Ubisoft's upcoming Far Cry 6 is showing a lot of promise, and is certainly one of the most anticipated games releasing this year. Far Cry 6 seems to be heading in an interesting direction, seamlessly stitching a new narrative twist alongside the sandbox elements that made the series popular in the first place.
There's also the fact that the game sports a star cast of Better Call Saul actor Giancarlo Esposito, playing Anton Castillo, leading many to believe that he might be the star of the show like the many Far Cry villains before him. While most signs point to this certainly being the case, there's also a slim but interesting possibility of his son Diego stealing the show in the end.
Diego in Far Cry 6: The Character Less Revealed
There's plenty of information available regarding Far Cry 6 protagonist Dani Rojas, as well as antagonist Anton Castillo. The struggle of power between the tyrant and the resistance is the focal point of the narrative, but Diego presents an opportunity to be a lot more than that. Anton might believe in his prophecy of the Castillo family bringing back glory to Yara, but Diego doesn't seem so thrilled by the fact. Tensions between the father and the son were evident from the game's original cinematic reveal trailer, and the sentiment is further backed by the E3 2021 trailer which showcased Diego trying to escape with Yaran refugees on a ferry.
Sony Santa Monica's God of War has previously explored this dynamic before, which could work to a great extent in the case of Ubisoft's open-world sandbox franchise. Of course, there's the difference that fans might not get to spend as much time witnessing these characters interact with each other in meaningful ways, since protagonist Dani Rojas might only have occasional encounters with the duo. There are also possibilities of Diego either siding with Dani and the resistance, or even turning into the next threat for Yara, should Anton fall before the end of the game.
Keeping Expectations In Check For Far Cry 6's Villain(s)
While many of the aforementioned prospects sound interesting, fans should keep expectations in check for now. Far Cry 6 is doing a lot of things differently, but hoping for such a narrative revelation might be too much to ask. The highlight for Far Cry as a franchise has always been in player choice and freedom within a creative sandbox, not in the intricacies of relationships. Larger-than-life villains have certainly been part of the equation, and Esposito's Anton Castillo might just be filling those shoes, while Diego remains a precious asset for him and his nation's future.
That being said, Far Cry 6 is a great chance to flirt with this idea. Far Cry 6's gameplay with its unique arsenal and fangs for hire looks fun enough to stand on its own two feet, which leaves a lot of room to experiment with the narrative. The structure has already been changed from a tale of survival to resistance, and further changing the long-standing rigid dynamic between a nobody protagonist and an almighty tyrant might just be for the best. Fans have a lot to look forward to and hopefully, Far Cry 6 meets or surpasses fan expectations.
Far Cry 6 is slated to release for Luna, PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X on October 7, 2021.