In Far Cry 5, things get very dicey, very quickly. A fanatical cult is subjugating Hope County, and people are looking to you for help. What's a well-intentioned, sparsely armed deputy to do? Figuring out how you want to handle the challenges ahead is entirely up to you, but let us offer some advice. These tips will help you no matter which path you choose, and they may just help you find new paths, new challenges, and new rewards.
Be the Boss
You may have been just a deputy when you flew into Hope County, but now that you're part of the resistance, it's time to take charge. Your Guns for Hire will make themselves useful in a firefight, but there are a few ways you can help them help you even better. Start by ordering them around. Positioning them to cover another angle before things get loud can help split up your enemies' attentions during the fight so you don't bear the brunt of the aggression. (Note that if you're going in quiet and order them to take someone out, they will do their best to run in for a stealth kill.) Ordering a Gun for Hire to take out specific targets is a good way to rack up their kill count, and the more kills they get, the quicker they level up and unlock new skills. These skills make them much better allies and enable you to pick your squad strategically based on their strengths. Or you could just recruit a Specialist or two; they come ready to rumble with their skills already unlocked.
Take a Hike
Some of the best Far Cry 5 moments come when you aren't expecting them. You might follow a trailhead and be treated with a gorgeous view of a cascading mountain stream. You might hear shouts coming from a copse of trees and find a man being attacked by a cougar. Maybe you're just shooting off your guns in a remote area when some cultists hear the commotion and come looking for a fight, conveniently bringing you an ATV to ride away in. A stranger might give you a tip on a nearby prepper cache, or they might just give you a window into what it's been like living in Hope County as the cult has crept in. Encounters like this fill the world of Far Cry 5, rewarding exploration with loot to sell and stories to tell. Every trail leads somewhere, so why not go for a hike?
Or Take Flight
Hiking may be a great way to explore Hope County's finer details, but if you really want to get a lay of the land, there's no better option than helicopter or plane. Finding one or the other to "borrow" may be tricky in the early moments of the game (you can rent them from specific stations later), but once you do, take the time to scout the different regions and take note of landmarks you may want to explore. You may find that your original plans change quickly once you realize there's something extra-weird about that big statue of Joseph Seed... or the giant cheeseburger, or the gunfire at the prison.
On The Hunt
Montana has a lot of wild animals, and taking some time to hunt while you're out roaming is a great way to bring in some extra money. Animal hides and feathers can be traded with shopkeepers for cash, and that extra cash is great for customizing the weapons you already own or buying new ones. Put a sizable scope on your magnum, add a silencer to your shotgun, or paint a really tactical bright-red tiger pattern on your assault rifle; it's all there, but it's not free. If you're on the hunt and not having much luck, don't forget to toss out bait, which can lure out some of the more valuable game.
Get Prepped
You may not be the kind of person who builds a secure underground bunker and stocks it with enough supplies to last for years, but some Hope County citizens certainly are. And with the drastic uptick in cult-related violence, there are many prepper caches just waiting to support whichever side gets there first. Whenever you hear mention of a prepper cache, take note. Powerful weapons, generous helpings of perk points, and a bunkerload of cash are just some of the rewards awaiting the intrepid investigator. Sure, you might have to puzzle out how to get the door open or contend with an ornery wolverine who lives inside, but it will be well worth the effort and/or flesh wounds.
Challenge Accepted
Don't forget about the Challenges menu. You'll find challenges for nearly everything, including getting kills with specific weapons, flying a certain distance with your wingsuit, or collecting a certain number of wildlife skins. Each completed challenge rewards perk points, and they can be an easy way to build up your perks early on. Which leads us to...
Save Up Your Perk Points
Far Cry 5's perk system lets you unlock a lot of cool new abilities, including a couple that'll make your life much easier if you unlock them early on – but that means having the patience to save up for them. The Air Drop perk will allow you drop out of the sky when fast-traveling; couple this with the wingsuit and parachute perks, and suddenly you're a one-person airstrike. Is there an outpost you want to hit, but don't feel like making the hike from your nearest fast-travel point? Wingsuiting from an air drop gives you the ability to cover huge distances in a hurry – and you'll have the added benefit of taking any guards by surprise as you sail in from above.
Also, you're only as good as your arsenal, and starting out with just one main weapon slot doesn't allow for a lot of variety. If you want to switch between an assault rifle, crossbow, and sniper rifle on the fly, you'll need to unlock the "Additional Holster" and "Weapons Collector" perks. With three different weapons on hand, you'll be able to tackle most situations however you want.
Double Tap
Some enemies will go down-but-not-out in Far Cry 5, meaning that they can be revived by a teammate. Don't be shy with your ammo, and make sure they're down for the count to prevent being overwhelmed. If you're particularly keen, you can use a downed enemy to lure out others from behind cover, taking them down one after another as they bravely rush out into the open. It's merciless, sure – but then, so is the cult.
Far Cry 5 launches March 27 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. For more on the game, check out our previous Far Cry 5 coverage.
