Is Far Cry 5 still worth your time in 2026, years after release and with a stack of newer shooters on the shelf? Short answer: yes, and it is one of the easier recommendations on the whole open-world shelf.
The verdict
Far Cry 5 is a strong recommendation. The setting is one of the best the series has had, the gunplay is tight, and the open world is genuinely fun to roam without a quest marker telling you where to go. It does not reinvent the formula, but it executes that formula about as well as Ubisoft ever has. If you enjoy solo open-world shooters where you can set your own pace, this is an easy four and a half out of five.
Setting and premise
You play a junior deputy who lands in Hope County, a fictional slice of rural Montana that has been taken over by a doomsday cult. The arrest of the cult’s leader goes badly, the county is sealed off, and you are left to dismantle the cult region by region. The premise is grim but the world itself is gorgeous: forests, rivers, mountains and quiet back roads that are a pleasure to explore.
What sells it is the atmosphere. Hope County feels lived in. You stumble into ambushes, wildlife, rescued civilians and small unscripted moments that the open world throws at you constantly. That emergent chaos is the real draw, more so than the story beats.
What it does well
The shooting is the strongest part. Weapons feel weighty, the bow is excellent, and the sandbox encourages you to approach encounters however you like. Outposts are the highlight: small enemy bases you can assault loud or clear silently, and they reset over time so you always have something to do.
The map design rewards curiosity. You are not funnelled down a single path, and the free-roam loop of driving, hunting, fishing and clearing camps is moreish. The guns for hire and animal companions add flavour without forcing you to use them.
This is the kind of game where one good loadout carries you a long way. I broke down the weapon I lean on most in The Only Weapon You Need | Far Cry 5, and if you favour a quiet approach, John Wick stealth in Far Cry 5 shows how I clear camps without firing a loud shot.
The downsides
It is not flawless. The story interrupts your free-roam with forced set pieces that yank you out of whatever you were doing, and those moments can feel heavy-handed. The cult leaders are memorable but the pacing around them is uneven.
It is also very much a Far Cry game. If you have grown tired of the Ubisoft open-world template, the towers, the camps, the map full of icons, this will not change your mind. The systems are familiar and the AI is serviceable rather than clever. None of that sinks it, but you should know what you are buying.
Who it is for
This is for players who want a relaxed, good-looking open-world shooter they can play on their own terms. If you like setting your own objectives, experimenting with stealth and loud approaches, and roaming a world that keeps throwing small surprises at you, it fits perfectly. If you only enjoy tightly scripted, linear shooters, you will probably bounce off the looser structure.
How WillyB plays it
I play Far Cry 5 the way I play most open-world games: solo, free-roam, and patient. I tend to ignore the next story marker and just drive out into Hope County to see what happens. Most of my time goes into clearing outposts stealthily, lining up clean takedowns and only switching to loud firefights when the plan falls apart. A bow, a suppressed rifle and a bit of patience get you a long way here.
It rewards that approach. The world is built to be poked at, and the best moments come from the unscripted ones rather than the cutscenes. If you want more open-world picks in the same vein, have a look at the rest of the Far Cry 5 hub or the wider open-world shelf.
Bottom line
Far Cry 5 is a confident, good-looking open-world shooter that plays brilliantly solo. It does not break new ground, but what it does it does very well. In 2026 it is still well worth it: four and a half out of five.
The verdict
Far Cry 5Far CryUbisoftopen worldsolo
FAQ
Is Far Cry 5 worth playing in 2026?
Yes. The world holds up well, the gunplay is satisfying, and there is plenty to do solo. If you want a relaxed open-world shooter you can dip in and out of, it is an easy recommendation.
Can you play Far Cry 5 solo?
Yes. The whole campaign can be played solo. You can recruit AI guns for hire to fight alongside you, or ignore them and clear outposts quietly on your own.
How long does Far Cry 5 take to finish?
The main story runs roughly twenty hours, but with outposts, side content and free-roam most players will spend a good deal longer if they want to clear the map.
What is the setting of Far Cry 5?
You play a junior deputy in Hope County, a fictional slice of rural Montana taken over by a doomsday cult. The premise is grim, but the world is gorgeous: forests, rivers, mountains and quiet back roads that are a pleasure to explore.
What are the downsides of Far Cry 5?
The story interrupts your free-roam with forced set pieces that yank you out of whatever you were doing, and the pacing around the cult leaders is uneven. It is also very much a Ubisoft open world, so the towers, camps and map full of icons will not change your mind if you are tired of that template.
What is the best way to play Far Cry 5?
Solo, free-roam and patient. The world is built to be poked at, so ignore the next story marker, clear outposts stealthily with a bow and a suppressed rifle, and switch to loud only when the plan falls apart. The best moments are the unscripted ones.
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