Sweet bliss
Far Cry 5 has been a game full of surprises for me – some good, some bad, some amazing.
I ended up buying it on a whim the night before launch. Despite playing and liking every Far Cry to date (even Primal!) , I just wasn’t interested in Far Cry 5 leading up to its release. I was skeptical of the doomsday cult angle. I wasn’t totally sold on the setting. I didn’t think I needed another Ubisoft open-world title right now. But, at the last minute, something in the back of my mind went off – I decided I wanted nothing more than to mess around in Montana with assorted animal buddies at my side.
On that front, Far Cry 5 has delivered. It’s risky to make this claim before giving my thoughts enough time to settle in and solidify, but it might be my favorite in the series. There are caveats, of course.
The main story ended up falling short of my already-not-high expectations and it also has a nasty habit of clashing with Far Cry‘s open-ended, choose-your-fun design; it likes to rip control away from the player again and again and again for reasons that aren’t always properly justified. The ending, too, is a letdown. I hesitate to open that whole can of worms so soon after release but, suffice it to say, everyone who finishes Far Cry 5 will have a tough time staying quiet about its bold conclusion.
My gosh does it feel great to play though. Chilling in the wilderness with my sneaky mountain lion is a sublime experience, and even now as I mop up my last remaining side missions and comb the map for the odd collectible or convoy, I’m genuinely enjoying myself. I’m not sticking around out of an obligation to finish a checklist, I’m continuing to play every night because it’s a laid-back, low-stress world to inhabit. A huge part of that soothing vibe can be attributed to the game’s stellar soundtrack.
If I could highlight it all, I would. Instead, here’s a too-small sampling of tracks that’ve stuck with me.
I sometimes leave Far Cry 5 running idle on the map screen solely for this music.
The area-specific loading screens put a spell on me. Bless you, Hammock.
Dan Romer and co. nailed the bucolic atmosphere. Across the board, everything just feels right.
Even if you aren’t into Far Cry 5, I implore you to dig into this stuff further. Ubisoft has the various albums up on Spotify and YouTube. You can hear the soundtrack here, Hammock’s reinterpretations here, and choir versions here. Long after I’m done with Far Cry 5, I’ll still be listening.
