Best Games that Play Like the Far Cry Series
The Far Cry series has been around for over 20 years now. Since its original inception by Crytek, the game has become a flagship series for Ubisoft, which bought the rights to the series in 2006. Since then, Ubisoft has created an entry or two in the series every console generation, and many inspired game developers have taken a crack at the formula or have taken elements of Far Cry‘s design.
Each of the games in this list will in some way be related to the gameplay, gameplay-fantasy, or mechanics of entries from the Far Cry series. Essentially, this means they’re open-world shooters with a reliance on either sandbox elements, stealth elements, or both to vary their gameplay.
Updated on March 11, 2026, by Mark Sammut: Two new Far Cry games are officially in development, although it will probably be a while before either of them is released. If you are dying for the franchise’s comeback, I suggest passing the time by trying out a few similar games. I’ve added The Phantom Pain and expanded on the Rage 2 section.
10 Open-World Games With The Best Gunplay, Ranked
The developers of these open-world titles dedicated a lot of time to making the guns feel as satisfying and realistic to use as possible.
8
Homefront: The Revolution
Urban Far Cry
Homefront: The Revolution is both a perfect and contentious pick for this discussion. On the one hand, the game plays out like urban Far Cry, with the gunplay and world structure being nearly identical to the earlier entries in Ubisoft’s franchise. Crytek even supported Dambuster in the development process, which might explain the similarities between the two IPs.
The city is divided into enemy-controlled zones that need to be cleared out, and the whole map is littered with enemy bases, checkpoints, and patrol hubs. More importantly, the gameplay loop revolves around scouting, disrupting, and attacking these points, which is identical to Far Cry. Homefront: The Revolution gives players relative freedom to approach scenarios as they see fit, supporting all-out assault or stealth. Like nearly all the Far Cry stories, the campaign sees you gradually destabilize enemy control over a region, although you are not an outsider in HTR.
So, all of that sounds great, but HTR is not exactly fantastic. Don’t get me wrong, the game is better than its reputation, but it is still ultimately a forgettable open-world shooter. Still, it is worth a playthrough if you are itching for Far Cry but don’t want Far Cry.
7
Rage 2
DOOM Meets Far Cry
Rage 2 garnered a pretty mixed reception in 2019, but it has more than enough positives to warrant a recommendation (especially for Far Cry fans). Before getting to the game’s strength, let’s briefly mention the negatives, as we cannot pretend they don’t exist. Rage 2‘s open-world is probably its worst aspect, as the post-apocalyptic wasteland isn’t visually interesting, novel, or even that fun to explore. Heck, the developer’s older Mad Max game has a far better take on this type of setting. The driving is surprisingly slow and underwhelming… despite, again, Avalanche knocking that aspect out of the park in Mad Max.
OK, those are the main negatives, so now let’s actually go over the highlights. Id Software provided a helping hand during the development process, and it is extremely obvious since the gunplay is basically just Doom. In other words, Rage 2 has incredibly satisfying gameplay that compares favorably to Far Cry, a statement that I do not make lightly. Beyond the guns, which feel great, players also unlock Nanotrite abilities that are an absolute blast to incorporate into the combat. Make sure to unlock these as soon as possible.
6
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
The Most Similar Game to Far Cry
Made by Ubisoft, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is probably as close as one can get to a Far Cry game that is not part of the franchise. Taking place in James Cameron’s Avatar franchise, this release plays, feels, and often looks like Far Cry, save for a few differences. As a player created Na’vi captured by human forces, players use their leverage as a perceived extinct to assist and unite other clans against human invaders who want to steal the resources found on Pandora.
8 Best First-Person Games By Ubisoft, Ranked
Ubisoft has a vast collection of first-person games to try out for those seeking a grand adventure or a competitive thrill against other players.
The gameplay is quite similar to a typical Far Cry game in terms of there being a big map with markers, strongholds to take over, and many different weapons and vehicles to use. However, each of these is translated in a way that commits to the franchise. Vehicles are the many animals of Pandora, and many of the weapons aren’t guns but rather bows and traps.
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)
5
Dying Light
Dead Island Meet Parkour
Dying Light is a very purposeful game. While many of Ubisoft’s projects can feel bloated with how many mechanics they have or how much content they offer, Dying Light is very much not. Aside from maybe a stingy XP system that makes getting skills in the early-game more difficult, this is a focused take on a parkour zombie game. There’s a map, markers, and sandbox elements, but each of these is beholden to bolstering either the zombie or parkour part of Dying Light.
There are no vehicles in the base game, because the fastest way to move around the map is to free-run across the rooftops. With so many craftable weapons, parkour moves, and environmental hazards to take advantage of, there is plenty of room for sandbox experimentation.
4
Halo Infinite (Campaign)
Halo’s Open-World Debut
The first game in the franchise to go completely open-world, Halo Infinite marries the seamless vehicle combat and armor abilities of the original trilogy and Halo: Reach with an open-ended structure. The product is a game that plays similarly to Far Cry, but in a way that’s not completely separated from the universe of Halo. It’s reminiscent of Halo 3‘s “Believe” marketing, where a spread-thin UNSC faces dire circumstances, hoping to be saved by some miracle.
As Master Chief, players provide that miracle, swooping in with tanks, warthogs, grappling hooks, and an extensive suite of weapons to provide relief for the stranded marines of Zeta Halo. The real standout is the grappling hook, which, when upgraded, turns Master Chief into a first-person Spider-Man.
The Ultimate Open-World Game For Emergent Gameplay (And Clearing Outposts)
In terms of minute-to-minute gameplay, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain isn’t comparable to Far Cry, and I would certainly not recommend Konami’s third-person shooter to anybody seeking a fast-paced first-person shooter. However, the games share quite a few similarities beyond that point. Like nearly every Far Cry, MGS5 is set in an open-world filled with outposts, with nearly every mission requiring players (and Venom Snake) to infiltrate, eliminate, and complete. Stealth is, naturally, a big part of the player’s toolset, but it does not have to be the focus.
MGS5‘s strongest asset is the freedom it provides players when planning out missions. The game not only allows but also encourages experimentation and different strategies, even more so than Far Cry. You can go with stealth infiltration, long-range sniping, or just an all-out assault (that can use vehicles). Emergent gameplay is the point. Although the open-world is quite barren, The Phantom Pain also takes place in a unique region that most people will never get to visit.
2
Just Cause 3
The Most Ridiculous Sandbox You Could Ever Want
Just Cause 3 has the most comical sandbox on this list, and it is up there with Goat Simulator in terms of goofy open-world experiences. For those that haven’t played, its gameplay is similar to superhero games due to the sheer absurdity of stunts you can pull, despite how it may look.
10 Underrated Open-World Games That Deserve a Second Look
These underrated open-world games either underperformed or underdelivered, but they deserve a second chance as they might still impress you.
Players can use grappling hooks, gliders, thrusters, and tether cables to cause utter chaos on the fictional island of Medici, located in the Mediterranean. The game is open-world, and with so many abilities, weapons, and vehicles to use on top of being able to fly, there is a lot of sandbox to dig into.
1
Crysis
After Far Cry Came Crysis
Crysis
- Released
-
November 13, 2007
- ESRB
-
M
Crytek only developed the first Far Cry game, which isn’t ultimately that representative of the series as a whole. However, it still set the foundation that would eventually blossom into one of the biggest fps open-world franchises of the 2010s. After launching one new IP, Crytek repeated that process a few years later with Crysis, replicating plenty of Far Cry‘s ideas in the process.
Once again, players explore an exotic jungle environment, albeit one split into large levels rather than a full-blown open-world. Even though the game is linear, it prioritizes flexible combat, as you are given the right to decide which approach to take when clearing most enemy camps. Enemies are quite aggressive, and they react depending on your actions rather than following a set script; consequently, repeat playthroughs can feel relatively different if you opt for a different playstyle. Even more so than Far Cry, Crysis is a power fantasy that casts the player as a one-person wrecking crew, and you even have sci-fi armor to help in that process. Despite your nanosuit, you are still vulnerable, so you cannot just blast your way through without putting any thought into your actions.
PC Games That Play Better With A Controller
It might seem counterintuitive, but these PC games are much better if you use a controller instead of the old mouse and keyboard.