Unmasking the ‘Savior’: Narratives and Heroes in Far Cry

e51551_8c5aa8e1ad824b5284ad5cfd3e81f82bAs a franchise, Far Cry has players take on the roles of protagonists who become heroes to specific communities–typically people who are presented as “primitive” in a variety of ways. The hero is capable of exceptional ideas and actions which in turn aid and lift local communities out from under oppressive forces. This is a common theme in video games. However, these relationships between “saviors” and “victims” can be problematic in Far Cry even if the last two games in the franchise make attempts to rectify or adjust such representations.

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Far Cry Primal

(March 4, 2016)Far Cry Primal is a game that I cautiously waited for with quiet anticipation. I am a huge fan of the Far Cry franchise and have played through Far Cry 3 and Far Cry 4 multiple times. My caution stemmed from the fact that Primal was to be released only a few years after Far Cry 4 (which reminded me too much of Ubisoft’s handling of the Assassin’s Creed games) and because more than a few online voices expressed their doubts that Primal would be anything more than a stand-alone expansion like Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon (which was crazy fun by the way!).

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