Since Far Cry 6 launched in October, players have been dropping into the fictional island nation of Yara in hopes of liberating the country from the grips of a brutal dictatorship. In the latest addition to the franchise, players assume the role of a resistance fighter, commonly referred to as a "guerilla." Tasked with toppling the regime of a dictator named Antón Castillo, players will have to use every weapon at their disposal in order to start a revolution to secure the nation's freedom.
Co-op gameplay has been a mainstay in the Far Cry series ever since it was introduced in Far Cry 3. As in Far Cry 5, Ubisoft allows players to seamlessly join one another's games, popping in and out at will regardless of where either player is in the main story. This feature is made available upon completion of the game's second story mission, "Operation Du or Die." This means that players can essentially experience the entire story-related portion of the game together, as well as side missions and secondary content. In co-op, story progress is only saved on the account that is hosting the play session. However, both players get to keep whatever loot they obtain or abilities they unlock during the expedition. This includes Amigo abilities in Far Cry 6, purchased items, upgraded items, experience points, camp resources, and money.
Ubisoft has made great improvements to co-op gameplay in Far Cry 6. In Far Cry 5, players were only able to link up with a teammate via a direct in-game invitation through the friend system. Far Cry 6 gives guerillas more options and ways to help each other out. In addition to inviting friends, players are also given the ability to search for a random partner. This is a great option if players happen to be stuck on a particularly difficult mission, as the mid- to late-game Operations in Far Cry 6 can be rather unforgiving. The large numbers of enemies, as well as powerful enemies, that spawn in these missions can be difficult to defeat for a player that is even slightly under leveled.
Why Far Cry 6's Co-Op Multiplayer Is Better Than In Past Far Cry Games
The "search for a random partner" option in Far Cry 6 is also great for those who simply may not have any friends that own the game but would like to experience team-focused gameplay within the Far Cry universe. In addition, Far Cry 6 also offers an option called "be a partner." Selecting this will allow someone to be invited by players who are currently looking for assistance somewhere throughout Yara. These quality-of-life changes make the co-op experience accessible to a much wider range of people.
Far Cry 6 also introduces new activities that are designed to be experienced with a partner, yet another aspect that Far Cry 5 lacked. These are known as Special Operations in Far Cry 6 and they can be launched from any main camp by speaking with Lola, the Libertad Chief of Special Operations. These activities give players the opportunity to earn powerful gear and rewards, but they won't come easy. Special Operations require coordination, strategy, and patience. As of now, there are three separate Special Operations missions available within the game. These are Maceo, Cocodrilo, and Mesozoico. These missions can be played solo, but are extremely difficult seeing as they are intended to act as endgame content in Far Cry 6. Bringing a partner along for some added firepower will instantly improve the chances of securing these exclusive rewards.
Allowing players to find each other through indirect means is a huge step in the right direction for Far Cry 6 and something that could have greatly benefitted Far Cry 5. The addition of highly difficult endgame content makes a quality co-op system more necessary than ever. By implementing these changes, Ubisoft is now fostering the growth and development of an interactive online Far Cry community.