Parents' Guide to Far Cry New Dawn

Think of this installment of the popular action franchise that has been reduced to its core elements, which shows what refined gameplay over time can provide to a series. Indeed, the reduced price of Far Cry New Dawn is indicative of its size and ambition. It's less a true sequel and more an enormous standalone expansion featuring dozens of new missions and outposts with a few familiar characters and locations thrown in. That does mean, though, that any issues players may have had with the previous game are still here, such as a too-simplistic crafting system, an unrealistically overpopulated map crowded with roving enemies, and some very repetitive missions and activities -- though the puzzle-like treasure hunts, which typically involve a bit of thinking, do a nice job of changing up the game's pace.

It's tempting to think of Far Cry New Dawn as a game geared for existing fans who simply want a bit more of what they enjoy, but it's also perhaps the most accessible entry-point for players new to the series. Its shorter length, smaller map, and simpler ambition means there's less for Far Cry rookies to wrap their heads around. It's neither intimidating nor overwhelming, but instead easy to get into and over almost before you know it. It's also enormously polished and playable, showing little sign of the bugs and glitches normally associated with open world games. There's also an empowering combat system that feels terrific from the first skirmish and just gets better as the game goes on, thanks to tight, intuitive controls and some imaginative new weapons. Consider Far Cry New Dawn as a bite-sized Far Cry sampler that will give you a taste of everything the series does well as well as a feel for what it still needs to work on.