It’s telling how much I liked “Far Cry 5” that I kept playing after the end of the world, exploring a map and searching for collectibles on a devastated landscape that I had traveled so many times that I knew it by heart. A nuclear weapon went off, and survivors had to go underground. The end of “Far Cry 5” was one of its most daring moves in that they blew up the world. And while it does remind one of the fun mechanics of the 2018 release in this series, it too often pales in comparison, feeling like an echo of greatness more than greatness itself. Somewhat surprisingly, “Far Cry: New Dawn” isn’t so much a sequel as a continuation of that story. But “Far Cry 5” was willing to blow up the heartland, telling the story of a religious leader who amassed enough weapons to basically destroy the country.

We see enough stark reminders of gun violence on the news that we don’t want it in our escapism. Most modern shooter franchises like “ Destiny,” “Battlefield,” and “Call of Duty” don’t take place in 2019 for a reason. I don’t think “Far Cry 5” was particularly deep when it comes to this country’s obsession with firepower and willingness to follow charismatic leaders into ruin, but it gets credit for being willing to go there at all.

“Far Cry 5” was one of the most underrated and best games of 2018, a title that served both as escapist entertainment and was willing to address actual violence in the heartland of America.

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