After nearly a decade of dropping players into exotic yet ferociously hostile locales like Indonesia the Himalayas and most recently, prehistoric times Far Cry 5 aims to bring players somewhere a little closer to home. Although Hope County is entirely fictitious, it’s a gorgeous slice of Big Sky country, and the backdrop of the rocky mountains and luscious tree lines of the American Northwest makes it the perfect setting for the next Far Cry game.

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After getting to explore a huge chunk of virtual Montana, Far Cry 5 feels like it has the potential to be the best version of what the franchise has had to offer since Far Cry 3 brought the series back into the mainstream in 2012. All of the signature elements that we've come to expect are here. The gunplay is still incredibly satisfying, with firefights walking the tightrope between frantic tension and fast-paced fun as steadily as ever, and the sprawling forests, mountains and plains of Hope County, MT teem with secrets to explore, wildlife to hunt and bad guys to... well, also hunt.At our disposal was an impressive arsenal of weapons we’d expect from the series, as well as an assortment of new and culturally appropriate vehicles: muscle cars, pickups, 18-wheelers and ATV’s, just to name a few. Opting for the speedy and agile ATV was fun, but we quickly found that approaching combat situations on foot proved to be a much wiser option. Just like previous entries in the series, you’re able to mark enemies and important landmarks using your handy binoculars prior to jumping into a shootout. This allows for strategic planning, and a much easier way to stealth your way through an outpost.You’re able to add an additional layer of tactical depth (or explosive chaos) to these conquests by choosing one of several companions to help you out in a fight. We obviously chose Boomer, the adorably scruffy pup who’s even more adorable when playing fetch with an assault rifle. The other Guns for Hire, like the sniper Grace or the bomb-happy pilot Nick, were useful in their own right, but there was something really special about having a trusty canine companion by your side while exploring the rural parts of America.There is at least one series staple not returning, but it's a welcome change - at least to one of us. As the guy responsible for the lion's share of IGN's Far Cry guides for the last five years, JR was thrilled to learn he wouldn't have to unlock map points by climbing the same tower 37 times. Instead, we added points of interest to our map by picking up intel from enemy camps or abandoned homes, looking at street signs, or by simply listening to people around town share stories about their hometown.It's this more down-to-earth feeling that’s most striking about our time in Far Cry 5's single-player - a tick or two up on the "realism meter" that make the world feel a bit more lively and, well, real. It's little things, like those NPC interactions, or that enemy outposts are now functional locations in the community, like grain silos or fertilizer plants, instead of just a random lot with some buildings on it. Far Cry has always offered gorgeous locales and awesome dynamic gameplay - and that clearly hasn’t changed - but the Rook Islands and Kyrat felt a little too surreal for us to fully immerse ourselves in. Maybe it's because, as Americans, we’re more familiar with the setting, but Hope County seems like somewhere we could actually exist in.Adding to that lived-in feeling is that fact that for the first time in the series, we’re able to create our own characters. Although customization in the build we played was limited - we could choose to play as either a male or female deputy, though we’re not sure if there will be more options beyond that at launch - it helped bolster the feeling that it was our story, not Jason Brody’s or Ajay Ghales, especially thanks to the noticeable time spent on the details of the world and the characters in it.We spent the majority of our time roaming about the open world, but the few missions we played did offer some of Far Cry's patented insanity. Helping a flamethrower-wielding madman torch a cattle farm, for example, or honoring a local stuntman by running the flaming obstacle course that killed him all feel thematically familiar and fun. The exploration of the world outside of these missions has always been the series's strong suit, though, and that's no different here - especially since you can always bring a friend.As ludicrous as the situations we got ourselves into on our own may have been, they always paled in comparison to the shenanigans that ensued when we were playing together. For instance, returning from FC4 is the ability to grapple onto the rails of a helicopter flying above you, and latching on and having a buddy swing you wildly to and fro is stupidly entertaining - especially if they drop you over a convoy which you can then wingsuit down onto and launch off the road into a fiery mess (they actually hit JR with a truck and he died, but the cool explosion thing was the plan). The possibility for madcap hijinks is nearly endless given the litany of weapons and vehicles at your disposal, and being able to play through the entire story mode in co-op is a welcome addition as well.Regardless of whether it’s alone or with friends - though let’s be honest, who wouldn’t bring a pal to this party - we’re excited to walk back into the wooded hills of Far Cry 5, and to see everything else that Hope County has to offer.

Filip is IGN's Nintendo Editor and thinks Boomer is a very good boy. Find him on Twitter @filipmiucin. JR is an IGN Editor and guide writer, and agrees with Filip. He's also on Twitter.