Far Cry 5: 6 reasons why Ubisoft’s latest open world shooter is the best of bunch
The amount of effort Ubisoft has put into this latest entry is mind blowing
Far Cry 5's villain is 'really f***** up'.
That's the view from cult specialist Rick Ross, who advised Ubisoft throughout the creation of the game's main antagonist Joseph Seed.
He's not lying, either.
Preacher Seed believes he's been called on by higher forces to 'save' as many of the residents from fictional Hope County, Montana as possible - whether they want saving or not.
Within minutes of the stunning introductory section, which is easily the strongest opening in the series, you'll experience his twisted sadistic tendencies first hand.
Thousands of armed militia now occupy most of the land and your job, as an inexperienced sheriff's deputy, is to fight back.
Thankfully, you're not alone. You'll have guns for hire, pilots, an enormous armoury of weapons... and a bear called 'Cheese Burger' who suffers from diabetes.
Here are six reasons why Far Cry 5 could well be the shooter of the year.
Fish out of water
At the start of the game, you meet Dutch, an old man who realises you've got a bit of fight in you.
Cheese Burger the bear
Far Cry 5's gun-for-hire system is one of the game's big talking points - and it's not hard to see why.
Here, you can 'hire' NPCs you meet during your quest to fight with you.
These range from pilots who provide support from the skies, to a cute dog called Boomer - who'll attack enemies on the ground and retrieve their weapons.
Armed and dangerous
As per the last game, you're able to explore the massive map at will - but tread with caution. It's teeming with baddies of all shapes and sizes.
Thankfully, you'll have a range of weapons including such as shotguns, pistols, rocket launchers, bows, and explosives to help you survive.
The assault rifle you're given at the start of the game sets the tone nicely - packing bags of feel and some seriously impressive punch.
Not long after, you'll find a shotgun that sends foes flying back with a satisfying thud.
By far the most fun can be had with the bow - with a well-placed head-shot stopping an enemy in their tracks.
Add to the mix brutal takedowns and a range of melee weapons - from pitch forks, sledgehammers and baseball bats - and you've got everything you need to start a revolution.
Be warned, the more chaos you cause, the more the cultists will seek to take you down.
Riding shotgun
Far Cry games have always featured vehicles but they've always played second fiddle to the on-foot action.
Ubisoft has changed things this year and put a lot more effort into the vehicles - so they serve as much more than just a means of travelling from A-B as quickly as possible.
Muscle cars, all-terrain vehicles, boats and planes are just some of the transport options available.
A huge Optimus Prime-style truck is also a delight.
Armed with two machine guns on the bonnet and a huge amount of horsepower, you're able to smash through enemy blockades like a knife through butter.
You're also able to lean out and shoot from the passenger seat - making for some really impressive car chases.
It's not too fiddly, either. An 'auto drive' function alleviates any annoyances by sticking the vehicle on the road so you can concentrate on taking out baddies.
They really have thought of everything.
Far Cry 5 is released on March 27, 2018.