Can You End Far Cry 5 Early? Exploring the Game’s Multiple Endings
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Yes, you absolutely can end Far Cry 5 early, although perhaps not in the way you might expect. The game features a secret ending that can be triggered within the first ten minutes of gameplay, providing a stark contrast to the more traditional conclusion achieved after many hours of play. This unexpected option offers players a unique look at the game’s themes and provides a thought-provoking alternative to the standard narrative progression. This early ending isn’t a typical “shortcut” to the final boss, but rather a consequence of a crucial choice at the beginning of the game.
The Secret “Walk Away” Ending
The secret ending revolves around the initial confrontation with Joseph Seed, the charismatic leader of the Eden’s Gate cult. After reaching his compound with your fellow law enforcement officers, Joseph makes an offer: if you choose to walk away, he will let you all go without a fight. If you accept this offer, the game immediately cuts to a scene where you and your fellow deputies drive away in a truck, planning to contact the National Guard. This is not a victory, it’s more of an avoidance of conflict, and many players find it unsettling.
This early ending is not considered the canon ending, it’s an interesting thought experiment on what the best course of action would be, given the circumstances. The intended game experience, and what the developers consider to be the true ending, involves a much longer and arduous fight to defeat Seed’s cult.
The “Resist” and Canon Ending
The more traditional and intended route involves choosing to resist Joseph Seed’s offer. This leads to the full game experience where you liberate the regions of Hope County by dismantling the operations of his lieutenants. Eventually, you will confront Joseph again, after which it appears that you succeed in capturing him but then chaos erupts in the form of nuclear bombs. This “Resist” ending, although more heroic-seeming in the game itself, isn’t necessarily considered the best, as you end up potentially captured by Joseph in a bunker. However, this is the ending the developers have confirmed as the canon ending.
How Long Does It Normally Take To Beat?
If you decide to go through the game the intended way, focusing solely on the main storyline, expect a playthrough to last around 18 hours. This timeframe is sufficient to experience the core narrative. However, for players aiming to explore everything the game has to offer, including side quests, collectible hunting, and enjoying the game’s vibrant open world, a 100% completion playthrough could take up to 46 hours or more.
The Significance of the Early Ending
The early ending of Far Cry 5 isn’t just a quick way out of playing the game, it’s a narrative tool. It forces the player to confront difficult choices and to question whether the violent path of resistance is the only solution. It’s a subversive move by the developers and shows that they want players to actively think about the events taking place, and not simply follow the usual gaming norms. It is, in essence, a fourth-wall-breaking moment in a game where the choices are usually clear-cut. The fact that the developers have made the early ending so easily accessible shows that this kind of introspection and player-agency is an important element of the experience.
What Happens After The Main Story?
Once the main story is complete, you can still continue playing in the world of Hope County, but the atmosphere is drastically different, you can not expect to find the game world in the same state as before. Enemies will be significantly less numerous. You’ll be able to complete any remaining side missions or collect any remaining collectibles, should you desire. Also, the game provides the option to reset the outposts which then once again allows combat encounters. The game even offers a New Game+ mode, where you can replay the story again with all your gear and experience, and even tackle a new Infamous difficulty.
Final Thoughts
Far Cry 5‘s early ending is a testament to the game’s willingness to challenge player expectations and explore the moral complexities of its narrative. While the game offers a standard ending and many hours of gameplay, the option to walk away from the conflict early is a powerful statement that highlights the different layers of the game. It is a reminder that not all conflicts have clear or easy answers and that it might not always be necessary or beneficial to resist.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I play the campaign after choosing the “walk away” ending?
No. The “walk away” ending immediately cuts to the credits. Choosing this option will not let you play the rest of the game.
2. Is the “walk away” ending the ‘good’ ending in Far Cry 5?
Neither ending is necessarily ‘good.’ The “walk away” ending is less violent but ultimately fails to truly resolve the conflict. The ‘Resist’ ending, while more heroic, ends with a nuclear holocaust and the possible capture of the player character.
3. What is New Game+ in Far Cry 5?
New Game+ allows you to replay the game with all your weapons, skills, and progress from your previous playthrough. It also introduces the new and more difficult ‘Infamous’ difficulty.
4. Is there a point of no return in Far Cry 5?
No, there isn’t a specific point of no return. However, once you choose an ending, the main story is over. You can continue playing after the main quest has finished but the enemies will be much less in numbers.
5. Does the order in which I clear the regions matter?
While you can approach the regions in any order, the best order for both story and strategy is generally considered to be: John’s region, Faith’s region, and then Jacob’s region.
6. Does Far Cry 5 have a lot of foul language?
Yes. The game includes a fair amount of swearing, but as the article states, it should not go above what most 13+ year-olds hear in school, making the game suitable for a mature teen.
7. What is the shortest Far Cry game?
Far Cry New Dawn is typically considered the shortest Far Cry game, with a main campaign lasting about 11 hours.
8. What happens when you beat Far Cry 5 on Infamous difficulty?
Beating Far Cry 5 on Infamous difficulty in New Game+ unlocks a new outfit, called ‘The Rook’ outfit, for your character, as well as an achievement and a badge on your Ubisoft Club profile.
9. Is Faith Seed a ghost?
In the game, Faith is not a ghost, she is heavily influenced by Bliss, which allows her to create hallucinations and distortions of reality. When weakened, her true form appears more demonic.
10. Can you save Eli in Far Cry 5?
No, it is not possible to save Eli in Far Cry 5. If you refuse to shoot Eli during the brainwashing scene, the clock will simply run down to zero, resulting in a game over.
11. Can you avoid killing people in Far Cry 5?
While you can choose to approach combat stealthily or avoid confrontations when possible, the game does require killing many enemies in order to complete the story.
12. Who detonated the nukes in the ‘Resist’ ending of Far Cry 5?
The game implies that Joseph Seed himself initiated the nuclear explosions. The cult has control over three missile silos, but they are never shown in action or described as nuclear warheads, but the result of their use leads to global destruction.
13. What does cuffing Joseph at the beginning of Far Cry 5 do?
Cuffing Joseph at the beginning of the game is the start of the usual game progression. This will take you through the story line, and lets you begin the journey through the game’s open world. If you do not cuff him, you get the secret “walk away” ending.
14. Is Far Cry New Dawn a direct sequel to Far Cry 5?
Yes, Far Cry New Dawn is a spin-off and direct sequel to Far Cry 5, set 17 years after the nuclear fallout.
15. Can you reset Outposts after the ending?
Yes, the game includes an option to reset the outposts, allowing you to engage in combat again after completing the main story.