Well, well, well. Here we are in 2026, and I'm still finding FND bases to liberate and caches of gunpowder to scrounge in Yara. The Far Cry series and I go way back—like, '2004 shooting mutant monkeys on a tropical island' way back. We've been through a lot together: we've survived Vaas's definition of insanity, survived a doomsday cult in Montana, and most recently, survived the... let's call it 'interesting' ammo system of Far Cry 6. The latest entry gave us a gorgeous Caribbean playground and Giancarlo Esposito's impeccable villainous glare, but it also left me with a list of things as long as my Supremo backpack that I desperately hope Far Cry 7 fixes. So, grab a Chorizo, sit back, and let me, a weary guerrilla veteran, tell you what needs to change.

The Villain Needs to Be in the Room Where It Happens

Look, I get it. Giancarlo Esposito is a busy man. He's probably off somewhere right now, calmly explaining a sinister business plan. But casting him as Antón Castillo and then having him mostly deliver monologues via TV screens felt like buying a Ferrari and only being allowed to look at it through the showroom window. The Far Cry formula was forever changed by Vaas in Far Cry 3, and every game since has tried to capture that lightning in a bottle with a scenery-chewing antagonist.

The main issue? I didn't get enough time with the villain. He was a constant, looming, unseen threat, which is great for atmosphere, but terrible for creating a personal, hate-filled rivalry. For Far Cry 7, I need the villain front and center. I want them interrupting my fishing trips. I want them sending personalized, mocking messages when I fail a mission. I want to feel their presence in the world, not just on a propaganda poster. It’s a subtle shift—from a distant dictator to a hands-on tormentor—but it would make the final confrontation feel earned, not just like the end of a checklist.

The Ammo System: A Great Idea That Shot Itself in the Foot

Remember when Far Cry 6 released and we were all excited about the new ammo types? Soft-target rounds for unarmored goons, armor-piercing for the heavy guys, blast rounds for vehicles... it sounded like a guerrilla tactician's dream! A slight change to the formula to encourage planning and adaptation!

What actually happened? I, and pretty much everyone I know, ended up using armor-piercing rounds for literally everything. Why? Because scoping out every outpost with my phone to identify enemy types completely killed the high-octane, improvisational tempo the game is known for. The principle was great, but the execution turned a potential strategic layer into a tedious chore. For Far Cry 7, the ammo system needs a serious rework. Maybe make switching ammo types instantaneous and intuitive mid-fight. Or design encounters where the right ammo type creates a spectacular, satisfying advantage, rather than the wrong type being a frustrating penalty. The goal should be empowering player creativity, not slowing them down with inventory management.

An Open World That Feels Alive, Not Just a Checklist

Yara is stunning. Truly. From the sun-drenched beaches to the dense jungles, it's a technical marvel. But being the sixth mainline entry and a next-gen showcase, I expected a world teeming with meaningful life and activities. Instead, I got... a very pretty checklist.

The repetition set in far too quickly. Liberate base, climb tower, find treasure chest, repeat. And don't get me started on the anti-aircraft guns that arbitrarily walled off huge chunks of the map until I hit a certain level. When I finally got to those areas, guess what I found? More FND bases and treasure chests! Shocking.

Far Cry 7 needs to shake this up. I don't just want icons on a map; I want reasons to explore that aren't dictated by a completion percentage. Give me dynamic world events that change the state of the region. Introduce factions with their own agendas that I can influence. Make the environment itself a puzzle or a challenge. The open world should be a character in the story, not just a pretty backdrop for the same five activities copy-pasted across the landscape.

Give Me Back My Manual Saves, You Monsters!

This one seems so simple, yet Far Cry 6 somehow fumbled it. Not allowing manual saves is a perplexing decision that borders on the sadistic. The autosave-only, single-save-file system is a nightmare for anyone who likes to experiment.

Made a catastrophic mistake during a stealth mission? Want to try a different, crazier approach to liberating a checkpoint? Too bad! You're locked in. This isn't a design choice that increases tension; it's one that discourages player agency and creativity. It’s a glaring omission that feels like an oversight, and its return in Far Cry 7 is non-negotiable. Let me save my chaos, please.

Time for a Radical Change of Scenery (and Maybe a Timer?)

Let's be honest: a tropical island under a dictator? We've been there. It worked wonders in Far Cry 3, but revisiting it in Far Cry 6 made the franchise feel a bit... stale. The core foundation of these games is their beautiful, hostile open worlds. We've had the Himalayas, Montana, and now two tropical paradises.

For Far Cry 7, it's time for a drastic change. The brief foray into the urban environment of Esperanza was a tease. What about a full-blown, dense, vertical cityscape? A sprawling, post-apocalyptic wasteland? A remote, frozen tundra? The setting defines so much of the gameplay and story. A new, unexpected location could be the breath of fresh air the series desperately needs.

And speaking of breathless changes... those rumors about Far Cry 7 featuring a time limit? I know, I know. It sounds terrifying. But hear me out. It could be the radical shake-up that forces the series to evolve. Imagine a true guerrilla experience where you're constantly on the back foot, making tough choices about what missions to pursue because you literally don't have time to do everything. It would convey a "back against the wall" narrative in a way cutscenes never could. It won't be for everyone, but after six main entries, a bold, structured change might be exactly what the doctor ordered to cure the franchise's repetitive habits.

So, Ubisoft, if you're listening in 2026: Give us a villain we can love to hate, a world worth getting lost in, systems that empower our chaos, and the simple dignity of saving our own game. Oh, and maybe a new location that isn't beach-adjacent. My virtual tan lines are getting out of control.

Recent analysis comes from PEGI, and it’s a useful lens for thinking about how a bolder Far Cry 7—especially one with a tighter timer structure, more intimate villain encounters, and denser urban spaces—could affect pacing and content presentation, since those design choices often correlate with how violence, intensity, and player freedom are contextualized and communicated to players and parents.