Far Cry 7is rumored to be on the horizon and is set to bring some big changes to theFar Cryformula. The next installment in the popular FPS survival series will supposedly feature a 24-hour time limit. If the player doesn’t manage to rescue a group of hostages within the allotted time, then they will lose the game and have to start over. While fans are divided on this supposed change, one element from previousFar Crygames that they hope remains intact is the prioritization ofFar Cry 7’s villain.
Far Cryis a series that has become known for its antagonists, as afterFar Cry 3’s Vaastook the gaming world by storm, Ubisoft attempted to replicate the character’s success with each subsequent entry in the series. Every mainlineFar Crygame since has placed a uniquely psychopathic antagonist at the forefront of both its story and marketing. If Ubisoft is looking to makeFar Cry 7’s main villain stand out, there are two factors that need to be taken into account: presence and personality.
How Far Cry 7 Can Nail Its Villain
Learning From Past Far Cry Villains
For a series that is so villain-focused, the quality ofFar Cry’s villainshas been a mixed bag sinceFar Cry 3.Far Cry 4’s Pagan Min provided the series with back-to-back successes in the villain category, but the subsequentFar Crygames have — not for a lack of trying — failed to clear the series' high bar.Far Cry 5’s Joseph Seed was a conceptually interesting antagonist who stood apart from Vaas and Pagan Min, but didn’t leave as much of a mark on the game — at least not until the game’s shock ending. This was mainly due toFar Cry 5splitting the player’s focus between a handful of secondary antagonists across the game’s runtime.Far Cry 6brought in the talented Giancarlo Esposito to play dictator Antòn Castillo, but similarly to Joseph Seed, the character was missing elements that made villains like Vaas and Pagan Min so noteworthy.
A Lack of Personality
Personality was an issue when it came to the memorability of Joseph Seed and Antòn Castillo. While both characters' actors put in the work with their performances, neither character particularly stood out. A religious zealot like Joseph Seed who spews constant Bible verses to justify his malevolent actions has been done plenty of times in media. Antòn Castillo not only played into tropes for his character type but for his actor, as there was little to make the character stand apart from many of the other villains thatGiancarlo Espositohas played.
These personalities made it hard for Antòn Castillo and Joseph Seed to compare to Vaas and Pagan Min. BothFar Cry 3andFar Cry 4’s villains took players by surprise with how unpredictable they were. Vaas was unstable and deranged, while Pagan Min was an upbeat charmer who tried to lure the protagonist over to his side. Not only did these traits avoid being self-serious and generic, but they made it hard to guess what either of these villains would do next.
A Lack of Involvement
Involvement also plays a big role in the effectiveness of a villain. Pagan Min was such a standout villain because he was constantly present in the narrative. He played an incredibly poignant role inFar Cry 4’s opening, regularly made calls to the player, and was intrinsically connected to the protagonist’s backstory. This made it so that his presence was consistently felt throughout the entire game, unlike Antòn Castillo, who only popped up during cutscenes and had severely limited interactions withFar Cry 6’s protagonist.
WhoeverFar Cry 7’s villainends up being, their personality and involvement are two factors that Ubisoft needs to keep an eye on. The ideal villain would be deeply involved with both the main story and the main character. Obviously, a great villain leaves the player wanting more, but too little involvement can make a villain feel distant from their own story. With personality, previous Far Cry games have shown that the more unpredictable a villain, the better. Tropes are useful for getting the player up to speed on a villain’s general vibe, but they should be used sparingly to avoid making the villain feel too cookie-cutter.
