This week and throughout the coming weekend, you can play Far Cry 5 for free via the Epic Games Store or Ubisoft Connect. The free period starts tomorrow, August 5 and runs until August 9. Preloading is available now.
While all the early discussion about its hints at real-life politics turned out to be as boring as its cult, Far Cry 5 still has all the elements of a good Far Cry—there's plenty to do, it's beautiful to look at, and you have absolutely no time to appreciate any of the scenery because as soon as you stop for even a minute, an animal will appear to try and maul you, helicopters will start falling out of the sky, and a firefight will break out nearby. I had no idea rural Montana could be that stressful. Christopher had a good time with it for his review, which you should check if you're just getting into Far Cry or have skipped 5 due to (understandable) series fatigue.
By now, Far Cry 5 also has a lot of fun custom maps for you to explore, including a hyper-realistic Gregg's, which you definitely won't find in Far Cry 6 any time soon, since the game will come without a map editor.
On Ubisoft Connect, the free trial period starts on August 5, 6 am PDT / 2 pm BST, while on Epic Games Store and Stadia, things kick off slightly later at 10 am PDT / 6 pm BST. If you afterwards decide that the game is for you, you can get it at 80% off on both storefronts.
