Far Cry 5

[Mark-x]

Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC

 Pros:

Spectacular action in stunning scenery
Four great villains, each with their own style
More immersive and organic than previous Far Cries
Brilliant specialists and animal allies

Cons:

Sometimes sticks too closely to old Far Cry templates
Loses pace when the Seeds aren’t around

Get past its off-kilter politics – turns out, the doomsday-prepping gun-lovers are the good guys – and Far Cry 5 is a brilliant retooling for the series, tossing tired elements aside (watchtowers are switched out for prepper caches, for instance) and doubling down on the mayhem with a team mechanic that lets you recruit the perfect squad for your goals (Shotgun dude and helicopter? Stealth-lady and sniper? Ah, sod it, rocket-man and bear again).

The way you’re snatched from its sandbox world to do story missions is absolutely maddening and the post-endgame vibe is oddly unsatisfying, but once you’re done with the main game a never-ending array of user-submitted Arcade mode levels is the way to go. Oh, and you can throw shovels at people. Redemptive!