It's been almost two weeks since Ubisoft announced that Far Cry 6, the latest title in its story-driven FPS series, would be delayed. The COVID-19 pandemic was given as the reason for the indefinite suspension of the February 2021 release date. Despite this, there's already been plenty of marketing for Far Cry 6, and players can expect to see it ramp up over the coming months.
The Far Cry series has become well known for its interesting and charismatic villains, and it's clear that Ubisoft put a lot of effort into making sure that the primary antagonist remains at the center of each game. However, this is a tactic that may cause a big problem going forward. Just like the last two titles, the marketing for Far Cry 6 is heavily focused on the game's villain, so much so that the hero seems to be forgotten.
Far Cry 6 Dani Rojas
The protagonist of Far Cry 6 is Dani Rojas, a native of the fictional Caribbean island of Yara, where the game is set. Already, this marks something of a departure from the classic run of Far Cry protagonists. All of Dani's predecessors came into the game world as outsiders: Far Cry 3's Jason Brody was on vacation, Far Cry 4's Ajay came to Kyrat to scatter his mother's ashes, and Far Cry 5's unnamed Deputy travelled to Hope County to arrest Joseph Seed.
This personal connection reflects that Dani won't just be a silent protagonist, like the Deputy. This is despite the fact that, also like Far Cry 5's hero, Dani's gender will be chosen by the player at the start of the game. The only other thing really known about Dani is that he/she will be somehow swept up into the revolution against Anton Castillo, whether willingly or not.
The Castillo Family
To put how little is known about Dani Rojas in context, fans can simply look at how much Ubisoft has revealed about its antagonist in Far Cry 6, Anton Castillo. As a young boy, the Dictator of Yara saw his father, the previous El Presidente, executed by a revolution. This was followed by fifty years of economic decline for Yara, during which time Castillo plotted to retake control of the island.
He succeeded, but his iron-fisted rule and brutal methods soon turned his people against him. In response, he cracked down even more heavily, until the people of Yara began to rise in revolution once again. Throughout all this, he has been grooming his son Diego to follow in his footsteps. At the beginning of the story, Anton is facing the same situation that killed his father and is prepared to protect his own son at any cost.
Snow White
Based on the information Ubisoft has released, it certainly seems as if it's expecting players to be more interested in the Castillos than in Dani Rojas. This could be a big mistake, especially if Dani Rojas is given the same characterization treatment as Far Cry 3's protagonist. For many players, Jason Brody is the most memorable Far Cry hero. Unlike the Deputy, who was almost entirely silent, and Ajay Ghale, who was decidedly stoic, Jason was loud, brash, and excitable.
All of these traits featured into his character development, which was the most complex of all the Far Cry protagonists. Through the early segments of the game, players saw Jason transform from an immature, self-doubting slacker to a cunning, courageous, and confident warrior. However, it was what happened next that really made Jason stand out as a protagonist.
As the game continued, Jason's character started to take a darker turn. He began to take pleasure in killing, and actively sought out more dangerous situations and opportunities for violence. This was shown through his voice lines, which slowly changed to reflect his new personality, and through the reactions of his former friends, who worried that he was losing himself. Although Far Cry 3's antagonist Vaas ultimately stole his limelight, it's worth remembering that Jason Brody was a cut above the average Far Cry hero.
Really, Who is Dani Rojas?
Although Ubisoft hasn't released much information about Dani Rojas, some inferences are possible. The fact that he/she is the first non-outsider protagonist in the series certainly indicates a more personal connection with Far Cry 6's world and story. Reasonably, this would then suggest that the character's fight for their home would take center stage.
The other interesting point about Dani Rojas comes from comparing him/her to the Deputy. While they both allow players to pick their gender, Dani has a predefined voice, name, and appearance. This reinforces the idea that Dani will be more than another silent protagonist, a blank slate for the villain to monologue at. However, it just doesn't seem like Ubisoft is doing a great job of showing that depth in the marketing. Players already know that Far Cry 6 will have interesting villains, yet that villain is only as good as the hero can match their energy.
Far Cry 6 releases on February 18, 2021, on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.