Farcry Primal Into the wild!

Farcry Primal is much more than a quick cash grab. It does just enough to warrant its status as a fully-fledged game instead of a spin-off like Blood Dragon.

The story starts off with you assuming the role of a Wenja tribe member named Takkar. The Wenja were a prosperous tribe whose glory days have been put to an end by other invading tribes. As Takkar, you must restore your tribe to their formal glory in the fictional world of Oros.

The 10,000 BC timeline fits the Farcry formula like no other. Hunting for animal skin and scrounging up various plants for alchemy purposes makes more sense in this setting. The environments are gorgeously rendered and the art direction is fantastic. You'd think such a setting would make for extremely mundane environments but that is not the case here. Lush forests, beautiful coastlines and mysterious caves galore in this massive open world. 

The combat is as expected: brutal and raw. This is probably the most graphic Farcry game till date with realistic gore and uninhibited violence. The cavemen fight mercilessly and will charge at you with clubs while their allies rain down arrows on you. However, you have ample tools to take care of them. Throwing knives, spears, two handed clubs are just a portion of your arsenal; not to mention the animals.

Did I mention animals in your arsenal? Well that's because you CAN actually have animals as weapons. Takkar has the power to tame and control animals according to his will. Think of him as a Game of Thrones Warg. At first you tame an owl who serves as your aerial reconnaissance. Next you can tame wolves who you can set to attack enemies on sight or any particular enemy you wish. Moving on further we have bears and mammoths, both of whom you can ride around and cause havoc throughout the world. The animals make for extremely good additions and keep the formula from becoming too stale after repeated base raids. 

The graphics in the game are like an improved version of Farcry 4. By improvement I actually mean a lot of improvement due to the addition of true volumetric lighting and fog which complement the lush landscapes beautifully. The atmosphere in this game is top notch and at night the engine shows what it's capable of. 

The music in the game is the typical cavemen music with heavy emphasis on tribal themes. It grows on you after you've played the game for a while. The beating of clubs against flesh is always satisfying to hear and the whistling of arrows flying through a meadow as they find their way into the heart of that deer you were hunting just enhances the experience altogether. I'd recommend using a good pair of headphones for this one. 

All in all Farcry Primal is not the disappointment that it was stated to be. Rather, it does well regarding a number of aspects and captures the feeling of being in a caveman's world.

Shahrukh Ikhtear is a gamer who doesn't rage. A writer who doesn't read. A musician without a teacher. Full time procrastinator. You can reach him on Facebook: fb.com/FearRedBro and email: shahrukh.ikhtear@yahoo.com