If there’s one thing you can count on with Ubisoft, it’s Far Cry games. They’re usually among the company’s most solid endeavors. Whether they’re being serious, as with Far Cry 3 or 4 , or going off the rails with Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon , the developers and publisher have always proven they know what they’re doing. Which is why Far Cry Primal could be the most encouraging news ever.
Yes, it’s really early to be excited about the game. It was only officially announced on October 6. We don’t know too much about the hero, Takkar, and the kind of life he’ll be living in 10,000 BC, but there’s enough there to know that what could happen is something good.
One reason to be excited is that Far Cry Primal could be the sort of game Turok fans have been waiting for. Yes, Turok 2: Seeds of Evil is getting remastered, but we’re talking about a new, open world game where both humans and primal enemies could challenge our survival. It’s been too long since we’ve seen a good, AAA game tackle the idea of getting all up in dinosaurs’ faces, and Far Cry Primal could give us the chance to prove those lizards really are oversized chickens.
Also, Far Cry Primal could be an alternative for people who find ARK: Survival Evolved isn’t right for them. ARK is an early access title, after all, and while it has potential, also has its restrictions. Dinosaur taming takes time, for one, and you really need to have people you can play with to survive successfully without excessive grinding. Far Cry games have always offered solo and multiplayer experiences, which means you will be able to thrive and accomplish great things both alone and when playing with friends. Plus, a finished product will be easier to deal with than an Early Access game. Far Cry Primal is set for February 23, 2016 for console owners and March 2016 for PC players, while ARK: Survival Evolved has a tentative June 2016 release window.
But really, it all comes back to trust. Far Cry games have a habit of staying strong. It doesn’t matter who the developer is. Ubisoft Montreal has experience with the series. It brought us Far Cry 3 , Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon , and Far Cry 4 . This is a company that knows what it’s doing. With it in charge of Far Cry Primal , we can be assured that it has the experience necessary to bring this PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows PC game to life.
Yes, it’s early days for Far Cry Primal . We have a launch trailer and a handful of screenshots to go on, as well as a promise that we’ll take a lowly, refugee hunter named Takkar and help him become a tribal chief. There’s promise, potential, and, at this point, the possibility of something special. After all, it’s a relatively unique premise in a world where we’re constantly seeing steampunk, high fantasy, and post apocalyptic series. It doesn’t hurt to be optimistic, especially when Far Cry Primal is offering a change of pace.