Gaming

Far Cry 5 review: Immersive playground in the heart of cultist America

Featuring a lovely weekend with the Seed Family

Published

April 27, 2018

Luigi Leonardo

Since Grand Theft Auto III’s explosive arrival more than a decade ago, open-world games established themselves as part and parcel of the video game industry. For years, game developers have tried to replicate and improve on Rockstar Games’ formula.

Following Assassin’s Creed, Ubisoft pioneered a more inventive take on the open-world system — an expansive map driven by waypoints. However, after years of sequels, their unique formula has grown tired and weary.

That is, until Far Cry 5 came along.

Reinventing the wheel

Only behind Assassin’s Creed, the Far Cry series enjoys its spot as one of Ubisoft’s most trusted properties. Besides the five main games, the franchise already has a plethora of spin-offs, expansions, and downloadable content.

At its heart, the Far Cry series is a Rambo simulator that drops you into an exotic location to fight off a militant force. From the start, you face a completely red map that you slowly carve to your favor. You do this by completing missions, liberating outposts, and unlocking the map. Throughout the game, you are pestered by the game’s — sometimes psychotic, sometimes manipulative — villains.

Far Cry 5 keeps the essentials but infuses a breath of fresh air into the tired formula. The game isn’t just a minefield of spoon-fed objectives anymore. Now, it’s a fully immersive map that you tackle in your own way.

Absolute freedom

In Far Cry 5, you, a sheriff’s deputy, are dropped into the hostile Hope County in Montana. A doomsday cult has taken roots in the county, coercing innocent people through torture and mind control. Your job is simple: rescue the populace and kill the cult’s leader, Joseph Seed.

Unlike previous Far Cry games, the fifth entry presents a completely explorable map right off the bat. In Far Cry 5, you decide which region you want to liberate first. It doesn’t lock out anything.

Also, the game doesn’t immediately reveal which points on the map have things for you to do. It’s a blank map that you explore by yourself. You unlock waypoints by either encountering them physically, reading about them in notes, or talking to NPCs in the surrounding area. The map isn’t a tedious checklist; it’s an experience you craft.

Additionally, Far Cry 5 doesn’t hide its skills or weapons behind grinding progression trees. Just from the first region, you can unlock all perks and weapons — if you have enough money or points, that is. Regardless, Far Cry 5’s skills costs are fair. A few hours into my playthrough, I already carried a .50 caliber sniper rifle, a shotgun, and a whole load of explosives.

Friends are forever

Another refreshing addition to Far Cry 5’s mechanics is the offline co-op.

A few years ago, Assassin’s Creed Unity had the not-so-brilliant idea of locking some of its content behind a co-op requirement, meaning you couldn’t play some missions unless you had a friend with you. If you didn’t have a friend with the game, the console, and a good internet connection, you were out of luck.

Far Cry 5 finally solves the riddle of co-op by introducing a host of NPCs that you can bring along on missions. Ubisoft has realized that even just a digital dog is enough to lift the monotony of killing tons of cultists. Throughout the game, you unlock and recruit new characters by rescuing them or doing missions for them.

Thankfully, Far Cry 5’s Guns for Hire aren’t cardboard cutouts. They have their own stories, characters, and abilities. Because of their diversity, their effectiveness depends on your own preferred play styles.

Do you prefer the stealthy approach? The huntress Jess Black wields a silent, deadly bow for your covert operations. Are you more of a demolitions guy? Hurk Drubman, Jr. touts a meaty grenade launcher that can cut down a helicopter in a few shots.

Besides this gaggle of oddities, Far Cry 5 also has a trio of strangely adorable furry friends (or Fangs for Hire) you can take with you. Boomer is a cute, scouting dog. Peaches is a ruthless mountain lion assassin. Cheeseburger is a towering bear. (Yes, you can pet them all.)

Joseph who?

Far Cry 5 features one of the most enjoyable first-person experiences this year. Until it drags you back into its story.

To liberate a region, you fill a meter of influence. Every third of the way through, the region’s lieutenant (or boss) issues a search warrant for you. Immediately, every enemy gets one-hit-kill ammo. One hit, you’re out. When you wake up, the lieutenant confronts you in his/her headquarters which you eventually escape from through stealth or gunfire.

These required story missions are still par for the course. However, while they do offer enjoyable gameplay, they are a massive pain. Their inevitability takes away from your pristine immersion into the game. Even if you’re busy liberating an outpost, once you hit that point in the game, you’re yanked mercilessly into one of the story missions.

Regardless, every lieutenant offers a unique flavor to their region. John Seed is a merciless evangelical who prefers torture to bend his adherents into shape. Faith Seed uses an airborne hallucinogenic to control her soldiers. Jacob Seed trains canines into dangerous killing machines.

Despite how charismatic they are, there’s not much to care about in Far Cry 5. The big baddie, Joseph Seed, offers nothing but a backdrop with which his lieutenants operate. Ubisoft tried to market a commentary on today’s political climate in the US. However, all they managed was a version of WWE’s The Wyatt Family.

Much of the story’s lack of empathy derives from the game’s curse of a nameless protagonist. Far Cry 3 had Jason, the fish out of water. Far Cry 4 had the recruited Ajay Ghale. Sadly, Far Cry 5 lacked that character anchor to hook gamers into its story. In fact, characters simply call you “Rook” or “Deputy.” You, as an in-game character, don’t have a story.

You never really care about any of the game’s more important characters including yourself. You engage in rescue missions for people whom you’ve never built any rapport with prior. Far Cry 5 just isn’t a convincing story.

Then again, Far Cry 5 harmonizes to the music of nature or of gunshots, but not to the Seed Family’s evangelization. The game shines brighter when you’re free to traverse the picturesque landscapes of Hope County. It’s still an all-around enjoyable game.

Gaming

PRAGMATA release date, Nintendo Switch 2 availability confirmed

Preorders now open, free demo available too

Published

December 19, 2025

GadgetMatch

Capcom has announced the official release date for upcoming sci-fi action game PRAGMATA. The title will be available on April 24, 2026 on multiple platforms.

Aside from launching on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam, PRAGMATA will also be available on Nintendo Switch 2, as confirmed in a new trailer exploring the lunar cityscape.

Preorders are now available as well on all platforms. In addition, the Sketchbook Demo is now available on Steam and is coming to consoles soon.

The free public demo provides the opportunity to experience the title’s immersive setting and thrilling gameplay for the first time. It also includes fun extra surprises to challenge players.= and encourage repeat playthroughs.

As a preorder bonus, players will receive Hugh’s samurai-styled Neo bushido outfit and Diana’s ninja-inspired Neo Kunoichi costume.

Alongside the standard version, a Deluxe Edition will be available. This includes the Shelter Variety Pack, an assortment of alternate outfits for the two characters.

The Deluxe Edition also includes a weapon skin, emotes, extra background music, and an in-game library with 75 digital artwork pieces.

The new trailer expands what players know of the game’s environment so far, with the protagonists in what seemingly looks like a futuristic dystopian city. It shows Hugh and Diana both being chased by various opponents, as well as a bit of their dynamic together.

As for its gameplay, PRAGMATA will feature a dual-character control, enabling players to control both Hugh and Diana simultaneously.

Central to the action is a “hacking” mechanic but Capcom will enrich combat with a more strategic and exciting element unique to the title.

Gaming

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade free demo released

For Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox

Published

December 18, 2025

GadgetMatch

Square Enix has released a free demo for Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade which is launching on January 22, 2026.

The demo is available on Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox on PC. Players can carry their save data from the demo period over to the full game and claim the bonus items “Revival Earrings” and “Survival Set” in the process.

In addition, the game has Xbox Play Anywhere support. This means players can enjoy seamless progression across console and PC platforms.

Switch 2 users can enter the following codes to download the demo via the “Redeem Code” option on the Nintendo e-Shop:

United States: D3GM3304HKQBB2VB
Europe: D3GM3304HKPBB2VB
Japan: D3GM3304H3DBB2VB
Korea: D3GM3304H3CBB2VB
Hong Kong and Taiwan: D3GM3304H3BBB2VB
Southeast Asia: D3GM3304HY9BB2VB

Meanwhile, the free demo for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox for PC is available via this link.

Aside from the aforementioned platforms, the visually enhanced and expanded version of the original 2020 remake is already available on PlayStation 5, Steam, and Epic games.

What players can expect

In the demo, players can experience the game’s iconic opening chapter, in which the mercenary Cloud Strife and the underground resistance group Avalanche attempt to destroy a Mako Reactor powering the dystopian city of Midgar.

In their fight against the Shinra Electric Power Company, Cloud and his comrades are thrust into a larger conflict that will decide the fate of the planet.

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade features improved graphics and performance. Aside from that, the game includes FF7R EPISODE INTERmission.

This exciting additional story features fan-favorite ninja Yuffie Kisaragi as she embarks on a thrilling new adventure.

Players can expect expanded gameplay mechanics, refined combat systems, and immersive storytelling that deepens the lore of Midgar.

Square Enix has also released a new One-Winged Angel trailer:

Gaming

The Razer BlackShark V3 Pro might be the comfiest headphones I’ve tried

The memory foam cushioning is divine.

Published

December 17, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

Despite being a self-professed audiophile, I have always had a problem with wearing headphones the whole day. Sooner or later, the weight just becomes too much. So, when I saw the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro with its thick cushioning, it was love at first sight.

But will that love last?

Lookin’ like a succulent pork belly

Obviously, I’m exaggerating, but the head strap really does look like a pork belly because of how thick it is. And that’s not a complaint, either.

The BlackShark V3 Pro has one of the most comfortable cushioning I’ve ever experienced from a pair of headphones. Plus, both the head strap and the earcups use memory foam, so it feels like new every single time.

Over time, I can barely feel the headphones bearing down on the top of my head because of the thick cushioning. I lasted more than five hours before I felt anything. Even after taking it off for a spell, I was ready to get back into the game. For me, that’s an absurdly good record.

The earcups, on the other hand, fit perfectly. For reference, I have an average ear size. A lot of headphones I’ve tried often leave my ears in pain from all the flexing, but the BlackShark’s fit is just right.

A minimalist but elegant design

Besides the nice cushioning, the rest of the headphones exude that elegant look you might expect from more premium headphones. Except for incredibly subtle Razer branding and a thin ring of lime green around the mic button, there’s nothing to indicate that this is a pro gaming headset.

The earcups are connected to the strap via thin metal arms and a braided cable. The same arms offer 15-degree maneuverability to ensure the most comfortable fit.

Unfortunately, they don’t fold, so it’s harder to take these headphones outside. It’s a slight wrinkle in an otherwise stellar design.

Going back to analog

A lot of headphones today prefer using gesture controls over actual buttons and knobs. Getting rid of buttons does help make designs look sleeker. However, it comes with the added frustration of fiddling around with often-finicky gestures.

Thankfully, the BlackShark V3 Pro has a wealth of buttons and knobs for, in my opinion, easier control. This also lends to its credence as a gaming peripheral. When I’m in the zone, I don’t want to mess around with gestures that might not even work.

The left cup has a dedicated power button, a microphone button, a USB-C slot, and a 3.5mm port (for both input and output). It also has a nifty knob for volume control.

Meanwhile, the right cup has an equalizer button, a noise cancelling button, and a dial to adjust the ANC levels. There’s also audio feedback that lets you know exactly what you’ve pressed.

I love this layout. Though you can argue that all these buttons seem like overkill, there’s just something about manually pressing buttons and turning knobs, especially when you’re focused on gaming. It’s like a palpable feeling of turning it to 11 that you just don’t get with gesture controls.

Premium for gaming, a step less for everything else

The BlackShark V3 Pro is a bass-leaning headset. That’s pretty much what you’d expect from a gaming-focused device. A premium on bass helps you feel the immersive thump of gunshots, explosions, and even simple footsteps.

Personally, I don’t prefer bass-heavy devices. However, this pair refreshingly does not tear with high bass level. It offers a pretty rich output for the deeper end of the audio spectrum. An extensive listening session of metal created thrumming breakdowns and heavy drum solos.

However, there’s a clear step down when it comes to treble. It’s only one step down, though, because I can hear that these cans are capable of impressive treble. However, the focus on bass can drown out the other end. I’ve tried adjusting the equalizer, but it made too little difference to elevate the experience for audiophiles.

Additionally, the soundstage feels more centered than immersive. This pair isn’t what I’d pick for long listening sessions. Then again, this wasn’t made for that. This shines more brightly for gamers.

With THX Spatial Audio, these headphones feel more alive during FPS gaming sessions. Another audio enhancement can amplify footsteps, too. The audio adjustment feels weird at first, but it does give a competitive edge for shooters. It’s also compatible with a few other games, including Civilization VII, which gave a pleasant auditory experience.

A much better mic than I expected

The BlackShark V3 Pro comes with a detachable microphone you can snap on to the 3.55mm port. As a pro gaming peripheral, the attachment is expected but not even necessary for a headset of this caliber already.

It’s a fairly decent, well-thought-of accessory. The audio input was, according to people I played with, clear for in-game comms.

Even better, the Razer Synapse app comes with its own equalizer just for the mic. If you need more control over how you want your voice to be broadcast, these headphones give a surprising level of customization. Being easily accessible through the app is a huge plus, too.

In terms of quality, I might still default to a dedicated external mic. However, if you don’t have one, Razer’s premium pair is a great alternative.

Battery good enough for almost two weeks

Razer promises that the BlackShark V3 Pro can last around 70 hours on a single charge. This is a fairly accurate prediction which aligned with how I used the headphones.

As I mentioned, I can withstand around five hours straight of using the headphones. By the end of the first week, I still had a lot of juice. And if I didn’t push it to my absolute limit, I could make this last even longer than two weeks.

Ultimately, the battery’s life depends on how you use the headphones, which differ greatly from person to person. And, at the end of the day, I had no problems with keeping the headphones connected to the long and braided wire.

Is the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro your GadgetMatch?

The Razer BlackShark V3 Pro is one of the most comfortable pair of headphones I’ve ever tried. It’s also a premium gaming peripheral that reflects its price point well at US$ 249.99.

Sure, you won’t get a pair of headphones worthy for an audiophile, which makes this a Swipe Left if you are. But as a gamer, these are more than what you need, which makes it a hardy Swipe Right.

As someone who’s both, I’d still give this a Swipe Right. My audiophile side already has a more balanced alternatives, after all. But the BlackShark V3 Pro is excellent as a tough-as-nails daily driver.