Far Cry 6

While Ubisoft is no stranger to making great gaming experiences over the years, the company has honed its skills by creating truly memorable open-world cinematic adventures. Far Cry 6 continues this trend, offering players a huge open world sandbox in which to play any way they like, while still crafting an engaging plot that feels like a summer movie blockbuster. The story is an extreme look at life under the oppressive rule of a dictator. Giancarlo Esposito does an amazing job of bringing the fictional Yara leader to life in all his brutality. Even when his character isn't onscreen, his presence has real weight throughout the game. And by giving players the opportunity to play as either the male or female versions of Dani Rojas, both also superbly represented onscreen, it allows the story to unfold through the eyes of a fully fleshed out character that they can still relate to. This isn't a story for kids though, as there are brutal scenes of violence throughout, including torture, executions, child abuse, slave labor, and more. And even though the Far Cry series has always pushed the boundaries of violence in its themes, there's an extra layer of real-world influence here that makes these scenes a bit more disturbing.

As dark and grim as Far Cry 6's base story may be, its gameplay is a massive open-world toybox of mayhem and fun. The overabundance of absurdity is easy to forgive when it gives players the chance to pull off the wall strategies like parachuting into an enemy base from a makeshift helicopter, releasing a cloud of psychotropic gas before slicing soldiers in half with a CD launcher playing Los Del Rio's Macarena, all while sending your leather-clad pet crocodile to polish off any stragglers. And that's not anywhere close to the craziest thing that you can do. Admittedly, there can be a little repetition in some of the side missions, but considering the range of options for dealing with them, they never feel stale. And as much fun as the story is to explore by yourself, bringing a friend in for co-op play is a great way to share in the shenanigans. Best of all, progress you make in the co-op extends over to the solo campaign as well, meaning there's no reason not to team up. That's not to say everything in Far Cry 6's gameplay is about good times and laughs. There are some parts of the gameplay that can make players feel a bit uncomfortable, like killing guard dogs or betting on cockfights. Still, the bulk of the game is like taking an active role in an adrenaline-fueled action flick. Couple that with a story that keeps players' interest, and Far Cry 6 is a virtual paradise for mature gamers looking to feed their hunger for adventure.