Far Cry 4

Far Cry 4 took players to the Himalaya-inspired fictional country of Kyrat, where they take on the role of Ajay Ghale, who returns to scatter his mother's ashes and gets caught up in a civil war between the government army of tyrant Pagan Min and the Golden Path rebels. The structure follows on from Far Cry 3 - radio towers unlock the map, the skill tree grows through experience, weapons and gear are crafted from hunted animals - but it adds new toys like a gyrocopter for flying over the mountains, a grappling hook for climbing cliffs, and the ability to ride a saddled elephant capable of crushing enemies and vehicles alike. The player can also side with one of two Golden Path leaders with differing visions for Kyrat's future, which brings moral ambiguity into an otherwise straightforward revolutionary plot.

The setting of mountains, Tibetan-inspired architecture, and dense forests gave the game a visual identity distinct from the tropical Far Cry 3, supported by varied wildlife ranging from leopards to Himalayan eagles. The villain Pagan Min, charismatic and unpredictable much like Vaas, ranks among the series' most highly rated characters, and his scenes often contrast a calm, almost friendly tone with brutal violence. The game also offered a full two-player cooperative campaign, playable from start to finish, plus a standalone survival mode called Kyrat's Edge with procedurally generated challenges outside the main story.

In reviews, Far Cry 4 was received as a solid but evolutionary sequel that didn't bring as dramatic a revolution as the third game, yet it still offered one of the series' most beautiful and varied game maps and is still valued today for its atmosphere, mountain vistas, and the freedom offered by its aerial and mountain activities. Critics and players particularly loved the variety in clearing enemy outposts - the same stronghold can be taken through silent infiltration, a direct vehicle assault, or by siccing wildlife on the guards, which became one of the recognizable hallmarks of the entire series.

Why play it: For its beautiful, varied map and the variety in clearing enemy outposts - silent infiltration, a vehicle assault, or siccing wildlife on guards - Far Cry 4 remains one of the most playable entries in the series.