In many ways, Far Cry 3 is often considered the series' best entry, serving to both modernize and cement the franchise's popularity among fans. Vaas served as a genuinely intimidating villain, while the gameplay mechanics were honed and perfected from previous games into a satisfying shooter experience. With Far Cry 6 on the horizon, fans are likely expecting a similar revolution from the third game for the next generation. But before Far Cry 3, the game wouldn't have existed without some serious innovation on the part of its predecessor Far Cry 2.
Far Cry 2 can sometimes be a divisive topic for fans, meaning they either love it or hate it. One thing fans can't deny is that the game did a lot to bring the franchise forward from its outlandish beginnings. Far Cry 6 would do well to incorporate elements from Far Cry 2 into a more modern presentation. The sheer size of the open world, the emphasized open-ended mission structure, the comprehensive buddy system, a more grounded story, and divisive but innovative gameplay mechanics brought the series to modern gaming in a big way. Insanity was an integral part of the Far Cry 3 narrative, but Far Cry 2 emphasized insanity on a fundamental gameplay level.
Realistic Manipulation of the World
As part of Far Cry 2's heavy emphasis on player freedom, the game implemented a number of ways for players to tackle outposts or missions throughout the game. One of which was the 24 hour simulation of time, and the use of safe houses throughout the world. Players could utilize safe houses to rest and pass the time, as well as restock any morphine or ammo supplies. Passing time also dynamically manipulated the world in various ways, such as passing the time for a guard shift change at an outpost or waiting until nightfall to infiltrate an enemy encampment. Granted Far Cry 2's stealth mechanics were a bit rudimentary compared to later iterations, but there was still a genuine advantage for stealth-oriented players when they rested until nighttime.
Bringing back meaningful world manipulation to Far Cry 6 could once again highlight the player freedom that the series is known for. Stealth mechanics from Far Cry 3 onward were vastly improved from Far Cry 2, including detection meters and more realistic enemy behavior. Bringing back real time progression and the manipulation of enemies and outposts could help players further customize their playstyle. The game could implement missions that involve guard shift changes, requiring players infiltrate outposts or complete missions at a specific time. Or if a player wants a stealth advantage, they could wait until nightfall for less enemies. It was an interesting aspect of Far Cry 2 that would seem right at home with the newer entries in the franchise.
Making Meaningful Friendships
Something that Far Cry 5 did bring back from Far Cry 2 was the buddy system, but in many ways it was a stripped down version of what it used to be. The buddy system in Far Cry 2 was an integral part of the gameplay, rather than just a companion who could assist in battle. Any time a pivotal story mission was about to occur, players would receive a call from their best buddy offering an alternate way to complete the mission. Then these side characters would actively take part in main story missions, helping assist the player for a more favorable outcome through specific tactical scenarios. Buddies also had permadeath, meaning if a buddy becomes gravely injured during one of these missions, they can be gone for the rest of the game.
Giving buddies a heightened role in the main story justified their existence as characters, instead of just being hired help. Far Cry 6 should iterate on the foundation that Far Cry 5's buddy system has established, whilst including elements of Far Cry 2's buddy system. The buddies/specialists in Far Cry 5 all had unique combat abilities and skills that assisted the player throughout the game, but in the end buddies only acted in service to the player. Integrating them into the storyline like Far Cry 2 did would enhance their purposes in the story, justifying their usage throughout the playthrough.
Emphasizing Insanity in Gameplay
Insanity has also become a mainstay motif of the Far Cry franchise, to which most fans attribute to Far Cry 3's Vaas and the impact the character had on the franchise. Honestly pretty much every Far Cry game has had a twinge of insanity, considering there are literal mutated monsters in the first game. Far Cry 2's insanity, however, was reflected in the game itself. Several mechanics that many considered over-developed or unnecessary served to make the game unpredictable. Guns would get rusty and jam, or even break apart into pieces after prolonged usage. Buddies could potentially die permanently in any interaction. Even the protagonist becomes afflicted with Malaria at the beginning of the game, forcing the player to source medicine to prevent the disease from flaring up during combat.
Recent Far Cry games have been masterful in weaving the series' signature insanity into the narrative to make characters and the story more intimidating or exciting. But gameplay elements in recent entries have just felt like good shooters, not necessarily an insane experience. Obviously adding more "insanity" to the gameplay would need to be handled with some nuance, considering gun durability and the high enemy encounter rate in Far Cry 2 saw plenty of complaints. That said, adding elements of unpredictability that influences player vulnerability could help to mix up the gameplay and provide more of a challenge. Games like Breath of the Wild incorporated vulnerable gameplay mechanics in interesting ways, so Far Cry 6 could easily do something similar.
Until we get an official confirmation from Ubisoft, it's hard to gauge what to expect from the next Far Cry game. At the very least we know that the project exists from outside sources, so the anticipation is certainly there. Incorporating elements from one of the more divisive Far Cry games so far could serve to aid the next game in the series.
Far Cry 6 is reportedly in development.