At the Tail end of the Ubisoft Forward event, Far Cry 6 was confirmed with a cinematic introduction to it’s antagonist Anton Castillo and his son Diego. It’s apparent their relationship will be a key component of the story and fans of the series will be familiar with the initial setup. Anton is the ruthless dictator of a Caribbean island that has grown stagnant from decades of economic blockades. Players control Dani Rojos who joins a revolution to overthrow the Castillo dynasty. The circumstances aren’t groundbreaking for the series, but key additions to the formula shake things up in meaningful ways that prove worthy of the next generation of consoles.
Anton and Diego
The trailer shows a glimpse into the father – son relationship that will be developed throughout the game. While reclaiming his island from a revolution, Anton is also grooming Diego to follow in his footsteps to rule the island with an iron fist. After witnessing his own father executed by revolutionaries, Anton became deeply twisted, able to justify the most horrific acts as necessary to his nation’s security. With the responsibility of a father, he passes down his beliefs of brutality and evil in the name of love attempting to protect and prepare his son for a nation at war with itself. Diego is torn between his father’s wishes and the will of a revolution. It’ll be interesting if the player’s actions can change his development as a character and perhaps Yara’s fate.
The island of Yara
As an analogue for Cuba, the island of Yara has been blockaded from the United States for half a century keeping it from evolving technologically. Makeshift weapons and unconventional vehicles are all that the citizens have to make do with and are thematically appropriate for a guerrilla revolution overthrowing a tyrannical regime. For the first time in the franchise the protagonist is a born and raised local. Dani Rojos who can be male or female, is fully voiced; a feature sorely missing from the latest Far Cry titles. Dani doesn’t consider being part of the revolution until certain story actions entangle them within the liberation movement. As the revolution gains momentum through the island’s outskirts, it will slowly encroach on the capital city of Esperanza. Another first for the series is the inclusion of a massive urban location which can be navigated stealthily. Rooftops and alleyways open up the mission structure as well as affecting the narrative tone. Hauling a revolutionary force across country sides and jungles to reach an oppressive capital state changes not only the gameplay but also brings the consequences of one’s actions to bare as players can see the crowning objective of all their effort.
Factions
In an interview with IGN, Giancarlo Esposito who plays Anton Castillo alluded to multiple factions vying for Yara’s control. This could be a natural extension of Far Cry 4, where players could support one of two leaders to change the nation’s outcome. These two opposing views drastically changed the culture and the nation’s order, making players feel wholly responsible for the repercussions of their actions. Hopefully Far Cry 6 will take advantage of Diego, a young impressionable figure of Yara and allow players actions to change his fate and as a result, the fate of Yara.
Stay tuned at Gaming Instincts via Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook for more gaming news.
