FX's Far Cry Can Finally Beat Prime Video's Fallout

In a long line of failed video game adaptations, Fallout became a sensation, praised for its accuracy and incredible storytelling. Even after only one season, it seemed impossible for another adaptation to outdo the success that Prime Video had with Fallout. Yet, FX has just announced that Noah Hawley and Rob Mac will be creating a Far Cry series, and it will easily be able to beat Fallout.

Far Cry is an RPG Ubisoft video game that has been a huge hit with fans for years. Each game takes players to a new setting, introducing them to new villains and allies. Fallout has a much more rigid structure in the sense that there is lore and a canon to adhere to. Both shows offer freedom to the creatives behind the series, but Far Cry allows Hawley and Mac to make something truly magnificent.

What are the Far Cry Games About?

The first Far Cry game came out in 2004, and since then, there have been 5 additional mainline games, plus Far Cry Primal and Far Cry New Dawn. The video game series functions as an anthology, with each game taking place mostly independently of the other games in the franchise. Far Cry 3 was set in a tropical location, with a vicious pirate named Vaas as the antagonist of the game. Far Cry Primal was completely different, taking place in 10,000 BC.

With the exception of Far Cry 6, the games provide a blank slate protagonist, nameless and voiceless, that the player takes through the world. This allows the player to put more of themselves into in gameplay experience and dive further into the RPG elements that the franchise offers. What truly defines the games is the villains and the depth of the world around the player.

Far Cry 5 gave players a terrifying look at a cult controlled Montana, with the horrifying Joseph Seed terrorizing the player every step of the way. Vaas from Far Cry 3 is a fan-favorite villain, with many citing him as the best character in the entire series. The same can be said for the setting of Far Cry Primal, with its fascinating use of ancient weapons and extinct animals. These settings and characters are what have helped to make Far Cry the iconic video game franchise, even if recent entries haven't received the same fanfare.

Fallout Has Better Games, But Far Cry Can Be a Better Show

Most people likely wouldn't argue with the statement that Fallout is a better franchise than Far Cry in the video game world. Fallout has defined and controlled the mainstream RPG landscape, with each release being a defining moment for video game fans. Fallout 3, New Vegas, and Fallout 4 have all been massive hits, and even Fallout 76 has developed into a beloved game.

Far Cry has a much spottier record with fans. Games like Far Cry 3 and Far Cry 5 have garnered much renown and love from the gaming community, but other entries are put down and pushed aside. The "Far Cry formula" has also been applied to other Ubisoft titles like Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, where players just activate towers and fight enemies.

Fallout offers a much more varied gaming experience for fans and frequently delivers more compelling stories. The environments are wider, meaner, and offer a richer range of activities. Far Cry has its moments of greatness, but it is frequently buried under too many repetitive open-world missions that cover up fun stories.

The reason games like Far Cry 5 managed to break through the noise of the free roam missions is that the story was horror-filled, adrenaline-inducing, and immersive. When Far Cry reaches the heights that it's capable of, it creates something truly special. That is what fans are hoping Noah Hawley and Rob Mac bring to the FX series.

As an anthology, Hawley has an advantage working in this format. Fargo, one of Hawley's most celebrated projects, was also an anthology. It gathered together an impressive cast each season and rarely failed to give fans a compelling and pulse-pounding story to follow. This is the same energy that Far Cry needs. While Fallout has to follow certain rules about lore and canon, Far Cry ​​​​​​is free from all those constraints.

Mac and Hawley can take the story in whatever direction, with any characters, story, and even time period that they want. This is why Far Cry can reach new heights, beyond even Fallout. Without almost any constraints, it will be one of the few video game adaptations with almost no concrete source material. Most fans will really expect a stranger thrown into an unexpected conflict and situation, and maybe a few lookout towers to climb.

Far Cry Has a Bright Future on FX

FX has frequently been the home of premier TV shows such as Sons of Anarchy, Justified, and Fargo. That isn't even mentioning their plethora of incredible comedies like What We Do in the Shadows and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. With two great creative minds like Mac and Hawley behind the series, fans should be beyond excited.

Rob Mac has helped create shows like Always Sunny and Mythic Quest. Both series have incredible comedic timing, fun satire, and Mythic Quest, in particular, was able to weave in some fantastic emotional depth and storytelling. Not to mention that Mythic Quest itself was connected to Ubisoft, the company behind Far Cry.

Hawley's own credits are well established, with him recently delivering a jaw-dropping return to the Alien universe with Alien: Earth. Hawley is a master storyteller, easily creating tension, intrigue, and horrifying consequences for his characters. Getting to see his vision of a Far Cry conflict and villain is something special for fans of great TV.

The future is so bright for Far Cry because the possibilities are endless. There are countless locations, characters, and conflicts that Hawley and Mac can explore in that playground. They aren't reined in by intense canon restrictions or fans dedicated to the lore of the games; they simply get to create stories within the brand.

Far Cry coming to FX is the best thing that the franchise could ask for. It will help to bring many new fans to the franchise and allow it to extend far beyond the recent game entries. Hawley and Mac are truly the best team to bring forth an intense and heart-pounding story to the world of Far Cry.