Summary
The open-world genre has grown far beyond what many of its pioneers even thought possible. While the open-world genre can trace its roots all the way back to the 1980s with games likethe originalLegend of Zelda, it was the 2000s that really delivered the first truly open-world titles, withGrand Theft Auto 3opening the floodgates. From that point on, having an open-world design was viewed as an absolute must-have feature for many AAA games, andUbisoftunderstood that assignment better than anybody else.
Since the mid-1980s,Ubisofthas built up an impressive portfolio, and its games have often led the charge for the open-world genre, whether it’sAssassin’s Creed,Far Cry, orThe Division. But Ubisoft’s award-winning open-world formula has now become its biggest setback, and there’s a big case to be made forFar Cry 7to really innovate and leave that same old formula behind.
Far Cry 7 Needs to Break the Ubisoft Mold
The Ubisoft Open-World Formula Started Strong
Though both the first twoFar Crygames were considered open-world titles, it wasn’t untilFar Cry 3that Ubisoft’s now-infamous formula was first implemented. At the time,Far Cry 3’s open-world design was heavily praised, with its core loop of taking down outposts, hunting wildlife, upgrading gear, and completing main missions proving to be incredibly engaging and addictive. Over time, this same formula would begin to seep into Ubisoft’s other franchises, including well-established series likeAssassin’s Creed,new IP likeThe Division, and even older franchises likeGhost Recon, which had been given a complete makeover to fit with this tried and tested formula.
The Ubisoft Open-World Formula Has Gotten Stale
But whileUbisoft’s open-world formulaworked exceptionally well at the time, and arguably still has a place in modern gaming, there’s no denying that it’s gotten extremely stale. In using the same formula for all of its franchises, Ubisoft’s games quickly became predictable, and fairly one-note, with many fans believing that if they’d played one Ubisoft game then they’d have played them all.
That’s only gotten worse over time. The most recent Ubisoft game,Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, once again uses the same old Ubisoft formula. Sadly, the Ubisoft open-world formula actually suitsAvatar: Frontiers of Pandora’s universe and premisequite well, but it gives the entire game a derivative feel, as fans have seen it countless times before. While taking down outposts, hunting wildlife, crafting new gear and slowly liberating the environment fitsAvatarto a tee, it’s all stuff fans have been doing time and time again inAssassin’s Creed,Ghost Recon,Far Cry, and so much more. Therefore, it’s time for a change.
How Far Cry 7 Could Break the Mold
If there’s one Ubisoft franchise that suffers the most from its open-world formula nowadays, it’sFar Cry. WhileAssassin’s Creedhas its unique settings andGhost Reconhas its co-op component,Far Cry’s main drawis its gameplay, and it’s been feeling stale for a long time now, with every game sinceFar Cry 3feeling pretty much exactly the same. It’s been well over a decade sinceFar Cry 3released, and it’s time that the franchise tried something different.
It’s imperative thatFar Cry 7doesn’t follow the usual Ubisoft open-world formula. Instead,Far Cry 7should go out of its way to introduce brand-new elements to the franchise, whether it’s entirely new gameplay mechanics, a setting unlike any other, or a completely new type of protagonist and story. The emphasis shouldn’t be placed on just completing an endless checklist of mundane side activities, but on enjoying a compelling main narrative, and actually getting to explore this setting with minimal hand-holding, maybe even in a similar vein toZelda: Breath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom.
