I really enjoyed New Dawns bright colourful take on the post-apocalyptic thing - having grown really really really really tired of all the dark gloom-and-doom bad-future games flooding the market. New Dawn puts a very refreshing twist on the post apocalypse idea by having nature blossom and take over after we messed everything up for ourselves , and rather than running through a bleak wasteland of withered trees and shattered ruins beneath a stark grey sky we get to explore a vibrant colourful landscape packed with fun and adversaries.
New Dawn might be the most beautiful Far Cry game yet - taking the graphic level of Far Cry 5 one step further with the colour palette and stunning scenery. The misty areas in the north are stunning - and sunsets in post apocalyptic Hope County are breathtaking. After completing the game I found myself wanting to return to New Dawn - it’s just a great place to be , to roam around in , and of course - to headshot highwaymen in.
The size of New Dawn was perfect. It was large enough that there is enough to explore but not so much that it becomes repetitive and boring. A map function that I really like is when you zoom out all the way on the map screen a checklist appears showing you exactly where you are at with game progress - giving you a clear picture of what’s left to do. Having that checklist was actually very encouraging - and made me want to complete it all - and I did - I have 100%'d this game and blame it entirely on that checklist !
I also enjoyed the weapons and gear system. The tiered weapons and scrap-heap chique of it all fit the story perfectly. At first I was a little dismayed that I couldn’t get attachments or upgrades to weapons - but I quickly got over it and adjusted to the New Dawn system. Having to upgrade your home base was also a nice new twist on the series , and the uber French-Canadian helicopter pilot is one of my all time fave npc's - not to take away from good ol' Hurk.
Ultimately I felt this was a really good game , it was super fun to play and made me want to keep coming back for more. However - while I certainly can’t complain about the serving I’ve already had I sorta wish there was a little bit more in New Dawn. I felt that there could have been some more story driven missions - perhaps fending the highwaymen off of Prosperity more than once , or some more story missions with the Twins . To be fair New Dawn is more a continuation and ultimate wrap-up of the Far Cry 5 story than it is a whole new game . This is not to say that New Dawn isn’t complete on it’s own , but it all makes sense when you’ve already played Far Cry 5.
New Dawn has been a super refreshing take on post-apocalyptic story telling , a beautiful sandbox that’s just the right size to keep it interesting , and there’s never a shortage of highwaymen to blast even when the main story is finished and you’ve taken out the Twins and secured Joseph's fate. IN FarCry 5 once you took out the lieutenants and cleared all the outposts all the Peggies disappeared - turning the game into a Montana walking simulator with no enemies to deal with. New Dawn has solved that problem and given me a reason to visit Hope County any ol' time.
I encountered very few glitches in New Dawn. During co-op play our session was cut short once , and one time I was unable to join a friends game but he could join mine .. other than that it was all gold. Playing this game in co-op mode is very enjoyable - and it makes the outposts and expeditions much more challenging ( after playing co-op for several days I found taking an outpost playing solo to be super easy , and was able to stealth a level 3 outpost no problem with the help of a sniper rifle ).
AFTER THE GAME : so I've finished New Dawn's story and have nothing left to do but get some whacky trophies ( kill five enemies by throwing a shield at them for example ) - yet I still find myself returning to Prosperity , firing up the co-op with a buddy and setting out on missions. New Dawn allows you to continue doing outposts and expeditions until you've had your fill - and you can upgrade your weapons and upgradeable perks for as long as you have the resources required - making your character into a super deluxe ultra soldier with guns that even Rambo would swoon over. Combined with the bliss farts ( also known as double jump ) you can get your character up to insanely powerful levels and lay waste to even the most fortified outposts with ease. Whether or not you want to do this is up to you - but you can! There is a certain degree of satisfaction one can get from shooting an elite highwayman with a sniper rifle that does 3500 damage ;)