The entertainment industry is filled with one dimensional bad guys who are evil just for the sake of being evil. Most of the time they are placed in the story of a video game or a movie just so that the hero would have something to beat but thankfully – there are exceptions. Charismatic, multi-layered, and memorable Far Cry villains from the stunning open-world FPS series developed and published by Ubisoft stand as an excellent example of what a well-realized villain should be.
With the recent announcement of the sixth installment in the series, gamers were introduced to another impressive antagonist who has a high potential to leave an imprint on the gaming culture, just like his predecessors did. Surprisingly, the Far Cry 6 villain el Presidente Antón Castillo will be played by none other than Giancarlo Esposito a. k. a. Gus Fring from Breaking Bad or the menacing Moff Gideon from The Mandalorian. His reveal also serves as a perfect opportunity to ask a question: who is the best Far Cry villain? To address this riddle we present a list of our TOP 5 picks!
Far Cry New Dawn – Mickey and Lou
While technically FC: New Dawn twins Mickey and Lou are two separate characters, in some regard both of them can be viewed as two parts of the same coin. It’s hard to imagine them separately therefore it’s fair to consider Mickey and Lou as a one, maniacal force to be reckoned with. They are the brains and brawn of the post-apocalypse in New Dawn and one hell of a challenge for our protagonist to deal with.
In typical Far Cry villains’ fashion, there’s nothing sacred for these girls. They killed off their own father once he became a nuisance and seized control of the Highwaymen – the nationwide gang composed of slavers, murderers, and other kinds of scumbags that leave nothing but fear and misery everywhere they go. Of course, they also serve as good target practice for our protagonist but Mickey and Lou won’t go down as easy in the final boss fight.
Far Cry 2 – The Jackal
Next on our list is the Jackal – the main antagonist of the second installment. It is true that the very first game in the series had such antagonists like the mad Dr. Krieger but only through the introduction of the Jackal did the Far Cry games’ villains became the focus of the campaign in the series. It’s fair to say that Jackal is responsible for shaping the tendencies that are prevalent in the most recent of FC games.
What made the Jackal stand out as one of the more unique FPS villains at the time of FC2 release was his role in the story as well as his sophisticated philosophical views surrounding human nature, which were different from those of Dr. Krieger. Far Cry 2 Jackal was an arms dealer operating in a fictional African country that was being devastated by civil war. Selling weapons for both warring factions – the APR and the UFLL – this Far Cry game villain was an elusive mastermind who played on whichever side he needed as long as it suited his personal interests.
Far Cry 5 – Father Joseph Seed
Far Cry 5 had no shortage of sadistic cultists, most notably the Seed family. As the Junior Deputy, the player had to disrupt the operations of the Seed siblings Jacob, John, and Faith. Each had their own brutal methods of breaking the will of Montana Hope County’s inhabitants and force them into submission but despite their powerful influence, Seed siblings themselves were merely puppets in the hands of the main antagonist Joseph Seed.
Who is the villain in the fifth installment? What defines him as a person? Like all sociopathic manipulators, the Far Cry villain known as Joseph Seed has a certain charisma that gave the impression of a soft-spoken, empathetic, even trustworthy man. However, these traits are nothing but tools meant to lure people into a false sense of security and eventually make them vulnerable to Joseph’s manipulation. Most Far Cry 5 reviews note that Actor Greg Bryk does a spectacular job of capturing the messiah complex apparent in the leader of Eden’s Gate doomsday cult which places him in an honorable third spot on our list.
Far Cry 4 – Pagan Min
Answering the question of who is the villain in Far Cry 4 is easy: gracing the cover of the game is none other than the Far Cry 4 antagonist Pagan Min – an eccentric and stylish monarch of Kyrat, ruler of the fictional country located in the Himalayas which serves as the main setting for the fourth installment in Ubisoft’s FPS sandbox. Realized through another stunning performance of Troy Baker Pagan Min is one of the Far Cry characters who steal the show every time they enter a scene.
Interactions with this character are interesting to observe. Through the course of the campaign, it is implied that there’s a connection between the protagonist Ajay Ghale and Pagan Min and this is mirrored in the way the antagonist interacts with the player. Pagan can be anything from caring and light-hearted to savagely violent, displaying more concern over his garments than human life.
Far Cry 3 – Vaas Montenegro
Due to the presence of Hoyt Volker in the story, pondering who is the main villain in the third game might get confusing but there is no doubt that the most memorable of all Far Cry villains is the drug-fueled, mentally unstable, slave trafficking pirate Vass Montenegro. Voice performance of Michael Mando truly sells the impression of an inherently unpredictable character who can go from casual small talk to murderous outbursts any second and this is clearly apparent in his iconic “definition of insanity” speech.
Vaas is not only the star of Far Cry 3 – the character has become a gaming culture icon in general and there are many gamers out there who would be delighted to see his return. At this point it’s all just speculation but based on Michael Mando’s open enthusiasm about the character that he portrayed and the recent promotional material of Far Cry 6 – there is a slight chance of that happening. Antón Castillo’s son Diego has a similar eyebrow scar leading some fans to believe that Far Cry 6 might be a prequel or a retcon for Vaas. Only time will tell.
Purchase all of the Far Cry series games cheaper on Eneba!
All of the FC games that feature the discussed villains are offered for a good price on Eneba store! Face off against the most notorious antagonists personally and discover even more FC games by visiting the Ubisoft collection! The franchise features not only serial installments but also stand-alone DLCs like Far Cry Primal or Blood Dragon which don’t require the base game, go for a cheap price, and offer amazing open-world experiences equivalent to those from the base titles! Visit our website to see for yourself!
