The Far Cry series is known for many aspects of its design – whether it be its iconic and exotic landscapes, deadly wildlife, chaotic close-quarters combat, or the bizarre hallucinatory trips that players often find themselves taking. Another such hallmark, first introduced in Far Cry 3, is the outpost system.
Outposts are a series of enemy encampments dotted across the map, which players can assault in any way they see fit to dispatch the guards and liberate the local populace. Each Far Cry game has a bunch of different outposts to explore, but which ones are the most challenging for players to liberate?
10 Baghadur – Far Cry 4
Found in the northwest region of South Kyrat, Baghadur belongs to Noore, one of the key characters Ajay will meet on his travels. Despite her morally gray nature, the garrison at her fortress is just as hostile to Ajay as any other enemies on the map.
The fortress itself is the easiest of the four to take down, although the guard count is still higher than most outposts. It is built into the mountain, with a wide open indoor area that can be difficult to tackle stealthily. Progressing far enough into the story will weaken the fortress, allowing players to take it down more easily.
9 Seed Ranch – Far Cry 5
Situated in Holland Valley, Seed Ranch is where John Seed has made his home. With such a high-profile VIP to protect, security at the ranch is understandably cranked up a notch.
Enemies patrol the grounds and snipers are positioned on vantage points, but the most difficult aspect of this outpost is the sheer volume of reinforcements that respond if an alarm is triggered. It’s recommended to attempt a stealthy approach, but if going in guns blazing, be prepared for a tough fight to wrest away control of John’s house.
8 Ratu Gadhi – Far Cry 4
Located just south of Jalendu Temple, Ratu Gadhi is Yuma’s fortress. As General of the Royal Guard, one would be correct in assuming her fortress to be heavily fortified.
The most challenging aspect of Ratu Gadhi is the collection of shacks in the center of the fortress. All three alarms are positioned around these shacks, and there are several guards and a dog that patrol the area, which is easily hidden and can catch the player off-guard. Once again, getting to a certain point in the story will weaken the fortress and make it more like an outpost in terms of difficulty level.
7 Lazy Shore Marina – Far Cry 3
Guarded by Hoyt’s privateers on the southern island, the marina is sandwiched between a river on one side and a road on the other, with little in the way of cover. There’s a high risk for enemy vehicles to stumble across the player and ruin any kind of stealth approach.
In the actual outpost itself there are a total of 3 heavies, meaning that if players aren’t carrying explosives or haven’t acquired the Heavy Beatdown perk, they may struggle to deal with them. That said, Far Cry 3’s outposts, including Lazy Shore Marina, are smaller compared to the later games, and are usually easier to liberate.
6 FND 2nd Armored Division – Far Cry 6
Found in Madrugada just west of Esperanza, this FND base is unique in that Clara tasks Dani with stealing a tank found within and using it to wreak havoc on the Yaran military. Doing this will result in waves of reinforcements arriving, with the final wave bringing its own armored vehicle that Dani must defeat in a one-on-one tank battle.
Of course, players could attempt a stealthy approach to avoid this clash but be warned – if discovered, enemies will hop in the tank and try to take the fight straight to Dani.
5 Varshakot – Far Cry 4
Usually the first fortress that players will come across, Varshakot belongs to De Pleur and can be a tough nut to crack. The surrounding area is mainly flatland fields, which provide little in the way of concealment, making it hard to avoid detection by snipers on the walls.
The fields are also laid with mines, which can catch players off-guard and alert the garrison to Ajay’s presence. On top of this, one alarm is placed right in the center of the fortress in an area patrolled by a heavy and a guard dog, which can be difficult to reach quietly. After dealing with De Pleur, the fortress will be weakened and easier to take over.
4 F.A.N.G. Center – Far Cry 5
Once the home of local celebrity Cheeseburger the bear, the Whitetail Mountains-based F.A.N.G. center has now been overrun with cultists. The former zoo has been transformed into a training ground for Judges, wolves that the cult has brainwashed with bliss.
The challenging aspect of this outpost is the two Judges that can detect players if they get too close. Add to that the presence of two cult VIPs and a heavy, all of which are difficult to kill, and the place proves to be a formidable stronghold.
3 Rajgad Gulag – Far Cry 4
The fourth and final fortress, Rajgad Gulag is found in the far east of Kyrat and is run by Pagan Min himself. It is the most difficult of the four to address, with most of the fortress’ enemies patrolling on the rooftops, making a stealthy approach more difficult and forcing players to stick to the shadows below.
There are also multiple snipers overlooking the entire compound, which will need to be taken out to avoid being spotted. If the player decides to go loud, there will be a massive wave of reinforcements, including three helicopters and a total of 34 soldiers. However, finishing the game and either killing Pagan or letting him leave the country will significantly weaken the fortress.
2 PIN-K0 Radar Station – Far Cry 5
Situated atop one of the highest mountaintops in Hope County, the PIN-K0 radar station is one of the most heavily guarded outposts in the game. The actual radar station is very cluttered, with lots of objects and indoor areas for enemies to be lurking in or around, as well as snipers on top of some of the buildings.
It is difficult to complete stealthily, as it is hard to properly scout the outpost and spot every enemy – the deputy will often accidentally run into cultists they didn’t know were there. Of course, the two judges, one of which roams freely, can also detect the deputy rather easily.
1 Level 3 Outposts – Far Cry New Dawn
Far Cry New Dawn introduces a new mechanic to the outpost system - after players liberate a settlement, they can ‘scavenge’ it, which allows them to replay the outpost at a higher difficulty level.
This can be done twice, up to a level 3 outpost, which can prove a real challenge. Enemies are tougher and more aware, and defenses are improved. This makes a stealth approach difficult and going loud far deadlier. Players will need to utilize their entire arsenal and exploit every advantage at their disposal to successfully liberate a level 3 outpost.
