I've been on a bit of a Farcry kick recently. I picked this game up a couple months ago and decided to give it a shot.
New Dawn is on par with Far Cry 5 (review) and Far Cry 4 (review), with some minor subtle differences.
Since Far Cry games share core gameplay (collect stuff in a big world, kill enemies, capture bases, ridiculous story)... there's not much to say other than comparing it to others in the series.
Cons
- No annoying capture scenes like in Far Cry 5
- Instead of cult members or rebels, in this game there are millennial enemies in paintball outfits, who drive around listening to stereotypical millennial music
- There is a tiered weapon leveling system, meaning you can't explore the map freely without first grinding for better weapons
- NPC dialog is awful
- The graphics seemed downgraded. Texture pop-ins and 2D tree sprites really stood out. There was also a lot of dust blowing around, I found distracting
Pros
- No tower climbing to reveal the map
- Expeditions are short side missions that give a change in scenery
- The companion system is carried over from Far Cry 5, it's still good except for their dialog
- The protagonist isn't over-the-top annoying or cringe-worthy
- Wraps up the Far Cry 5 story nicely
- The endgame is more enjoyable and open-ended than in previous games
Conclusion
This gets a 7/10. It's the best Far Cry game I've played yet. It's got the simple addictive gameplay loop that the series is known for, with some nice minor enhancements for the endgame.
I'm hoping Ubisoft reduces the amount dialog and story in their next game, instead focusing on cool combat with unique enemies.
