While visually and mechanically impressive, it’s not hard to argue that Far Cry 5 lost the plot a bit regarding, well, plot>. A confused mass of nondescript, non-denominational cults with no clear ideology, and a stinker of an ending soured many on the otherwise-solid open world shooter.

With the upcoming DLC – each one a self-contained story in a new setting – Ubisoft have a chance at turning that perception around, although given how unflinchingly bleak the trailer within for the Vietnam war-themed Hours of Darkness looks, there may be a bit of a wait yet.

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Hallo! John’s away so I’m taking over for our latest weekly rundown of the biggest-selling games on Steam over the previous seven days. Familiar faces are here, of course, but the charts also include more survival games than I’ve seen in yonks. The slightest peek of sun outside and you lot start acting as if it’s the end of the world, eh?

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What Works And Why is a monthly column where Gunpoint and Heat Signature designer Tom Francis digs into the design of a game or mechanic and analyses what makes it good.>

Far Cry 5 is a mixed bag, but one of the bigger, shinier objects in that bag is its companions system. It’s a crossbreed of Far Cry Primal’s pets – you can summon them and direct their attacks at will; and Far Cry 2’s buddies – they can revive you if you get taken down. Nine of the companions available are starring characters: people or creatures you meet and recruit through main story missions with backstories and (when human) dialogue. But I don’t really care about eight of those, and I only care about the ninth because he is a dog, which gives him three key advantages:

1. He is, again, a dog.2. He never alerts enemies if I’m being stealthy.3. He never speaks, a big plus in a world where almost everything anyone says makes you like them less. (more…)