When it comes to tying the personalities of protagonists and villains together through a twisted relationship, few franchises do it likeFar Cry. Since the series' inception in the early 2000s, Ubisoft has consistently explored the dynamic of a main character driven by a desire to interfere with the grandiose plans of a villain for reasons ranging from mass rescue to petty personal vendettas. WithFar Cry 7set to further the franchise’s dynastic legacy of psychotic antagonists in the next few years, perhaps withthe rumored Sons of Truth cultand the player-character’s battle to free his kidnapped family, it’s only right to reflect on legendary protagonist performances throughout the series.
Given the diverse focus ofFar Cry’s installments, there are more than a handful of metrics to consider when ranking the extent of a protagonist’s impact. From character development arcs to sheer charisma and depth of relationships with the antagonist, each of the franchise’s main characters has a peculiar edge that differentiates them considerably from the rest of the cast. When all categories are considered, there’s a way to rank these main acts according to their narrative immersion factor.
S-Tier: Legends of the Far Cry Experience
Far Cry 3is widely regarded as one of thebest games in theFar Cryfranchise, and Jason Brody’s role as the game’s lead plays an instrumental role in that perception. In terms of character development, few protagonists in the series can match his tumultuous journey from spoiled playboy to conflicted anti-hero after a dark turn of events changes his life forever.
He walks a line of conscious decadence throughout the title in the aftermath of watching his friends die in front of him, and players can actively impact his choices as he falls further and further into insanity. The level of involvement with his storyline and his intense preoccupation with killing Vaas makesFar Cry 3’s tale that much more engaging than others in the franchise, earning him the distinction of the best protagonist inFar Cry.
Ajay Ghale’s performance inFar Cry 4may have been missing the depth of character involvement that Jason Brody had in multitudes, but his motives for the crash-and-burn protagonist requirement are perhaps the most relatable in theFar Cryseries. Tough decision-making plagued him at every turn and put players firmly in the driving seat of morality gameplay. Coupled with the twisted dynamics of the relationship between Ajay and Pagan Min, his story is one of the most layered in the series.
A-Tier: Great Character Aura
Far Cry 6may not have had the best reception, but Dani Rojas' third-person cutscenes made for some groundbreaking interaction where the protagonist felt like a truly engaged character. However, the lack of a defined character arc and an underdeveloped relationship with Anton Castillo beyond wanting to topple his regime limited Dani’s potential.
Rex Power Colt inFar Cry 3: Blood Dragonsuffers from a similarly undercooked storyline – although Ubisoft presumably made this tradeoff for a lighter plot in terms of tone. Rex excels in this role, delivering corny one-liners in an otherwise futuristic environment to keep the entertainment grounded in reality. Jack Carver is another funnily coded character with the damsel-in-distress trope, and his character development extends beyond his protagonist days in the firstFar Cryedition toan antagonist role inFar Cry 2.
B-Tier: Compassion Finds a Rare Home in Far Cry
Far Cry Primalwas an uncharacteristic change of pace from Ubisoft’s modern landscape and twisted dynamics, featuring the prehistoric Wenja tribe with Takkar the Hunter front and center of the plot. Although he doesn’t speak English (thus forming an immersion barrier), his gameplay abilities as a Beast Master and merciful tendencies separate him from the averageFar Cryprotagonist.
C-Tier: Protagonists With Too Little to Say
Beyond Takkar, the rest of theFar Cryfranchise’s protagonistsbecome difficult to choose between due to a lack of character presence. None of Rook, the Mercenary, or the Security Captain speak during their playthroughs, and as a result, there is barely any emotional attachment to their journeys in the overarching plot. However, Rook at least has some memorable moments as his brokenness is put on full display.
