Assassin’s Creed isn’t the only long-running Ubisoft franchise set to undergo a massive transformation.
Ubisoft was one of the first companies to really go all-in on the open world concept. Unfortunately, it fell in love with it too much, to the point that even the genuinely good outings – take, for example, the criminally underrated Immortals Fenyx Rising, which could’ve gotten a sequel but was canceled midway – received backlash for sporting a similar design.
While Far Cry’s open-world design has always been one of its strongest points, the series has become quite formulaic in recent years, which is probably why Ubisoft is looking to switch things up.
According to a report by Insider Gaming, Far Cry 7 will, for the first time in the 20-year-old franchise, feature a “non-linear story” centered around the player character’s attempt to rescue his family from a conspiracy group, the Sons of Truth. This isn’t as unusual of a take in a franchise that usually tasks players to either save themselves from captivity or liberate a group of people or maybe even both. But, what makes Far Cry 7 different is the use of an in-game timer that gives players only 72 in-game hours to rescue their family. This timer, which lasts for a total of around 24 hours in real life, is a mechanic that’s already drawing comparisons to Dead Rising, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, and Final Fantasy XIII-3.
Depending on how Ubisoft implements the timer mechanics, Far Cry 7 could alienate its established fanbase. But, if this is done correctly, it could be the shot in the arm that it desperately needs to undergo a proper revival, similar to Assassin’s Creed.
Gameplay-wise, the timer implies that Far Cry 7 will have a more focused experience. While Ubisoft will likely NOT drop the picturesque locations and massive open-world map, Far Cry 7 will no longer put you in the middle of a big location with little else to do outside of the main storyline save for the occasional hunting or fetch quest and clearing yet another outpost.
By forcing players to stay on the move, Far Cry 7’s pacing will be better, and so will the action. It offers the possibility of multiple endings as well, depending on whoever you rescue first or last or whether you succeed in rescuing everyone in your family. Ubisoft could even force players to make gut-wrenching decisions and choose between one family member and another.
Finally, as per the report, Far Cry 6 will let you interrogate enemies. They can feed you the wrong information, refuse to co-operate or escape from captivity. This ties into the hypothetical scenario where you may rescue the “wrong” family member, just like how Batman rescued Harvey Dent “by mistake” instead of Rachel Dawes in 2008’s The Dark Knight, starring Christian Bale.
On that note, since Far Cry 7 will reportedly be set in Korea, wouldn’t it be interesting if the protagonist is the patriarch of a family based on North Korea’s “Kim” family?
As a bonus, @necrolipe chimed in on X, adding that Far Cry 7 will launch simultaneously on the next Nintendo console and other platforms.
Ubisoft has tried everything with Far Cry, from including aliens, transporting players to an alternate reality, and even using a relatively untouched primal setting in Far Cry Primal. But, if we believe the report, this could end up being revolutionary.
Either way, the best-case scenario is Ubisoft keeps the timer mechanic simple with different endings based on progress and give players the option to start all over again or play in New Game+.
Ultimately, it’s nice to see Ubisoft not forgetting about one of its best franchises even when it’s gone all-in on Assassin’s Creed.
With a presumed Early 2025 release window, it’ll be a while before we see official details about Far Cry 7 and the still-unconfirmed multiplayer spin-off. Until then, fans can look forward to the release of Assassin’s Creed Mirage on October 5 and Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR on November 19.
