Far Cry 3 was a critical and commercial success, using cutting-edge visuals and a dynamic sandbox to provide a lengthy and enjoyable experience for millions of players. Its sequel has arrived two years later (though it feels much faster), and most outlets have reached their conclusions after delaying reviews to spend time with the online multiplayer.
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The verdicts on Far Cry 4 from select publications around the web are below, and they're generally positive. The consensus is that the game, unsurprisingly, stays very true to the successful Far Cry 3 formula, with many of the same mechanics and features transported to a new locale-but another fun romp through an exotic environment may be all that fans are looking for.
Giant Bomb, 4/5: "Far Cry 4 is one of those open-world games where consequences are few, side tasks are many, and you can mostly just blaze your way through the environment, one headshot at a time. Though the story and some of the various activities can certainly be grim in tone, the game is mostly an easy-going trek through the wilderness.
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"You'll meet a fresh cast of weirdos along the way, kill some of them, and come out the other end with... well, probably with even more side activities left to complete, if you feel like it. The developers have made a few changes around the edges, but it's all very similar to Far Cry 3. If you liked that game and want more of it... this is more of it."
Eurogamer, 8/10: "Far Cry 4 does all the things that its predecessor did and more - more weapons, more vehicles, more modes, more ground to cover - so if all you're looking for is a big old wide open space to tear up with a friend, go forth and make merry with mortar. That said, more does not necessarily mean better, and the truth is that the wilds of Kyrat simply aren't as beguiling as the Rook Islands were. Far Cry 4 is well worth a visit, but it's more a backpacker's delight than a five-star island paradise."
IGN, 8.5/10: "Diversity is one of Far Cry 4's strongest assets, and it overwhelms the mostly disappointing story with countless opportunities for free-form adventure and fun. Visual variety, tons of distinct side-quests, and a dense world with plenty of options always gave me something I wanted to do, and its satisfying economy had me obsessing over completing every side-quest.
"It's a little safe, overall -- its competitive multiplayer stands out as a gamble that paid off -- in that it has many familiar elements from Far Cry 3 transplanted to an amazing new place, but those elements are incredibly empowering and rewarding."
GamesRadar, 4/5: "You think you've never been to Far Cry 4's Kyrat before, but you have. Many times, in fact. Level the Himalayan backdrop, strip out the regional touches - wandering sherpas who'll sell you rocket launchers, tumbled statues of the Buddha, those godforsaken Honey Badgers - and you're left, basically, with Far Cry 3's Rook Island. Which was, in turn, a tropical reincarnation of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood's expanse of towers and strongholds.
"Seven years on from the original Assassin's Creed, Ubisoft Montreal's battle-proven blueprint for open world games is beginning to show signs of combat fatigue. While an entertaining, hectic shooter, Far Cry 4 feels a bit too much like a sequel for the sake of it."
