Normally FPS games are grim and depressing looking as they are set during a war or post-apocalyptic time period. In Far Cry 4 however, you can explore the beautiful Himalayas which is called "Kyrat" in this game.
Before you are able to explore Kyrat, you are seeing through the eyes of Ajay Ghale who is the main character. He has been living in America for the past few years, until his mother dies. He then decides to visit his native home of Kyrat to rest his mother's ashes there. However, things don't go according to plan...
What Ajay Ghale doesn't know is that Kyrat is in the middle of a civil war as the maniacal Pagan Min has named himself the "King of Kyrat." A group of rebel fighters calling themselves "The Golden Path" hope to overthrow him and take back Kyrat. Ajay Ghale (and the player) has to step in and help them.
What separates Far Cry 4 from other FPS games is simply how large and impressive Kyrat is. It's a huge open world area that the player is free to explore anyhow they want to. It's far from the linear "corridor-like" level design you will see in most other shooting style games.
The best part of the game is simply the many ways you can travel and see the sights of Kyrat. You can steal cars, utes and even a tuk-tuk to drive around the country. However, you can also use more unorthodox travel methods too such as a hang-glider, a gyrocopter and even riding on the back of an elephant!
The elephant in Far Cry 4 is not just a means to travel either, you can also use it during combat. The elephant can destroy some buildings and charge at enemies with ease. It's by far the most enjoyment you will get out of Far Cry 4. What other games allow you to ride an elephant?
The gameplay in Far Cry 4 is structured much like in an Assassin's Creed game. Kyrat is a huge place, and there are lots of missions for you to undertake. You are free to do tackle the main missions first, or you can easily get distracted and do all of the side missions instead.
To make things more interesting, there are even missions in the single player campaign you can choose that will lead you to different endings. This is because "The Golden Path" rebel fighters are torn between its two leaders of Amita and Sabal too.
Amita wants drugs to stay in Kyrat so the country can profit from them when Pagan Min is gone. Sabal wants all drugs and corruption gone, and let the country be like it was before Pagan Min came to rule it. It's up to you to decide which side you want to take which leads to interesting missions and different endings.
The core gameplay in Far Cry 4 is of course shooting, and this is arguably the weakest element of the entire game. Shooting enemies isn't all that bad, but it doesn't feel as smooth as in other shooting titles. Not to mention things get difficult when nature decides to try and kill you as well.
There are times the game gets really annoying when numerous soldiers are shooting and throwing grenades at you, plus you might have a tiger or bear trying to kill you on top of this. I do like the fact that animals have been added to the game, but they make the gamelay a little harder sometimes when they are around.
Aside from that, Far Cry 4 is still a lengthy and highly enjoyable game. The single player campaign is 20 hours long and the side missions prolong its longevity. You can also undertake many co-op missions in the game too which is more fun than going solo. There is even an enjoyable competitive multiplayer mode added that increases the hours of enjoyment you can get out of this game.
Overall, Far Cry 4 is a highly enjoyable game that has one of the most breathtaking locations ever seen in modern gaming. Not to mention there are a ton of things you can do in the game that will make you play for hours and hours. Far Cry 4 is highly recommended to anyone that is a fan of the FPS genre.
Verdict: 8.5/10