Far Cry 5 just got a PS5 and Xbox Series X upgrade, if you’ve got nothing else to play
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Far Cry 5is now much more playable on modern hardware, thanks to a performance patch released by Ubisoft to celebrate the game’s fifth anniversary.
The update is available forFar Cry 5right now, meaningPS5andXbox Series X|S owners can benefit from 60fps performance in all of the game’s modes. That includes the single player campaign and multiplayer components. Even the game’s map editor has received the performance upgrade, which is a nice touch.
The update will likely be welcome for many series fans. Especially those who were let down by the middlingFar Cry 3 Classic Edition, and those who feltFar Cry 6didn’t evolve the franchise in any meaningful way.
Far Cry 5remains a divisive entry in the series, with many feeling its setting of the American heartland to be a step back from the more exotic locales of the series' past.
The game’s story was also a bit of a damp squib, featuring a voiceless protagonist and villains that couldn’t quite match the impact left byFar Cry 3’sunhingedVaas Montenegro or the gleefully megalomaniacal Pagan Min fromFar Cry 4.
A far cry from grace
While it’s always nice to see games from a previous generation receive free current-gen updates to breathe new life into them, I doubt many will be jumping at the chance to replayFar Cry 5outside of its most stalwart fans. While I personally feltFar Cry 6was a step in the right direction thanks to its setting and absurdly fun special weapons, it too suffers from the same issuesFar Cry 5did before it, with it being an overly large open world inundated with repetitive tasks.
For the next game, I’d love a return to a more cohesive, meaningful open world.Far Cry 2’ssurvival elements for example, while controversial, lent a harrowing layer of vulnerability to your player character. Having to use pills to stave off the threat of malaria felt scary and intense, particularly in the middle of a firefight. It was an especially punishing game, one where every win felt earned and rewards were strictly temporary.
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There are certainly elements of fun to be had in latter Far Cry’s overt power fantasies. AndFar Cry 5in particular will play better than ever on PS5 and Xbox Series X thanks to its new performance patch. Though I do hope that Ubisoft is planning a significantly different approach for its next Far Cry title. One that makes you the prey, not the predator.
The good news is that Ubisoft already may have taken a hint here.Assassin’s Creed Valhalladid streamline elements of its open world, cutting back on repetitive tasks and making found loot more meaningful. It’s an approach I feel the next Far Cry game could greatly benefit from.
Rhys is TRG’s Hardware Editor, and has been part of the TechRadar team for more than two years. Particularly passionate about high-quality third-party controllers and headsets, as well as the latest and greatest in fight sticks and VR, Rhys strives to provide easy-to-read, informative coverage on gaming hardware of all kinds. As for the games themselves, Rhys is especially keen on fighting and racing games, as well as soulslikes and RPGs.
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