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Far Cry Primal – Bringing The Stone Age to Life

Karak

Member
Nice to see them cover the language i know it will be lost on people but during my time playing the first time you hear your village alert you to the enemies and you don't even realize they used their words but you picked up on it and knew it instinctively is pretty damn amazing. Also the slickness of the later tribes languages are a perfect representation of the characters themselves which I loved.
Though I wish I knew the word for crocodile because those suckers have stolen my game a couple times now...f*ckers.
 

Karak

Member
Pretty sure I read that it's single player only. I don't know about any map editor.

Correct. Without spoilers or anything it wouldn't make sense at all as a co-op story or inclusion. They could have tacked it on but it seems to be able to carry a stronger, and more aligned narrative focus by just driving that single player stuff home for now.

But soon we will have Primal Six Tribe Siege a MP game of tribal warfare.
 

ironcreed

Banned
Yeah, it's Ubisoft.
Who are only responsible for the following list of games I have either outright loved or really enjoyed...
  • Far Cry (numerous titles)
  • Splinter Cell (numerous titles)
  • Ghost Recon (numerous titles)
  • Assassin's Creed (numerous titles, especially earlier in the series)
  • Rayman Origins
  • The Crew
  • Rainbow Six (numerous titles, especially earlier in the series)
  • Beyond Good & Evil
  • Prince of Persia
  • DRIVER: San Francisco
  • Outland
  • This War Of Mine
  • The Division (all signs are pointing to it being good and I enjoyed the Beta)
And I can probably keep going.

So really, I am not sure what it means when you make the comment "it's Ubisoft."

You can not like their games all you want, that is your opinion and you have every right not to like them if they are not your personal taste, but to infer that by simply just stating "it's Ubisoft" is an universally accepted phrase for bad games or something is just not something I will get on board with.

Yes. They make a lot of sequels. Too many. But they made some amazing damn games to get to a place where they can make too many sequels. And I feel it does a terrible disservice to all of those people who worked damn hard on those original games that got them to the place they are today.

Indeed. The "it's Ubisoft" meme is getting tired. I understand that most of that stemmed from the yearly AC games, but they are even giving that a break and an apparent reset. The fact of the matter is they still make some amazing games and have a super strong looking lineup on the horizon as well.

At any rate, if releasing sequels that are too similar to earlier entries is a crime, then perhaps even Dark Souls should be getting shit on at this point. No? I did not think so. Any game in a series is going to remain within the confines of it's predecessors to at least some degree. Else it would be a different game entirely.
 

scitek

Member
Indeed. The "it's Ubisoft" meme is getting tired. I understand that most of that stemmed from the yearly AC games, but they are even giving that a break and an apparent reset. The fact of the matter is they still make some amazing games and have a super strong looking lineup on the horizon as well.

At any rate, if releasing sequels that are too similar to earlier entries is a crime, then perhaps even Dark Souls should be getting shit on at this point. No? I did not think so. Any game in a series is going to remain within the confines of it's predecessors to at least some degree. Else it would be a different game entirely.

It stemmed from a lot of their AAA games sharing the same exact Assassin's Creed elements: open-world, unlocking the map via towers, and endless collectibles strewn about. It's really not anything more than that.
 

Karak

Member
At any rate, if releasing sequels that are too similar to earlier entries is a crime, then perhaps even Dark Souls should be getting shit on at this point. No? I did not think so. Any game in a series is going to remain within the confines of it's predecessors to at least some degree. Else it would be a different game entirely.

LOL you just picked on one of the things we talked about in our developer podcast. Basically getting ideas from developers about how they see the dev community but also how they feel as gamers(most of them indie) it was funny to hear even their confusion at what is now becoming "review history and review game"
This isn't indicating any ignoring of just not wanting to try something new by the way.

So many games copy huge vast swaths of their predecessors. Or someone just remakes the original lol. Anyway its just life. There really isn't much that can be done about it. Besides to many consumers it doesn't go that deep. Its just sort of...good game. Ok thanks. By our very inclusion here and discussions we all sort of out ourselves as a bit different anyway.
 

Kssio_Aug

Member
I don't think "it's Ubisoft" is simply a meme. There are actual reasons for suspicion. Most games listed there are either old or the writer itself explicitly mentioned that the older games of the still popular series were more special.

Ubisoft last open world games pretty much followed the same tiresome formula, with an uninteresting open world (besides generally awesome settings) and tons of collectibles.
 

ironcreed

Banned
It stemmed from a lot of their AAA games sharing the same exact Assassin's Creed elements: open-world, unlocking the map via towers, and endless collectibles strewn about. It's really not anything more than that.

I realize that, but games like Far Cry are still drastically different than Assassin's Creed. And as far as Far Cry in general goes, this one shakes things up more than any other entry, but while still remaining Far Cry at the core. That is all I can really expect from a sequel. Some changes and new elements, but not removing the identity of what it is.
 
I have major open world fatigue. Didn't really enjoy Far Cry 4, even though I realize it's a great world. The only reason I pre-ordered is because I love the prehistoric theme. Will that be enough though?
 

Karak

Member
I realize that, but games like Far Cry are still drastically different than Assassin's Creed. And as far as Far Cry in general goes, this one shakes things up more than any other entry, but while still remaining Far Cry at the core. That is all I can really expect from a sequel. Some changes and new elements, but not removing the identity of what it is.

Best not to worry about it. In the same discussion we can say there are so many games from AAA to indie that there is space for them all and someone is going to like/dislike pretty much every title for their own reasons.
 

hawk2025

Member
Look, people got tired of climbing towers and activating maps in settings that at first brush seemed very different, but didn't give them a compelling enough reason to do so again.

Bringing up a Dark Souls straw-man is crazy misguided, especially with the heavy criticism that Dark Souls 2 DID receive.

I say this as someone that has just decided to buy Primal next week. But you guys can't be serious about not understanding the very pointed and sharp criticism of the Ubi open world formula. It's a clear, observable, demonstrable feature of many of their open world IPs, even as the setting itself spans millenia and multiple genres. It's about criticizing the weakness in the template.

I personally think Ubi games frequently have incredible ideas even within that template: I LOVED Watch Dogs' seamless multiplayer invasions of different kinds. It was a ton of fun. But I do criticize how some of those great ideas WERE fit into a template that was bursting at the seams with tired missions that the gameplay couldn't carry. There's nothing fundamentally wrong about taking outposts or climbing towers. But to make that compelling across half a dozen games, the gameplay of the actual tower climbing and outpost taking needs to be compelling enough. This is where a good half or so of Ubi's open world games have failed, IMO.
 

ironcreed

Banned
Best not to worry about it. In the same discussion we can say there are so many games from AAA to indie that there is space for them all and someone is going to like/dislike pretty much every title for their own reasons.

No truer words have ever been spoken right there. There is plenty of room at the table and enough there to satisfy whatever flavor you might be craving.
 

scitek

Member
I realize that, but games like Far Cry are still drastically different than Assassin's Creed. And as far as Far Cry in general goes, this one shakes things up more than any other entry, but while still remaining Far Cry at the core. That is all I can really expect from a sequel. Some changes and new elements, but not removing the identity of what it is.

They're obviously different, but I don't think someone will necessarily like Far Cry if Assassin's Creed isn't their thing. It's the means of progression that people don't like, and that is similar enough across the titles that I think someone who doesn't like one probably won't like the other.
 

Karak

Member
No truer words have ever been spoken right there. There is plenty of room at the table and enough there to satisfy whatever flavor you might be craving.

Righto. I get why people want to spread their wings see different things(one of my many criticisms of Witcher 3 in fact). And depending on community factors places can be more or less negative or positive towards particular titles as well. And most will be more or less than an average gamer who may not frequent either generic or boutique locations.
Its ok to like what is out and still want more. Its ok to be tired of whats coming out. Its ok to like it.
 
They're obviously different, but I don't think someone will necessarily like Far Cry if Assassin's Creed isn't their thing. It's the means of progression that people don't like, and that is similar enough across the titles that I think someone who doesn't like one probably won't like the other.

The checklist syndrome is what most usually point out when they express their views on Ubisoft. Personally I don't even care about said check lists, it keeps me on track with knowing what progress I'm making, but for example in Primal, I'm far more invested in the world they built, the graphic melee combat, the taming beasts, and more....not merely a simple checklist.
 

hawk2025

Member
They're obviously different, but I don't think someone will necessarily like Far Cry if Assassin's Creed isn't their thing. It's the means of progression that people don't like, and that is similar enough across the titles that I think someone who doesn't like one probably won't like the other.

hmmm, I don't know.

I think Far Cry still has a fundamentally more robust gameplay system than some of the ACs have had. I'm really looking forward to trying Syndicate soon since I haven't played it yet, but I felt the combat ideas by Unity had completely run dry, and even the more open approaches to assassination missions weren't fun anymore in Unity.

Not so in Far Cry. Even if there are "cheaper" ways to take outposts by FC4, it was still fun to choose weapons and stealthy approaches to do so that made things interesting. But if the fundamental problem someone has is that they absolutely do not want to chase icons, climb towers, and take outposts -- yeah, Far Cry isn't for them.


The checklist syndrome is what most usually point out when they express their views on Ubisoft. Personally I don't even care about said check lists, it keeps me on track with knowing what progress I'm making, but for example in Primal, I'm far more invested in the world they built, the graphic melee combat, the taming beasts, and more....not merely a simple checklist.


This is really great to hear :)
 

Karak

Member
I have major open world fatigue. Didn't really enjoy Far Cry 4, even though I realize it's a great world. The only reason I pre-ordered is because I love the prehistoric theme. Will that be enough though?

No.
If the inherent open world gameplay bits bother you that much that you use the word major to explain it? Then an open world game that you like the theme for isn't going to fix that or at the very least its going to be an issue. Open world, platformer, 3rd person shooter, 1st person shooter fatigue isn't negated by a good game in that genre. It may be temporarily fixed but that kind of fatigue just requires a new perspective on things for awhile. For some people maybe its a single other game, for others its not really engaging them for a great deal of time.
 

Cowie

Member
I'm excited for the concept of this game, but the relative lack of fanfare for it from Ubi has me a tad skeptical? I'll probably end up getting it, but I kind of want to wait and make sure it isn't a flaming mess before getting *too* invested.

That said, if the biggest complaint about the game is just that it feels like padded-out and overpriced FC4 DLC , I'm still on board.
 
I'm excited for the concept of this game, but the relative lack of fanfare for it from Ubi has me a tad skeptical? I'll probably end up getting it, but I kind of want to wait and make sure it isn't a flaming mess before getting *too* invested.

That said, if the biggest complaint about the game is just that it feels like padded-out and overpriced FC4 DLC , I'm still on board.

If this is considered a padded out overpriced DLC, then by all means FC 4 should be deemed that also.
 

kaching

"GAF's biggest wanker"
I think I'm in for this one. I've really only played Blood Dragon and FC4, so I'm not getting any real sense of fatigue from the previews for FC Primal like others seems to be. Clearly a lot of care and work went into the new setting, the tribes, etc. The downside of repetitive filler missions in open-world games frankly seems no worse to me under ubisoft's formula than it is under most other developers.
 

Cowie

Member
If this is considered a padded out overpriced DLC, then by all means FC 4 should be deemed that also.

I liked FC4 as well, so if the jump from 4 to primal is at least the same amount of different as 4 was from 3, I should be a happy camper.
 

Karak

Member
I think I'm in for this one. I've really only played Blood Dragon and FC4, so I'm not getting any real sense of fatigue from the previews for FC Primal like others seems to be. Clearly a lot of care and work went into the new setting, the tribes, etc. The downside of repetitive filler missions in open-world games frankly seems no worse to me under ubisoft's formula than it is under most other developers.

Agreed.

Ron Perlman simulator is a go! All kidding aside some of the these guys are so yolked its insane lol. I did a takedown of an enemy that looked like Andre the Giant last night. Some built for harder times dudes in this title lol
 

0racle

Member
Im somewhat anticipating the game but the general acceptance of this game has caused my hype to diminish immensely. Maybe I am not seeing the issue with the game as of yet. I know its a ubi game with cut and paste game play design but I typically have a great time with ALL their releases simply due to the world they create.
 

Karak

Member
Im somewhat anticipating the game but the general acceptance of this game has caused my hype to diminish immensely. Maybe I am not seeing the issue with the game as of yet. I know its a ubi game with cut and paste game play design but I typically have a great time with ALL their releases simply due to the world they create.

I hear you. Thats what I liked about BD and like about Primal is that spreading of a very very unique timeframe and theme. Though admittedly there are some differences from Farcry past titles as well in this one.
 
Let me put it this way. I loved Far Cry 3 and I felt that FC 4 was good but felt too similar... I'm not feeling that with FC: P

I am in the same boat. Although, the original game was also fantastic but bears little resemblance to the current iterations. Absolutely play Blood Dragon if you haven't. It is hilarious, awesome fun.

I really want to like Primal, it is a very cool setting, but the gameplay has seemed kinda meh so far with the melee combat looking particularly awful. It also doesnt seem to be nearly as narratively driven as we would expect for a FarCry game. This is what I attribute to the lack of hype for the game. There is nothing to try and relate too.
 
Im somewhat anticipating the game but the general acceptance of this game has caused my hype to diminish immensely. Maybe I am not seeing the issue with the game as of yet. I know its a ubi game with cut and paste game play design but I typically have a great time with ALL their releases simply due to the world they create.

Just ask yourself one thing. Do you think the idea of being back 100,000 years ago, fighting with pre-man, surviving harsh conditions, and fighting wild beast sound boring? f not,I think your in for a solid experience that won't disappoint. Simple as that.

I am in the same boat. Although, the original game was also fantastic but bears little resemblance to the current iterations. Absolutely play Blood Dragon if you haven't. It is hilarious, awesome fun.

I really want to like Primal, it is a very cool setting, but the gameplay has seemed kinda meh so far with the melee combat looking particularly awful.

You know maybe it looks that way, but the game is intense because of the melee. I've had more tension in this game from combat then any other FC game yet. Also BD is amazing!
 

Kaversmed

Member
Just ask yourself one thing. Do you think the idea of being back 100,000 years ago, fighting with pre-man, surviving harsh conditions, and fighting wild beast sound boring? f not,I think your in for a solid experience that won't disappoint. Simple as that.



You know maybe it looks that way, but the game is intense because of the melee. I've had more tension in this game from combat then any other FC game yet. Also BD is amazing!

12.000 years to be more accurate ;)
 

Breakbeat

Banned
Ubi's Q1 sales are going back to the stone age, that's for sure.

(but for real, I think they're making a huge mistake. Game simply doesn't look marketable. If it's your thing, though, no beef).
 

hawk2025

Member
Just ask yourself one thing. Do you think the idea of being back 100,000 years ago, fighting with pre-man, surviving harsh conditions, and fighting wild beast sound boring? f not,I think your in for a solid experience that won't disappoint. Simple as that.



You know maybe it looks that way, but the game is intense because of the melee. I've had more tension in this game from combat then any other FC game yet. Also BD is amazing!

What's different regarding the melee compared to the previous games?

More... Condemned, dare I say?
 
What's different regarding the melee compared to the previous games?

More... Condemned, dare I say?

Well it's just the fact that you have to decide at times how to handle yourself. Do I want to send my creature over to one enemy, while I take a shot with my arrow at another arrow shooter? Shit, just ran out of arrows attempting to kill him, run up with my club and either hit him multiple times with weak hits, or do I hold the melee button and do a stronger attack (at least it seems these do more damage from what I can tell) and there is just this feeling about the combat to me that comes off raw. You don't have bullets, you don't have people firing instant ammo at you, instead you have a warrior, coming straight for you with a club, another man attempting to shoot you with flaming arrows and then perhaps a wild animal getting thrown into the mix. It's FUCKING CRAZY at times! This stuff can be seen in the plethora of youtube videos from big youtubers now, but to play it comes off feeling much more intense then it looks from an outside view.
 

0racle

Member
Based on what we have seen is this the game essentially ? Or are there a lot of surprises with crafting, locations and story?

Im hoping its all been very early gameplay
 
Video got me quite hyped tbh, unfortunately I'm suffering from some serious Open World Fatigue right now and I just don't know if I can commit to this when I still have MGSV, The Witcher 3 and Fallout 4 to go through.
 

Karak

Member
Based on what we have seen is this the game essentially ? Or are there a lot of surprises with crafting, locations and story?

Im hoping its all been very early gameplay
Lots of what you are asking can't be...explained easily due to embargo until reviews and just in overall good conduct. And since your version of surprise, is probably different than someone elses and so on. So that's hard to basically say but there are gameplay elements I have yet to see on videos and haven't included in any of my lets plays or the preview.
But its a caveman game. So some things are out like tons of weapon porn and so forth. Its more survival, tribe building, exploring than that. Though make no mistake their is a full story with cutscenes and all that.
 

wouwie

Member
I'm not a Far Cry player (i'm not into collecting loot, crafting weapons, finding resources and all those things) but the setting looks interesting. Always hoped there would be a game exploring these time periods. Visually it looks really nice too. I almost want to buy it just to explore the world and experience the atmosphere.
 

Pif

Banned
Interesting vídeo, explains a lot of ice age human behavior and linguistics.

Made me interested in the game.
 

Karak

Member
I'm not a Far Cry player (i'm not into collecting loot, crafting weapons, finding resources and all those things) but the setting looks interesting. Always hoped there would be a game exploring these time periods. Visually it looks really nice too. I almost want to buy it just to explore the world and experience the atmosphere.

Here is my preview and a no hud video
No Hud Hunting - Idea of the atmosphere - no commentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0ZYpDJRMLI

Preview with some hud and no hud gameplay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gw6ESuGg78E

The improvements they have made to the renderer allows for most of the foliage to be pushed out beyond eyesight as well as to change up the numbers of types. That results in a pretty cool looking title especially in this theme and with minimal hud. I have 10+ hours of no hud gameplay and aside from a couple skills sort of...not working without a hud its turned out to be awesome.
 
Here is my preview and a no hud video
No Hud Hunting - Idea of the atmosphere - no commentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0ZYpDJRMLI

Preview with some hud and no hud gameplay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gw6ESuGg78E

The improvements they have made to the renderer allows for most of the foliage to be pushed out beyond eyesight as well as to change up the numbers of types. That results in a pretty cool looking title especially in this theme and with minimal hud. I have 10+ hours of no hud gameplay and aside from a couple skills sort of...not working without a hud its turned out to be awesome.

Nice preview there. So that was on Xbox One? Good to see some X1 footage as well. Some people say it doesn't even look better than FC4 or actually worse, but they have to be kidding. The lighting is clearly better and it's more dense too. At the moment I'm still finishing up FC4 and I thought I wouldn't be ready for a new one already but it sounds like this is far from just a reskinned FC4. I might get it.
 

Karak

Member
Nice preview there. So that was on Xbox One? Good to see some X1 footage as well. Some people say it doesn't even look better than FC4 or actually worse, but they have to be kidding. The lighting is clearly better and it's more dense too. At the moment I'm still finishing up FC4 and I thought I wouldn't be ready for a new one already but it sounds like this is far from just a reskinned FC4. I might get it.

Ya Xbox one and the changes to the renderer and such are actually well known and one huge improvement is the density.
 

Raptor

Member
Honest question: does anybody care about FC Primal?

It seems like there is very little buzz.

I would have cared if it had lots of gore and dismemberent like I imagine thats how it was on those days.

I kinda want to beat the hell out of some NPC and chop off an arm and start to eating it, surviving of the fitest you know.

Alas I havent seen any gore at all.
 

Karak

Member
Really nice. Too bad about melee combat though. Something like that should be fun as hell in a game like this.

Actually its MUCH improved once you get the higher weapons. Still not amazing not close. But not as airy as the earlier weapons at all. The upgrades and then the 2 handed giant femur with meat on it club are epic. The real issue is that it just doesn't have that SNICK when a weapon really hits and sticks and impacts. But its better than I thought it was originally.

I just took down about 30 badguys in a frozen cave with a mix of bashing their fool heads in and my giant tiger and I have to admit I felt a bit like beastmaster lol
 
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