Far Cry 4 is an open-world first-person shooter developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft, released in 2014. Set in the fictional Himalayan kingdom of Kyrat, players take on the role of Ajay Ghale, who returns to his homeland and is drawn into a civil war between a flamboyant dictator and a guerrilla resistance movement.
Far Cry 4 was developed by Ubisoft Montreal and released in November 2014, one year after the critically acclaimed Far Cry 3. Rather than revisiting a tropical island, the game transported players to Kyrat — a sprawling Himalayan nation inspired by Nepal and Tibet, complete with snow-capped peaks, dense jungle valleys, fortified outposts, and a cast of memorably eccentric characters. Protagonist Ajay Ghale arrives to scatter his mother's ashes but is immediately swept into a rebellion against the self-proclaimed king Pagan Min.
The core loop of Far Cry 4 builds directly on its predecessor's foundation: a vast open world dotted with enemy outposts to liberate, radio towers to climb, animals to hunt, and a main story campaign to follow at the player's own pace. The verticality of the Himalayan setting introduces new movement options — most notably the grappling hook and a personal gyrocopter called the Buzzer — that open up the terrain for creative approach and rapid traversal.
Outpost liberation remains the game's most satisfying activity, with players free to tackle each installation through stealth, loud assault, or by exploiting the environment and wildlife. Kyrat's fauna — honey badgers, rhinos, elephants, and tigers — can be weaponised or simply set loose to devastate enemy camps. The skill tree lets players build toward either the Tiger path (offensive combat) or the Elephant path (resilience and support), shaping the character in the direction they prefer.
Cooperative play allows a second player to drop into the host's game at any time, sharing outpost assaults and exploration. A separate competitive multiplayer mode pits two factions of Kyrat's civil war against each other. A New Game+ option, hidden ending, and multiple story outcomes add replay value for completionists.
Far Cry 4 received favourable reviews, earning Metacritic scores of 85 on PlayStation 4, 82 on Xbox One, and 80 on PC. Critics praised the dense open world, the compelling setting, and Pagan Min as one of gaming's more charismatic antagonists. Some noted it felt iterative rather than groundbreaking compared to Far Cry 3, but its sheer volume of content and polished execution earned it broad recommendations. It was named to Edge magazine's 100 Greatest Games and remains one of the most acclaimed entries in the long-running franchise.