Before the first Far Cry came out back in 2004, modern-setting first-person shooter games were dominantly just straight tunnels with enough color and flash to hide their linearity. Even the legendary Half-Life 2 fell into this design standard. Then, Ubisoft and Crytek spiced things up by giving players a dizzying amount of open environment and freedom.
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Posts By Ben JesseySuffice it to say, Far Cry laid the foundation for many open-world shooters and proved that freedom was more enjoyable than scripted FPS sequences. So if you're looking for more adventures like Far Cry, you might want to try out these games if open-world gun-toting is your idea of fun.
Updated November 1, 2024, by Zackary Wiggs: The Far Cry series isn't going anywhere, it seems. From humble beginnings on a secluded island surrounded by soldiers, all the way to a guerrilla fighter in a Caribbean island surrounded by soldiers, the Far Cry series has honed their games to a science now. Whether it's the open world, the twisty plots, or the FPS gunplay that gets you hyped for a new release, these games will keep you occupied until the inevitable next Far Cry game graces your gaming system.
30 System Shock Remake
In Space...
System Shock
Action Adventure 4.0/5 Released September 23, 1994 ESRB M For Mature 17+ due to Animated Blood and Gore, Animated Violence Developer(s) Looking Glass Technologies Publisher(s) Origin Systems Engine Dark Engine Franchise System Shock Platform(s) PC Genre(s) Action, Adventure Powered by Expand CollapseIf there's one thing Far Cry really lands throughout the entire series, it's the iconic villains. There's nothing more menacing than Vaas Montenegro, Antón Castillo, Pagan Min, and Joseph Seed unleashing their armies to hunt you all over the open world. Well, the 2023 remake of the sci-fi horror FPS System Shock brings back the iconic villain Shodan, who has some monstrous cybernetic mutant enemies of her own for you to survive.
In System Shock, you'll find you are a hacker located on the Citadel space station going up against the powerful AI system and are quite far from the scenery your Far Cry protagonists are used to, though its cyberpunk aesthetic may remind you of Blood Dragon. The game's updated visuals, enemy designs, environments, and weapons will feel akin to any Far Cry game.
29 Saints Row Series
Rise To The Top
Saints Row 4
Third-Person Shooter Open-World Released August 20, 2013 ESRB M for Mature: Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs Developer(s) Volition Publisher(s) Deep Silver Engine CTG (Core Technology Group) Franchise Saints Row Platform(s) PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Switch, PC, Stadia Genre(s) Third-Person Shooter, Open-World Powered by Expand CollapseThere are few series that balance an open world with as much humor and action as the Saints Row series. While not every game in this series has been a masterpiece, there is still more than enough here to keep you entertained.
A weird cast of characters, over-the-top action, and a story that has a surprising amount of twists all add up to a series that doesn't have many like it. If you want another open-world game that's a lot of fun, look no further.
28 Middle-Earth: Shadow Of Mordor
Fight The Darkness
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
Action Adventure Released September 30, 2014 ESRB M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence Developer(s) Monolith Publisher(s) Warner Bros. Games Engine lithtech Franchise The Lord of the Rings Platform(s) PS3, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Linux, macOS Genre(s) Action, Adventure Powered by Expand CollapseMiddle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is one Lord of the Rings game quite close to Far Cry in terms of world-building and combat, despite its Tolkien fantasy setting, and it still holds up today. An important aspect across all Far Cry games is having a rebel group alongside you as your ally to fight the tyrannical leaders, and you can have Orcs join you against Sauron's forces using Talion's Dominate ability. You even have a Wraith companion bonded to you named Celebrimbor.
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PostsThe landscape is crawling with hordes of Orcs that will constantly engage you in battle, including higher-ranking ones that you'll have opportunities to cross off from the Nemesis System's hierarchy and install your recruits. And since it's third-person, the combat is very different, featuring all kinds of Wraith abilities you can unlock and a style that works similarly to the Arkham games.
27 Sons Of The Forest
Can You Survive?
Sons of the Forest
Survival Open-World Survival Horror Released February 22, 2024 ESRB e Developer(s) Endnight Games Publisher(s) Newnight Engine Unity Multiplayer Online Co-Op Platform(s) PC Genre(s) Survival, Open-World, Survival Horror Powered by Expand CollapsePutting all the story beats and action set pieces aside, Far Cry is also about crafting and survival elements. You hunt various species of animals across the map to gain hides and make better upgrades to your inventory. But should you want an even more realistic survival experience on an island, you may want to check out the sequel to The Forest, which launched in Early Access.
Sons of the Forest is an ominous and foreboding game compared to Far Cry as well, with its enemies even more terrifying than any villain you encounter in Far Cry. That's because the island's inhabitants consist of grotesquely designed cannibals and otherworldly mutants that stalk you throughout your journey.
26 Deathloop
Live, Die, Die Again
Deathloop
Adventure Released September 14, 2021 ESRB M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language Developer(s) Arkane Studios Publisher(s) Bethesda Engine Void Multiplayer Online Multiplayer Platform(s) PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S Genre(s) Adventure Powered by Expand CollapseLike the original Far Cry, Deathloop is an FPS set on a remote island riddled with enemies, here called Blackreef. The island also happens to be locked in a time loop, thanks to the AEON Program experiment being worked on in the region. You play as Colt Vahn, a former Head of Security, trying to break the cycle by eliminating eight of its heads named the Visionaries before the loop resets.
Trying to stop you in your tracks is a new Head of Security for the Visionaries called Julianna Blake, who gets in the way of your success a lot throughout the story and contributes to your loop starting over. It's a fun twist on an FPS with a great black protagonist who might be the best of the 2020s so far, and the stealth gameplay and gunfights are just as thrilling.
25 The Wolfenstein Series
Killin' Nazis
Wolfenstein: The New Order
FPS Stealth Action Adventure Released May 20, 2014 ESRB M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs Developer(s) MachineGames Publisher(s) Bethesda Engine id Tech 5 Franchise Wolfenstein Platform(s) PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC Genre(s) FPS, Stealth, Action, Adventure Powered by Expand CollapseThere's nothing more in line with Far Cry's themes than Wolfenstein, a series centered around characters of a resistance group taking the fight to Nazis in an alternate historical timeline. The more modern Wolfenstein installments from MachineGames also create one of the vilest and most twisted villains with Frau Irene Engel, who you want to see go down.
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Posts By Hilton WebsterYou take on the role of William "B.J." Blazkowicz with a giant arsenal of weapons you can dual-wield in fast-paced, brutal FPS combat across various missions with Nazi soldiers and even some larger mech bosses. Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus expands on the characters and delivers one of the best narratives of the series. And Wolfenstein: Youngblood offers a co-op FPS experience.
24 Horizon Zero Dawn
The Machines Rise
Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered
Action RPG Adventure 3.5/5 Released October 31, 2024 Developer(s) Guerrilla Games, Nixxes Publisher(s) Sony Interactive Entertainment Franchise Horizon Platform(s) PC, PlayStation 5 Genre(s) Action RPG, Adventure Powered by Expand CollapseTechnically, the setting of Horizon Zero Dawn is quite a bit different from Far Cry. After all, it's set in a post-apocalyptic world filled with giant machines. Yet, roaming that open world feels a lot like Far Cry. This is because the environments look quite similar, and there are dangers everywhere. Plus, like in some of the Far Cry games, a lot of the traversal includes climbing and ziplining.
Where Horizon differs is in the combat and story. Fighting is a lot more close-quarters-focused. As for the story, the one in Horizon is deeper than the average Far Cry tale, as you follow Aloy in her attempts to learn about her past.
23 Sniper Ghost Warrior 3
It's A Longshot
Sniper Ghost Warrior 3
FPS Tactical Released April 24, 2017 ESRB m Developer(s) CI Games Publisher(s) CI Games Engine CryEngine Multiplayer Online Multiplayer Platform(s) PC, PS4, Xbox One Genre(s) FPS, Tactical Powered by Expand CollapseIf you saw a snippet of Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 gameplay, you'd be forgiven for thinking it was Far Cry. This is because it looks and plays very similarly. Both the driving and climbing mechanics are almost identical. And most missions involve scouting places and tagging people before engaging them, just like in some of the Far Cry games.
Where Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 differs is the focus on ranged warfare. This is one of the best sniping games ever due to its satisfying and detailed sniping mechanics. So, if you like picking people off from range in Far Cry, Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 will certainly be your thing.
22 The Outer Worlds
An RPG Like No Other
The Outer Worlds
RPG 4.0/5 Released October 25, 2019 ESRB M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language Developer(s) Obsidian Entertainment Publisher(s) Private Division Engine Unreal Engine 4 Franchise The Outer Worlds Platform(s) Switch, Xbox One, PS4, PC Genre(s) RPG Powered by Expand CollapseBoth The Outer Worlds and the Far Cry games are set in colorful open worlds, provide plenty of laughs, and include slick FPS action with some role-playing mechanics. The story of The Outer Worlds even has you going up against the established authority, as is usually the case in Far Cry.
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Posts By Ben JesseyThe difference is that in The Outer Worlds, you don't need to go against the authority if you don't feel like it. In fact, you can side with them, as there is a litany of choices in the game that allow you to tailor the narrative. The basis of the story is that humanity has attempted to colonize new worlds, but one of the ships containing the colonizers didn't reach its destination. However, it may be possible to save the folks trapped in cryo sleep, but that isn't what everyone wants.
21 Assassin's Creed Series
Assassins Of All Types
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
RPG Action Released November 10, 2020 ESRB M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol Developer(s) Ubisoft Publisher(s) Ubisoft Engine Ubisoft Anvil Franchise Assassin's Creed Platform(s) Stadia, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S Genre(s) RPG, Action Powered by Expand CollapseThese games are a no-brainer for anyone fond of Far Cry's mechanics. Ubisoft is also responsible for this undying multi-million-dollar series, and it sports the closest similarities to Far Cry. The big difference is that an Assassin's Creed title plays out in a third-person action view.
There's also a notable shortage of firearms since it cherry-picks ancient or medieval time periods or other eras where swords are still the dominant weapons. Even so, you'll find yourself at home in Assassin's Creed as a Far Cry fan. Out of all the AC games, Black Flag shares a familiar storyline and has a main character that's not unlike a Far Cry protagonist.
