The immersive Far Cry games have captivated gamers since the series’ inception back in 2004. The main tenets of the Far Cry series include lush, immersive environments, open-world exploration, and exciting open-ended gameplay that lets players get creative in killing their opponents. The games loosely take place in the same universe, so there is a chronology involved. However, it isn’t necessary to play the games in chronological order. However, we’ve compiled them for you both in chronological order and in release date order. This way, you can choose how you enjoy the games.
All Far Cry Games in Chronological Order
Far Cry Primal (2016)
Stories don’t start much earlier than the dawn of mankind. In Far Cry Primal, players assume the role of a Stone Age hunter named Takkar. His only goal is to survive the prehistoric wilderness full of cannibalistic tribes and creatures of a bygone era.
As you’d imagine, gameplay shifts from guns and explosives to bows and arrows, and compounds full of enemies are now replaced with rival tribes and packs of sabertooth tigers. New to the series in this installment was the ability to tame wild animals, like wolves, bears, jaguars, and more, which opened up new ways to absolutely obliterate your hapless opponents.
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon (2013)
Blood Dragon was the first Far Cry spinoff and took place in a dystopian future in the far-off year of 2007. The game was an homage to 80s action movies that thought the world would fall into anarchical chaos a mere 20 years later. Its combination of neon-soaked visuals, outrageous combat, and clever narrative make this a must-play for fans of Far Cry and cheesy action films.
The storyline tells the tale of an American cybersoldier named Rex “Power” Colt. Rex must investigate a rogue agent and his peculiar scientific experiments. What follows is a tale of romance, suspense, and a whole lot of blood.
Far Cry 2 (2008)
Far Cry 2 took place in the year it came out: 2008. Players visit a war-torn fictional country in central Africa. The nameless player character, a mercenary, tries to navigate the political strife between warring factions and a sadistic warlord who works in the shadows in order to save innocent civilians from further harm.
The game introduced series staples like the day/night cycle and realistic weather effects that impact gameplay. This would help further immerse players into the world.
Far Cry 3 (2012)
Following Far Cry 2 was Far Cry 3, which also took place in 2012, the year it came out. This was Far Cry’s turning point. It took the series from a niche title in the early Xbox 360/PS3 days and put the franchise among the top AAA titles on the market.
Players head to the fictional Rook Islands where they assume the role of a vacationer named Jason, who is captured by pirates after accidentally landing on the islands. A local named Dennis rescues Jason, inducts him into his tribe, and helps Jason save his friends. Jason and the tribe must combat the fearsome Vaas, a former member of the tribe Jason now is a part of, and Hoyt, a South African human trafficker and drug kingpin.
Far Cry 3 expanded upon the series’ open-world concept and allowed players to greatly impact the world around them based on the decisions they made throughout the game. It also gave them greater freedom to play the game how they wanted. Players are no longer forced to barge into enemy compounds with guns blazing. Now, they can stealthily mark targets to more easily plan their attack. Jason can even perform silent kills using knives. He can also capture guard outposts for additional resources and improved scouting of the island, too. Players can further immerse themselves in the island by observing and even hunting the local wildlife, gathering local plants to create healing items, and traversing the islands in land and sea vehicles.
Far Cry 3 started the recurring theme where the game’s villains were the stars. They’re mostly larger-than-life, cult-of-personality types, usually voiced by iconic actors. Vaas, the game’s first protagonist, featured heavily on the game’s cover and in trailers for the game leading up to its release. This practice would continue throughout many future games in the series.
Far Cry 4 (2014)
Just two years later, players headed to the fictional Himalayan nation of Kyrat in Far Cry 4. The fourth game in the series combined the political power struggle storyline from the second game with the lavish and breathtaking environment from the third game. Also like Far Cry 3, the game “stars” its primary antagonist, Pagan Min, Kyrat’s eccentric yet ruthless king.
You play as Ajay, a mourning son who heads to his mother’s homeland to spread her ashes. Once he arrives, he is immediately met by Min and his goons, who greet him with generosity at first, but strike fear into his heart afterward. It’s up to Ajay and a rebel group that was originally founded by his father to save Kyrat from its oppressive overlord.
The game introduced a grappling hook to the player’s arsenal, allowing them to traverse the vertical landscape full of trees and mountains. It also introduced a dedicated multiplayer component to the game for the first time ever.
Far Cry 5 (2018)
Far Cry 5 brings players out of the beautiful island resorts and dumps them smack dab in the middle of the American Northwest. The fifth game takes place in fictional Hope County, Montana, which is being overrun by a religious cult. The game again “stars” its main antagonist, Joseph Seed, who features heavily in the box art and the pre-release trailers. Seed warns against “The Collapse,” an event that will bring about the end of the world. (We’ll talk more about The Collapse a little later.)
You, as an unnamed county Deputy, have the task of arresting Seed and putting an end to the madness. The game introduced a dedicated cooperative mode and doubled down on open-world freedom, allowing players to explore and engage in chaotic scenarios.
Far Cry 6 (2021)
The sixth Far Cry game takes place on another island, this time a Caribbean nation named Yara. The game “stars” Breaking Bad‘s Giancarlo Esposito. He plays “El Presidente” Antón Castillo, the ruthless tyrant who rules over the island. Players again assume the role of a guerilla freedom fighter who seeks to remove Castillo from power and restore order to Yara.
Far Cry 6 introduced some RPG elements to the game. Players can level up their weapons and upgrade them with new add-ons. They can also level up their presence in a particular area, where enemies will level up their artillery in response. Players can also build up guerilla bases called Camp Facilities to gather more in-game bonuses and resources for their character.
Far Cry (2004)
In a perfect circle, the first game is actually the furthest along in the timeline. Far Cry takes place in 2025 following a catastrophic nuclear event called “The Collapse.” The game stars Jack Carver, a charter boat business owner, who rents a jet ski to a journalist named Valerie. When Valerie goes missing, Jack and a growing list of friends seek to find her. On their way, they end up uncovering more than they bargained for on the island.
Far Cry Games in Release Order
- Far Cry (2004)
- Far Cry 2 (2008)
- Far Cry 3 (2012)
- Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon (2013)
- Far Cry 4 (2014)
- Far Cry Primal (2016)
- Far Cry 5 (2018)
- Far Cry 6 (2021)