Can You Miss Missions in Far Cry 5? A Comprehensive Guide

Yes, you absolutely can miss missions in Far Cry 5, although not in the traditional sense of story-critical missions vanishing forever. The game features a dynamic world, and your actions directly influence the availability of certain side missions. Primarily, this is tied to liberating regions too quickly. While the main story progression is linear, the side content isn’t always guaranteed to stick around if you aggressively push the main narrative forward. It’s crucial to understand the game’s mechanics to experience all the content it offers.

Understanding the Mission Structure

Far Cry 5 operates on a resistance point system. As you complete missions, liberate outposts, and generally wreak havoc on the Eden’s Gate cult, you fill a resistance meter for each region (Holland Valley, Henbane River, and Whitetail Mountains). Once the meter is full, you trigger a final confrontation with the region’s leader. The game encourages you to explore and engage with side content, but rushing through the main story can inadvertently lock you out of some optional missions.

The key is prioritizing. Dutch’s advice is spot on: head to the main locations in each region and engage with the characters offering missions before focusing on other activities. This ensures you unlock and complete these quests before triggering events that make them unavailable.

How Missions Become Unavailable

The primary reason missions become unavailable is the advancement of the regional storyline. As you gain resistance points, the cult’s control weakens, and the world state changes. Some characters might move locations, die, or simply no longer be in a position to offer the same quests.

Imagine liberating an outpost essential for a specific character’s mission. If you liberate that outpost before getting the mission, the quest giver might not be present, or the conditions for the mission might no longer exist. While the story progression is very important, the side content available on Far Cry 5 can be found by rescuing people from the peggies or reading marked notes.

Post-Game Mission Availability

Fortunately, after you complete the main story, you can still engage in a lot of activities. You can complete remaining side missions, hunt collectibles, and even reclaim outposts through the Outpost Master system. This system allows you to reset captured outposts to their occupied state, providing endless opportunities for combat and resource gathering. Furthermore, you might even receive a Liberation Bonus after completing the story to help you along the way.

Missable Achievements

Interestingly, the game doesn’t have any truly missable achievements in the strictest sense. However, some achievements are significantly easier to obtain early in the game when the enemy presence is more prevalent. For example, achievements related to stealth takedowns or specific enemy encounters are easier when the regions are still heavily controlled by the cult.

FAQs: Deep Dive into Far Cry 5 Missions

Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify mission availability and other gameplay mechanics in Far Cry 5:

1. What’s the best order to tackle the regions?

There is no set order that you have to tackle the regions in. However, the order recommended is John’s, Faith’s, and then Jacob’s.

2. What happens when you complete all missions?

Once you finish all missions and side activities, you can replay the game in New Game + mode, which unlocks a new difficulty called Infamous, offering a significantly greater challenge.

3. How do I trigger the secret ending?

The secret ending can be triggered within the first ten minutes of the game by simply refusing to arrest Joseph Seed. After a few minutes, the sheriff instructs you to leave, triggering the ending credits.

4. What happens if I just do nothing?

If you do nothing at the beginning, the sheriff will eventually tell you to walk away and live to fight another day. The end credits roll and that’s it.

5. Can I avoid being captured?

No, you cannot avoid being captured at certain points in the story. Capture is scripted to progress the narrative.

6. What’s the hardest achievement in Far Cry 5?

There are many hard achievements in Far Cry 5, but some of the hardest are We Always Had Faith In You, Together Forever, and Like A Bird.

7. What caused the nukes to go off?

The nukes went off due to escalating tensions between world superpowers, leading to a global nuclear catastrophe known as “The Collapse.”

8. How far after Far Cry 5 is New Dawn set?

Far Cry New Dawn is set seventeen years after one of the endings of Far Cry 5.

9. Will starting a new game delete my old save?

Yes, Far Cry 5 has only one save slot. Starting a new game will overwrite your previous save.

10. How many endings does Far Cry 5 have?

Far Cry 5 has multiple endings, including the secret ending and endings tied to different choices made during the main story.

11. How long does it take to complete Far Cry 5?

Completing the main story takes around 18 hours, while achieving 100% completion takes approximately 46 hours.

12. Do I get anything for 100% completion?

Far Cry 5 doesn’t offer a specific reward for 100% completion of the story mode.

13. Which region is best to start in?

Many players recommend starting with John’s region as it is considered the easiest.

14. Should I finish Far Cry 5 before playing New Dawn?

It is not necessary to finish Far Cry 5 before playing New Dawn, but it provides valuable context to understand the story.

15. Which Far Cry game is the shortest?

Far Cry New Dawn is the shortest Far Cry game, with a main story that can be completed in around 11 hours.

The Importance of Exploration and Engagement

Far Cry 5 thrives on its immersive open world and the diverse characters you encounter. To maximize your experience, prioritize exploration and engage with the world early on. Talk to NPCs, investigate points of interest, and complete side missions as you find them.

The Games Learning Society explores how games can be used as learning tools. The dynamic mission structure of Far Cry 5 is a great example of how games can create player agency, as the decisions you make influence the world and the content available to you. You can learn more at GamesLearningSociety.org.

Strategies to Avoid Missing Missions

Here are some actionable tips to ensure you experience all the content Far Cry 5 has to offer:

• Prioritize Main Hubs: Upon entering a new region, immediately visit the main towns or settlements. These are usually marked on the map or indicated by NPCs.

• Listen to Radio Chatter: Pay attention to radio broadcasts, as they often provide hints about nearby missions or points of interest.

• Rescue Hostages: Rescuing hostages from the cult is a reliable way to uncover new missions and locations.

• Read Notes and Flyers: Keep an eye out for notes and flyers posted around the world. These often contain clues about side quests or hidden locations.

• Consult a Guide: If you’re determined to complete every single mission, consider using a comprehensive game guide or online resource.

Embrace the Dynamic World

Ultimately, the possibility of missing missions is part of what makes Far Cry 5’s world feel alive and reactive. Embrace the dynamic nature of the game, make informed decisions, and enjoy the journey. Even if you miss a few side quests along the way, the core story and the overall experience remain incredibly rewarding. You can also revisit the game in New Game+ to experience all the missions that you may have missed the first time around.

The game’s open-world nature will encourage you to hunt, explore, and complete missions to get the full experience!