revIew

Some bad news about Boomer the dog, we’re afraid. He’s, um, gone to live on a farm

PUBLISHER / DEVELOPER / RELEASE DATE oUt NoW / COST £39.99/$39.99 New Dawn

It’S tHe end OF tHe wOrld aS we KnOw It, and It FeelS… QuIte nICe ALEX SPENCER

Once upon a time, There’s considerably less, however, as ‘The Twins’, so called because… a nuke went off in that marks it apart from every other well, you can probably guess. They’re Hope County. That is Far Cry game. It’s not just the map not the most compelling big bads how ended which is borrowed from the last title short in the history of this series, and – at least, if you in the series – most of the systems cut there’s a sense that New Dawn lacks chose the ‘resist’ here are identical too, from the AI- confidence in the two of them – the option in its final scene – and it is controlled buddies to the ‘Prepper WHAT IS IT? upshot of which is that you spend how New Dawn opens, before jumping Stash’ side-quests, here rebranded Ubisoft squeezes considerably less time in their ahead 17 years to reintroduce the as ‘Treasure Hunts’. There’s a home every last drop out of company. Frankly, after so many hours its worldbuilding world after the bomb. It’s Montana, base that gradually builds up as you budget with a of getting stared in the eyes by Far Cry again, its contours and landmarks progress, which is lifted straight from post-apocalyptic villains while they do their trademark exactly as they were in the previous the prehistoric Far Cry Primal. Hope County. monologues and ultraviolence, it’s game. Except, in humanity’s absence, More importantly, the underlying kind of a relief. the world has turned Day-Glo pink. structure of New Dawn will be familiar WHAT’S IT LIKE? This isn’t the only place where New if you crossed Far Nature, so famously abhorring a to anyone who has ever played a Far Dawn shows a lighter touch. You play Cry 5 with Fallout, and vacuum, has crept into every crack Cry title. You travel around the open then turned up the in a reduced version of Hope County, left by mankind disappearing into their world – whether on foot, by car or by brightness and the outskirts of the map cordoned bunkers. The rising waters have turned gliding through the skies in a wingsuit saturation up to full. off by excessive radiation, and the a shocking blue. What appear to be – bouncing between story missions central story is likewise considerably WHO’S IT FOR? the Northern Lights crackle in the sky and side-quests, collecting loot and shorter. But this actually works in New Fans of nuclear at dusk or dawn. And, everywhere clearing outposts of enemy forces. explosions, cults Dawn’s favour. you look, flowers of scorching hot based in montana and The map is still crammed with icons pink have bloomed into life. It’s a Reason for hope the colour pink. and collectibles – but this is balanced welcome splash of colour, helping to In finest Far Cry tradition, everything out slightly by there being just a little differentiate New Dawn from the glut is being driven by a charismatic villain. less map in the first place. It’s easy to of other post-apocalyptic options. Two, in fact. Mickey and Lou, known fall into the game’s flow, marking off a

074 tHE oFFiCiAL xBox mAGAziNE

OXT175.rev_far_cry.indd 74 19/02/2019 11:46 “The single biggest change

comes in the far left It just wouldn’t be the addition of apocalypse without an armoury of RPG-style stats” makeshift guns.

above New Dawn’s post-apocalypse is a lot more colourful than the 50 shades of brown found in Fallout games.

left Yo u’r e b a c k in Montana again for New Dawn, but it’s a little different to how you left it.

waypoint and allowing yourself to get Outward New additions to your arsenal These levels are an unnecessary thoroughly distracted on the way. bound include the Saw Launcher, which fires abstraction, never justifying their You might have set out from camp You’re not completely blades that ricochet off every surface, inclusion beyond the fact that, well, with every intention of completing that bound to one and a riot shield, which can be used other post-apocalyptic open-world plot-critical mission, but chances are location. Early on in as partial cover or chucked, Captain shooters have them. It’s just about you’ll actually end up spotting the icon New Dawn, you meet America style, into a baddie’s face. the one lesson we hope the next Far helicopter pilot Roger for a nearby treasure hunt, spelunking But the single biggest change Cry game doesn’t borrow from this Cadoret, who’s eager in some caves and emerging near an to get you in his comes with the addition of RPG- colourful, unusual, tightly focused enemy outpost you’d been meaning to Grosse Patate – style stats to the combat. Enemies, yet surprisingly fully formed entry in take care of for ages. Or running into that’s, um, the name weapons and vehicles all come in four the series. New Dawn might be more an enemy scavenger, chasing them of his chopper – to different levels and, to emphasise intermission than full sequel, but if down on your quad bike and somehow launch attacks on the difference in ranks, damage Ubisoft wanted to make another Far ending up in a fight with a wild cougar. enemy bases ranging numbers now pop out from enemies Cry just like this? Well, it wouldn’t be It’s an entertaining, if not productive, from a Louisiana as you shoot bullet holes into them. It the end of the world. ■ way to lose a couple of hours. theme park to San essentially gates off some areas until Francisco’s Alcatraz you’ve levelled up your gear and skills prison. Known as Level down Expeditions, these enough, and feels like an awkward For all its borrowing from Far Cry side-missions are fit for a relatively realistic shooter. games of the past, New Dawn does large-scale outposts, Landing a perfectly sniped headshot, make several small contributions to tasking you with only to realise that your target still the formula. Outposts, once they’ve sneaking in, grabbing has three quarters of their health OXM VERDICT been cleared of enemies, can now be a briefcase and bar remaining, is unsatisfying. Your Hardly a far cry ‘scavenged’ – handing control back surviving the ensuing sneak attack on an outpost failing from what’s come over in exchange for bonus resources, onslaught until the just because a higher-level enemy before, but still Big Potato can swoop allowing you to try them again at a is immune to your silent takedown surprisingly in for extraction. 8 higher difficulty. attack – that’s simply infuriating. enjoyable.

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OXT175.rev_far_cry.indd 75 19/02/2019 11:46