even to the point of hiring historical specialists to create the voice-acted prehistoric language.
While the setting was definitely different and made the standard Far Cry formula feel fresh, it did have its drawbacks. Melee combat wasn’t quite as satisfying as firing your bow and arrow from a distance and could even be a little disorienting as the camera bobbed around with each swing. It’s also a typical Ubisoft game, which will have you going from point to point on a map, clearing out outposts, popping a bunch of stuff on your map, and clearing it off. Ubisoft had great ambitions with Primal, but couldn’t quite stick the execution this time around.
