Developer/publisher Ubisoft (Toronto)

Format PC, PS4, PS5 (tested), Stadia, Xbox One, Xbox Series

Release Out now

The promo push for Far Cry 6 has been at pains to emphasise that its antagonist, Antón Castillo, is empathetic and complex. That’s fortunate, because we wouldn’t have noticed otherwise. Ubisoft means business with its latest bad guy, bringing in Giancarlo Esposito to play Castillo, clearly hoping the character can match the actor’s reputation for nuance. What we get is reheated Gus Fring, scooped into the uniform of a brutal dictator, but also an oddly minor presence, confined to occasional cutscenes and radio speeches. Especially after Deathloop’s efforts to pull its main adversary into its game space, Esposito’s involvement feels clumsily traditional.

It’s indicative of a game with conservative priorities, offering charismatic personalities and the splendour of a nation as cover for creaky infrastructure. To a degree, it works – protagonist Dani Rojas is a decent lead, and the varied guerrilla factions she (or he) aims to unite provide enthusiastic support. Their homeland, the Cuba-inspired Yara, is more impressive still. Copy-paste checkpoints and air-defence bases are well spread, making room for a surprising number of bespoke factories, TV stations, hotels and pipelines that grease the wheels of Castillo’s regime. Each feels like it’s been placed with purpose, as do the contours of mountain trails, rivers and cave networks.