Far Cry Primal (Xbox One/Xbox Series X|S)

Game description:

Far Cry Primal is a 2016 action-adventure game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It is the ninth installment in the Far Cry series. Set during prehistoric times, the game follows the story of Takkar, who starts off as an unarmed hunter but will rise to become the leader of a tribe, using his special gift of taming animals. 

Gameplay:

As the game is set in prehistoric times, the traditional gunplay and vehicle gameplay featured in the Far Cry series were removed, and the player can only get access to melee weapons such as spears, clubs and ranged weapons such as bows and slings. The player cannot purchase weapons and must craft them using the materials scavenged in the world such as wood and stone. As the player progresses, they can craft more lethal weapons with a larger variety of resources. 

Besides facing natural dangers, the player must also compete with other hostile tribes occupying the area. By attacking and seizing bonfires and camps, the Wenja tribe will move in and begin patrolling the nearby region, and the player will gain fast travel points as well as camps to rest in. Non-player characters will also task the player to rescue tribe-mates and perform other tasks which improve the village, as well as provide free crafting materials. The game also features a dynamic weather system and day-night cycle, which affects the gameplay. At night, more predators are present, and many become more aggressive and dangerous, whereas during the day, the player can gather food and scavenge other resources such as tools for hunting. The player can also make use of fire as a tool for personal protection or hunting at night.

The player can bait different wildlife in the game using lures, and can also tame predators while they're feeding on the bait. These animals serve as a companion for the player and can assist them in combating enemies after being tamed, and can be summoned remotely and issued basic commands. Larger animals such as sabertooth cats can be used as mounts. Takkar has an owl, his spirit animal which can be directly controlled. Through the owl's vision, the player can scout enemies' outposts and highlight enemies. Through skill improvements, the owl can be upgraded to have various abilities added, such as diving to kill an enemy or dropping bombs.

Game review:

Far Cry Primal succeeds in transporting the Far Cry formula back in time and comes to the table with a quiver of neat ideas and a dangerous and fascinating open world. The visceral and varied combat is fun, the beast-based gameplay is a winner, and the lure of camp-claiming, gear-crafting, beast hunting, and resource gathering remains irresistible. It’s weakened, however, by a disappointing lack of investment in its story, some often forgettable quests, and its vanilla villains, which unfortunately combine to make Primal feel like a step back from the memorable moments of Far Cry 3 and 4.