It's a big wide-open world out there, whether the American player characters of Far Cry are roaming in fake Nepal, fake Indonesia, or fake Africa. The local ecosystems of most Far Cry games usually consist of the typical apex predators — the gun-toting local oppressors — and their prey, the meek locals who are waiting for the players to be some kind of messiah.

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However, in the quiet background, among the chaotic ambiance of gunfire, lies another ecosystem of fauna. Within the games, animals provide an interactive respite for the players, and also serve to make Far Cry's world more believable. Some of them ought to be given more credit than they receive, as they have transcended the role of mere roadkill and have become animals with real personalities.

10 Boars

horatio from far cry new dawn

As seen in:

Early on, players are introduced to boars in Far Cry 3 quite unceremoniously. It's a typical fetch quest where they must collect the wild pig's skin. In the later games such as New Dawn, however, these grumpy snorters are given a more dignified role.

One of them was even made into a companion called Horatio. He's actually one of the best and most competent companions in that game, able to take incoming fire and act as a meat shield for the players.

9 Sharks

Far-Cry-3-Shark-Fin-Drowning-Man

As seen in:

  • Far Cry 3

Sadly, Far Cry 3 wasn't mad enough to let players ride sharks or turn them into aquatic companions. However, that doesn't make these scary man-eaters any less cool. Bull sharks are ever-present in Rook Island's open water. They even act as the game's digital guards, in case some players venture too far out past the game's invisible walls.

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In any case, running into a Shark is about as frightening as it can be in a video game, especially since Far Cry 3 plays out in first-person. Players can easily get overwhelmed with panic and forget to mash the QTE buttons, failing to see the cool shark takedown animation.

8 Demon Fishes

far cry 4 demon fish

As seen in:

Tussling with sharks underwater might have been the peak thrill for aquatic animals in Far Cry 3, but Far Cry 4 has its own king of the waters. That would be the damned Demon Fish, which most players likely wouldn't want to even face in melee combat.

Most encounters with these river monsters end up with a packet of C4 explosives or a whole grenade belt thrown under the river. They can be more menacing than sharks, thanks to Kyrat's murky river waters and the fish's disturbing gaze.

7 Elephants

Far-Cry-4-Elephants

As seen in:

  • Far Cry 4
  • Far Cry: Primal (as Mammoths)

The Far Cry series does right by its digital elephants by giving them more respect than their real-world counterparts. They roam the open world freely, without the fear of getting poached. These mighty mammals command awe and respect, even in a digital space.

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They don't attack unless provoked, and if players get a little further in the game's progression, they can even ride or befriend some of the elephants. Far Cry: Primal does it even better. by bringing Mammoths into the fold.

6 Yeti

Far-Cry-4-Yeti-Dead-Cattle

As seen in:

  • Far Cry 4

The abominable snowman is only available in a Far Cry 4 DLC called Valley of the Yetis, which is why they can be easily missed — just like in real life. Still, these Himalayan creatures are about as mysterious as players can imagine, and also as deadly.

The Far Cry 4 version is a little less refined compared to how they are portrayed in other media. This Yeti looks as if it needed a better pet shampoo and several rabies vaccines. It's more like a horror creature that sees the players as nothing but treats.

5 Blood Dragons

Far-Cry-3-Blood-Dragon

As seen in:

  • Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon

Players don't exactly get to see the titular blood dragons at their best in the Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon DLC. Here, they're apparently living fossils. It's best not to question the DLC's logic. As they appear in the DLC though, they still look extraordinary.

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Blood dragons are supposedly more monstrous, futuristic variants of Komodo dragons, which are already present in the Rook Islands in the base game. They're just bigger, more nasty, and they shoot laser beams from their eyes. It makes the Komodo dragons look tame.

4 Honey Badgers

Far-Cry-4-Honey-Badger

As seen in:

  • Far Cry 4
  • Far Cry: Primal 

Lizards that can shoot lasers from their eyes are impressive and all; however, they still fail to capture the personality and bravery of the honey badgers. These wee devils were first introduced in Far Cry 4. Players could have easily mistaken them for skunks due to their monochromatic fur.

Anyone who lingers in their presence for a moment will get a taste of what hell is like. Despite their diminutive stature and inherent cuteness, honey badgers don't give up — they will readily fight anyone bigger than them. At times, players will even see them fighting tigers or rhinos in Kyrat. It's best to show these animal kingdom gangsters some respect.

3 Bears

Far-Cry-5-Cheeseburger-Bear

As seen in:

  • Far Cry 4
  • Far Cry: Primal 
  • Far Cry 5
  • Far Cry: New Dawn

Bears are mostly dangerous creatures that can easily crush a man's skull as if it were a berry. Hence, that's what most of them do in the Far Cry games. They're even harder to kill than honey badgers, and can usually eat up dozens of shotgun pellets before giving up or dying.

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Thankfully, some of them in the Far Cry games are allies. The one in Far Cry 5, named Cheeseburger, is a diabetic softie who prefers his namesake food to Montana-men flesh. They also make for useful allies in Far Cry: Primal, where they can offer a back ride.

2 Sabretooth Tigers

Far-Cry-Primal-Sabretooth-Tiger

As seen in:

  • Far Cry: Primal 

Far Cry: Primal, due to the primitive setting, doesn't give players the luxury of transportation — or at least, not conventional transportation. Players can still have a ride that will turn onlookers green with envy, in the form of Sabretooth Tigers.

These creatures are the fastest mounts in the game. They're also the deadliest, and can oftentimes kill enemies faster than the players. Players can then consider it an honor and a privilege to be able to tame and ride one of these prehistoric bad boys.

1 Dogs

far cry 6 dog

As seen in:

  • Far Cry 4
  • Far Cry: Primal
  • Far Cry 5
  • Far Cry: New Dawn

Despite how varied and exotic the animal kingdom is in Far Cry games, nothing beats familiar. And nothing is more familiar than man's best friend. The sight of a wagging tail and a tongue hanging from that good boy's smile ought to be enough to convince the players to save whatever wild locale they're in.

Far Cry 4 introduced this trend of dogs being companions for the players and the rest was history. Now, dogs can be as strong of freedom fighters as the players are.

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