Far Cry 4 (Sony PlayStation 3, 2014)

The stakes are as high as the altitude when players head to the Himalayas and find themselves in the midst of a civil war in Far Cry 4. Gamers play as Ajay Ghale, who left the fictional land of Kyrat at a young age, but has returned to scatter his mother's ashes. The Nepal-like Kyrat offers dizzying heights and majestic beauty, but also great peril thanks to the charismatic despot Pagan Min and his collection of deranged governors and generals. The open-world action lets players explore mountainside villages, hunt exotic animals, and help an oppressed populous become free again.

Hostile soldiers are always a concern, but danger lurks everywhere in Kyrat, with sheer cliffs, rockslides, giant eagles, and avalanches greeting those who explore its craggy peaks, and badgers, bears, tigers, rhinos, and other beasts roaming its ancient villages and lush lowlands. Fortunately, gamers can make use of numerous vehicles, weapons, and specialized items to survive their perilous journey. The wingsuit and parachute return, and the new gyrocopter and grapple help players survive Far Cry 4's extreme verticality, while cars, buggies, three-wheeled tuk-tuks, and even elephants can serve as a means of conveyance. If flight is not an option, gamers can always opt to fight with a variety of powerful weapons, including machineguns, mortars, flame throwers, and the new Kukri knife and auto crossbow.

Taking down Pagan Min's corrupt empire is the ultimate goal in Far Cry 4, but players are encouraged to explore the vast open world and complete a wide variety of side missions and mini games. Gamers can take control of towers, destroy enemy convoys, discover ancient temples, and liberate fortresses, or they can track down and collect hundreds of hidden items, harvest materials from plants and animals to upgrade weapons and equipment, and even go on spiritual journeys to Shangri-La alongside a mythical tiger. New co-op gameplay lets a second player join in on the action at any time to help complete various objectives, while competitive multiplayer fans can head online and compete in a variety of modes.