Far Cry Primal - PS4, XO, PC

It's like hearing a new song from one of your favorite bands; you recognise it as being them - but still it's different. Sometimes you're not too sure if you like it as much - usually only time will tell.

For fans of the Far Cry series, that feeling is the same when paying Primal; it feels familiar, but there are some major differences.

Kyrat is no longer the chosen location for exploration in Far Cry, nor is modern day the the alloted era; players take a trip back to 10,000 BC to a lush European valley known as Oros.

The surroundings are laden with vegetation and beasts, both of which can be used to gain an advantage.

Becoming a keen botanist has major advantages when it come to healing or stat buffering, whilst 'beastmastering' allows for the use of a creatures strength or vision.

Beasts constantly roam the lands, including woolly mammoths, sabretooth cats, cave lions and more.

There's a major shift in weaponry and combat with AKs swapped for arrows or spears, and knives swapped for clubs. The majority of combat happens up-close and personal - a dramatic departure from other Far Cry games of late.

There's less narrative than we're used to, although Ubisoft went to the trouble to reconstruct a language from the time - an amazing feat which shows the dedication of the team.

The format is massively familiar, with tons of side quests, battling factions/ tribes and the constant danger of wildlife. The use of radio masts still plays a significant roll, only this time they're bonfires.

Unfortunatly there's no multiplayer, but there's enough single-player action to keep people entertained for at least 13 hours.

Although Primal is essentially new skin on old bones, the mechanics at heart are probably better suited to this new style. Never has a stroll through Far Cry's vegetation ever felt so satisfying, nor has the skinning and harvesting of animals ever felt so crucial to survival.

This is more than just a skin, it's the building of a game which better suits it's foundations. It's stood the test of time.

SCORE: 8/10