Far Cry 5: Hours of Darkness DLC – Short Review: PC Version
“I love the smell of napalm in the morning.”
I have never really been into games that showcase war much. I mean, I have played many but I’ve not really felt what it was that it was trying to interpret. Battlefield 1 does a good job with its individual stories but I think I was more into the visuals, like when my gun got mud all over it during a rainy night while I was trying to take back some Italian hills – it was pretty. Call of Duty: WW2… is COD with a WW2 skin, have we not had that before? Anyway, I have not enjoyed any of them the way I should have… until Far Cry 5’s Hours of Darkness DLC.
The Vietnam War! You wasn’t there maaan!
Having been told this DLC could be finished in around 45 minutes my initial thoughts were “F*%k right off”, naturally, but having played it I can see how it could be possible. Have I attempted to complete it in that time? No, piss off. The map is small (compared to the main game) but for what it is, you really don’t need any more foliage to get lost in. Vehicles are scarce and even IF you find one, you are not going very far. The main aim in the Hours of Darkness DLC is to “GET TO THE CHOPPER!” (now hang your head for saying it like Arnie) with many optional side missions along the way and if you are trying to finish the DLC in around 45 minutes… you will definitely want to ignore each and every one of them. However, for a better experience “DO IT, DO IT NOW!” My bad, I’ll stop. The side missions include destroying anti-aircraft guns, taking out lieutenants, destroying outposts and rescuing P.O.W.s because pretty old woman can’t rescue themselves.
The enemies you encounter are pretty tough and take no prisoners… well… you know what I mean. If they spot you, hiding behind a tree really won’t help, as I found out the hard way. It’s a real tense game and the first game representing a war that really pulled me in. I really found myself questioning whether to try to rescue my team who had survived the plane crash with me (oh that’s how this madness starts by the way) but had been taken captive like a bunch of chumps. I’m sure Donald Trump said he doesn’t like those who were captured… well. Rescuing them adds them to your crew akin to the main game having a Gun for Hire system in Far Cry 5, and you will definitely need them at the end during the climactic standoff once you reach the chopper, its f*%kin great. I would hate to be the guy or girl at Ubisoft that designed these side quests just for them to be ignored, you better damn well do them.
Hours of Darkness is a damn fine piece of work, it has great gameplay elements and gives everything you do purpose. You are allowed to attack the game how you see fit despite it being steered more towards the stealth gamer… going all guns blazing does make it harder for yourself but hey, you got it, Kid. If you want to go 100 miles an hour with a shotgun and grenades, who the f*%k can stand in your way? Hard ass enemies, that’s who!
Hours of Darkness has replay-ability written all over it, I love the fact that this small map can give you hours of fun… or minutes depending on how you want to tackle it. And that’s just it, you have so much choice it’ll be hard to put down.
Great as far as DLC goes, if this was a 15 quid stand alone… I’d snap it up.