Far Cry 7is likely a while away, but the game has still managed to generate plenty of buzz due to rumors of an in-game timer. The action adventure series has mostly focused on open world exploration for its stories since the second installment. However, if rumors are to be believed,Far Cry 7is aiming to change its long-held formula.
Leaks suggesting thatFar Cry 7will feature a 72-hour time limithave been met with a lot of controversy. According to the leaks, players won’t get to explore the game on their own terms, but will instead be thrown into time-sensitive scenarios. Since theFar Cryfranchise has become well known for its open world storytelling, the backlash is understandable, but there could be a silver lining that makes it more effective. IfFar Cry 7is aiming for a more intense experience, then looking toResident Evil’s resource management may be the key to making a timer work.
Resident Evil’s Resource Management Could Be the Secret Ingredient Far Cry 7 Needs
Bringing Intense Strategy to Far Cry 7
When it comes toResident Evil, one of the most effective ways the franchise heightens its scares is through intense resource management. As players continue the story in each game, important items like ammo and health herbs are sparse. Any missed item could become a detrimental misstep, which can be incredibly frustrating. However, it also creates a heavy sense of tension that would be hard to pull off in any other way.The long-runningResident Evilfranchisehas made this a fixture in the series, andFar Cry 7could greatly benefit from this approach.
As an action adventure franchise,Far Cryhas always placed an emphasis on survival aspects, and challenging resource management would only elevate this feature. Rumors are claiming thatFar Cry 7will take place on a fictional islandoff the coast of Korea where players will have to rescue their family members from a radical group. That scenario is sweat-inducing enough, but bringing a 72-hour timer into the equation ups the ante. Forcing players to ration their resource usage on top of that would only make it more immersive.
The fictional island rumored to beFar Cry 7’s setting is called Kimsan. Leaks claim that the island has been taken over by North Korean insurgents.
If the rumors are true andFar Cry 7seeks to break tradition, then it may best benefit from going all out. There is currently no confirmation of these time limit rumors being true, but Ubisoft also has yet to deny them. Steering away from open world exploration is not going to sit well with a lot of players. Despite the division it could create, Ubisoft leaning hard into its bold choice could potentially win players over in the long run.
Ubisoft Sticking to Its Guns With Far Cry 7
Recently,Ubisoft has been experiencing a rough patch. Between the low sales ofSkull and BonesandStar Wars Outlaws, Ubisoft is at a fork in the road. It would likely be a better decision to return toFar Cry’s formula, but if Ubisoft decides to make as drastic of a change to the series as an in-game timer, it needs to commit. Putting a time limit on gameplay may not be for everyone, butFar Cry 7could ultimately appeal to fans of hardcore survival.
Blending resource management with in-game time restraints makes an open world experience impossible, but it could pay off if it is balanced enough to be white-knuckling without being agonizing.Far Cryhas a compelling history of releases, and despiteFar Cry 7’s rumors causing criticism, it could begin a new path forward for the series.
