by Ewan Lewis
Back in the late 2000s and early 2010s, Ubisoft was releasing a plethora of games that would go on to change the video game landscape forever. While Rayman was taking the 3D platforming genre by storm, and Assassin's Creed showcased new ways to experiment with the traditional stealth gameplay formula, it was Far Cry that many people credit for ushering the open-world genre into the mainstream. It's clear that with each new Far Cry game, Ubisoft was aiming to be as experimental and creative as possible to offer a gameplay experience that was unlike anything else at the time.
Considering how successful these games would eventually become, with the majority of them being critical and commercial success stories, it was only a matter of time before other developers would start borrowing a few mechanics and systems that were first introduced by this iconic franchise. These days, it's hard to play many open-world games without seeing these particular influences around every corner, so, with that being said, it's time to take a look at the many ways Far Cry has influenced this popular genre, and why these traditions have remained relevant for so many years.
Radio Towers
A Neat Way To Open Up The Map As Part Of The Exploration
A major draw of open-world games is the amount of freedom they give to the player in terms of exploration, allowing them to venture through a vast and mysterious environment at their own leisure. In order to get players intrigued to explore as much of the world as possible, though, a game can't just spell out every activity and area on the world map, since this would simply give every secret away in the first few minutes of a playthrough. Ubisoft found a clever way to negate this issue in Far Cry 3 with the introduction of radio towers, which have gone on to become somewhat of a tradition in the open-world genre.
After players reach the top of these giant structures, they will be able to reveal several points of interest around the area, allowing them to know where they need to head next as part of their journey. It's hard to find an open-world game these days that hasn't copied this mechanic in some form or another, whether it's Horizon Zero Dawn with its Tallnecks, or even Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and the Activation Intel Beacons; these towers are always there to give the player a helping hand when they need it most.
Immersive UI
Strip Back The Menus And Keep Players Engaged In The Action
The primary focus for a developer when creating an open-world game will usually be to ensure the world itself is as visually impressive and as packed full of content as humanly possible, but this can often come at the expense of the player's user interface, or simply the UI. It's all so easy to be taken out of a gameplay experience when players are constantly forced to navigate through a bunch of menus just to figure out where their next objective is located, though in recent years, many open-world titles have taken a page out of Far Cry 2's book which placed a heavy emphasis on keeping plays immersed in the action at all times.
For example, Far Cry 2'smap is an in-game item that players will be able to read while walking, running, or even driving around the environment. Additionally, healing is also done within the game itself, as the protagonist will fix their own limbs and remove bullets from their body with the tap of a button. These days, immersion is an extremely important factor for many players in open-world games, and is a big reason why titles such as Red Dead Redemption 2 and Cyberpunk 2077, just to name of few, managed to reach such staggering levels of popularity; but this dedication to creating a realistic experience can all be traced back to the second entry in the Far Cry franchise.
Crafting & Hunting
A Core Part Of Surviving, Which Gives Players Something To Do In Between Missions
The trailers leading up to the release of Far Cry 3 placed a lot of emphasis on the wildlife that players will encounter while journeying through the Rook Islands, and it's fair to say these animals aren't the kind of creatures you'd want to keep as a pet around the house. From vicious tigers to bloodthirsty sharks, all the way to hawks that will randomly attack Jason in the middle of a mission, the wildlife may seem a little irritating at first, but they are there to convince players to go on the hunt every so often so that they can build and craft brand-new resources, such as ammo pouches and armor.
The hunting system may have initially been little more than a one-off experiment in Far Cry 3, considering the game's tropical setting, but it would become such a core part of the experience that the developers decided to bring it back for future entries. Other open-world developers would also take notice of this, to the point where there are some open-world games out there that are entirely based around hunting because of how much players enjoyed it as a casual activity in between story missions in Far Cry 3.
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This article originally appeared on GameRant and is republished here with permission.
