Ubisoft's upcoming Far Cry 6 is one of the most hotly anticipated releases of this year for a number of reasons. Breaking Bad actor Giancarlo Esposito will be assuming the role of the tyrant Anton Castillo, and rumors that Far Cry 3's Vaas could be part of the narrative have been making rounds.
However, one of the biggest changes that Far Cry 6 has seemingly made is with its narrative structure. Dani Rojas is looking to be one of the more unique protagonists in the franchise, and there is certainly a multitude of ways in which they differ from the rest of the pack.
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The Far Cry series has mostly been about causing mayhem in a creative fashion, all while exploring exotic locations around the world. Gameplay has been at the forefront of the series, which doesn't leave a lot of room for the narrative and characters to shine. That's not to say either are bad, since Far Cry has shown a penchant for having more engaging villains than protagonists. Be it Vaas from Far Cry 3 or Pagan Min from Far Cry 4, both call for attention whenever they're on screen.
On the other hand, the protagonists remain a vessel for the player to inhabit – having very little in the name of backstory or character depth. This is one of the key areas in which Far Cry 6 veers away from tradition, since Dani Rojas isn't as much an empty husk and has some backstory that sets up the game's plot.
As mentioned by Ubisoft in trailers and interviews, Dani worked in Anton's military at some point prior to the events of the game. However, she decides to leave the military and leave Yara in search of greener pastures. One of the trailers showcases Dani abroad on a ferry trying to escape along with a number of friends and fellow citizens when Anton unleashes a bloody massacre as he finds his son Diego is on the ship. Presumably, this is what ignites the revenge plot for the game, since the trailer hints at a number of valuable losses incurred from that last-ditch escape effort.
As mentioned before, Far Cry has been mostly rigid with its structure of being trapped in a foreign land under the reign of tyrannical figures. With Far Cry 6, it seems that Ubisoft has decided to shake things up since Dani Rojas is a native of the island. This holds some great implications for the story, which should by extension serve to keep gameplay fresh.
Dani Rojas has been on the island of Yara for a long time and shows compassion for her country. Her motivation to end the tyranny of Anton might lean on this aforementioned compassion rather than a simple plot for revenge or escape. Dani's moral compass is hinted to be conflicted, since her decision to join the ranks under Anton's reign does indirectly lead to the downfall of her country. This loss could set up a personal story surrounding redemption, which could shake things up while having the signature Far Cry touch that fans associate with the series.
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It's clearly established that Far Cry 6's protagonist Dani Rojas veers away from stereotypical protagonists of the series, but this could hold some interesting implications for the tone and gameplay. From what's known about the characters in trailers and interviews, Far Cry 6 is a lot more grounded than previous entries. For instance, Far Cry 5's Joseph Seed was a cult leader with supernatural abilities and incredible persuasive powers. This was an interesting concept to explore within the context of Far Cry, but fell short due to undermining the narrative with a mute, blank slate protagonist.
Far Cry 6 is teasing a similarly dark tone for the narrative, but it's a bit more grounded as it revolves around the tyrannical rule of Anton Castillo. The antagonist is touted to be larger-than-life, but relies on politics more than the supernatural. Given that Dani seems to be a lot more fleshed out this time around, it seems the premise may finally be delivered, and fans of Far Cry 3 might find more of what they loved about that game.
The themes of revolution and revolt replace survival, which forms another potential set of mechanics. Dani is shown in trailers to be willing to take help from companions, and isn't much of a one-man (or woman) army than other protagonists. Instead of using sheer brute force, it seems there is a lot more focus on deceit and espionage. For instance, a trailer showcases Dani impersonating a truck driver with a fake license to get past an enemy checkpoint. Another instance showcases the protagonist dawning robes of a military officer in Hitman-esque fashion to infiltrate a compound.
Far Cry 6 is looking to be one of the more promising titles under Ubisoft's belt, and rumors surrounding a potential Far Cry 7 have already been doing the rounds. According to Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, it could be heading in a radically different direction – and speculation on the matter suggests that it could go in the direction of Assassin's Creed Infinity. If the rumor and associated speculation are true, it makes a lot of sense for Ubisoft to go all-in with Far Cry 6 and leverage what makes Dani Rojas stand out.
Far Cry 6 launches October 7 for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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