There is something rather familiar about Iridio. An island, hostile criminals, an indigenous tribe, a collection of weapons, wild animals, crafting and plenty of things to set on fire – if that sounds a little bit like Far Cry, you’re not imagining it.
KR Games’ new open-world adventure certainly appears to be borrowing from that particular playbook, albeit on a much smaller scale.
Available now on Xbox Series X|S and PC, with Xbox Play Anywhere support, Iridio is priced at £16.74. It puts players on an island that has been seized by criminals, leaving researcher Yatziri and the Wazhari tribe to fight back, rescue hostages and uncover the secrets hidden across the landscape.
At A Glance
- Game: Iridio
- Developer: KR Games
- Publisher: KR Games
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC, Play Anywhere
- Price: £16.74
- Genre: Open-World Action / Survival
An Island In Need Of A Rescue
Iridio drops players into a large island environment where exploration and survival go hand in hand. The criminals have taken control and captured members of the local population, leaving Yatziri and the Wazhari tribe with a rather sizeable problem to solve.
The island isn’t simply there to provide a backdrop for gunfights either. Its changing conditions can affect how you approach situations, with a full day and night cycle accompanied by dynamic weather including rain and snow. That means the environment itself is another variable to consider as you explore, gather resources and work out how to deal with the threats standing between you and the hostages.
Combat in Iridio centres around a versatile crossbow that can be equipped with different ammunition types. Standard bolts provide the basic option, while electric, explosive and incendiary variants give you considerably more ways to cause trouble.
And if that isn’t enough, the island’s wildlife can become an unexpected ally.
Let The Tigers Off The Leash
Rather than simply treating animals as another enemy to avoid, Iridio allows players to free wild tigers from cages and lure them with food. Once you’ve persuaded one to fight on your side, that potentially gives you a rather effective distraction when facing hostile forces.
It sounds like something that could produce some memorable moments – particularly when your carefully prepared assault suddenly turns into a tiger-related disaster.
However, Iridio also wants players to think beyond simply shooting their way through every problem. Fire and water can be used to solve environmental puzzles, access hidden areas and help free hostages, while resources scattered around the island can be gathered and turned into useful equipment. Items can also be traded with the Wazhari tribe or taken from defeated enemies.
The game will also respond to what the player does, while random events and changing weather can alter situations as you play. Quite how deep those systems go remains to be seen, but they could help make the island feel less predictable.
Far Cry Without The Far Cry Budget?
It is difficult to talk about Iridio without mentioning Far Cry. The similarities are obvious enough – an open island, hostile factions, wildlife, crafting, environmental puzzles, different ammunition types and the ability to turn the local fauna against your enemies.
But this isn’t some enormous Ubisoft production. Iridio is a much more modest proposition, and that £16.74 price tag reflects that.
Still, there is something appealing about a smaller game attempting to recreate some of those familiar open-world ingredients. The combination of exploration, survival mechanics, dynamic weather and improvised combat could make for an entertaining adventure if all of those pieces come together.
A Smaller Island Adventure With Plenty To Prove
Iridio certainly isn’t short of ideas. Between the wildlife, crafting, weather, crossbow ammunition, open-world exploration and elemental puzzles, there is plenty here that could keep an adventurous player busy. Whether those systems combine into something compelling or simply leave us with ‘Far Cry, but cheaper’ remains the bigger question.
For anyone who has spent years wondering what Ubisoft’s open-world formula might look like with a considerably smaller budget, Iridio could provide an interesting answer.
Iridio is available now on the Xbox Store, playable on Xbox Series X|S and PC, with Xbox Play Anywhere support, priced at £16.74.
