12 games similar to Far Cry 5 (open world)

*Review of the best according to the editors. About the selection criteria. This material is subjective, is not an advertisement and is not a guide to purchase. Consultation with a specialist is required before purchase.

Far Cry 5 is one of the most fun action ‘sandboxes’. A simple storyline perfectly “lays” on the huge open world, which has a lot of activities – from sweeping locations from religious fanatics to racing planes, fishing and bear hunting. The game itself does not need to follow the story. The character is thrown into provincial America, told “to get rid of the ‘Gates of Eden’ sect,” and sent to all four sides, “to play a madman in the Land of the Goonies.

Although Far Cry 5’s leisurely “platinum” walkthrough takes 110 hours of real time, sooner or later the game ends. And then you want something similar – fun, dynamic, with an open world and freedom of action.

So we’ve gathered 12 games similar to Far Cry 5 – with an open world, optional storyline and a lot of action on the maps.

Rating of games similar to Far Cry 5 (open world)

NominationPlaceThe name is Rating
Rating of games similar to Far Cry 5 (with open world)1Rise of the Tomb Raider5.0
2Monster Hunter: World4.9
3Just Cause 34.8
4Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus4.7
5Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands4.6
6Assassin’s Creed: Origins4.5
7ARK: Survival Evolved4.4
8Metro Exodus4.3
9Metal Gear So
  • d V: The Phantom Pain
  • 4.2
    10Destiny 24.1
    11Mad Max4.0
    12The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim4.0

    Rise of the Tomb Raider

    Rating: 5.0

    Rise of the Tomb Raider

    Briefly:A young and still inexperienced tomb raider searches for the city of Kitezh in Siberia, along the way crafting everything at all.

    In 2013, Square Enix studio gently and not too noticeably relaunched the series of games about Lara Croft. Both the character and the gameplay have changed. Lara Croft has visibly rejuvenated – now she’s a not-so-sexualized, but already a strong girl, facing ancient conspiracies and secret societies. In the first game of the rebooted series, she survived on a tropical island. In the second – Rise of the Tomb Raider – she was thrown into an even more unfriendly region. Into Siberia.

    The plot of Rise of the Tomb Raider begins with the fact that Lara Croft’s girlfriend Sam is poisoned with some toxic substances. Official medicine is powerless, so the tomb raider-to-be is forced to resort to folk medicine – and go to Siberia for “healing herbs” (actually a powerful artifact). There she will have to find the town of Kitezh, where this relic is kept. The fact that, in accordance with Slavic folklore, it is somewhere near Novgorod, Lara is not confused at all.

    Siberia is an unfriendly place, full of dangerous wild animals and unfriendly Trinity agents. So Lara Croft is forced to survive. To do so, she must gather healing and useful herbs, hunt beasts, craft equipment, and seek shelter from snowstorms. And the locals are very happy with the tomb raider, and gladly give her various side quests. In most cases, to fulfill them it is not enough to kill all the enemies, you also need to solve puzzles.

    Rise of the Tomb Raider gameplay is slightly different from the previous game. Lara Croft is no longer a vulnerable girl who can be killed by a single lucky shot. Therefore, there is not much stealth action, and most of the battles are about tactics – before you rush to destroy the enemies, you should think about yours and their actions.

    The game has a sequel – Shadow of the Tomb Raider. In it, Lara Croft is thrust into Mexico, and the gameplay once again leans toward stealth action.

    Monster Hunter: World

    Rating: 4.9

    Monster Hunter: World

    In brief:“Greendylka about battles with huge monsters in the open world.

    The entire gameplay of Monster Hunter: World is reflected in the title of the game. It’s pure grindrunner. You wander the world, bump into a huge monster, struggling to kill it, which often takes a few dozen attempts (but not as hardcore as in the series Dark So

      s), take the loot and go on, looking for the next beast.

      The plot of Monster Hunter: World is simple and uncomplicated – this game is not about the story. The main character arrives at the location of Aster. There he is appointed Hunter and sent to all four sides – go wherever you want. Around Aster is full of huge, dangerous and extremely diverse monsters that you need to get rid of. To do this, the Hunter can use a variety of weapons (altogether there are 14 different types available in the game, from giant swords to heavy crossbows).

      Monster Hunter: World has about three dozen monsters. But each of them is very time-consuming – in total it takes about 40-50 hours to pass. Before attacking each monster, you’ll need to assemble a suitable outfit of weapons and armor. For example, Ajahnath breathes fire and chases Hunter all over the map. It’s vulnerable to water, and combat often comes down to chopping off the monster’s limbs. Pookay-Pookay, in turn, spits poison, and the properties of this substance change depending on what the monster just bit into. Use the power of thunder and lightning to destroy him.

      In Monster Hunter: World there is a co-op mode. Thanks to it, you can go hunting in groups of up to four players. This approach allows for a more effective way to deal with monsters. But the “one hit” mechanic won’t work here anyway. Even in cooperative mode you must think through your tactics.

      Monster Hunter: World has a downloadable Iceborne add-on that brings a new location, a dozen monsters, and a few interesting mechanics.

      Just Cause 3

      Rating: 4.8

      Just Cause 3

      In short:Liberation of a Mediterranean country from the oppression of a dictator with wingtip flights and an optional plot.

      Just Cause 3 is a pure Hollywood action movie with action, fun, explosions and fighting against mustachioed dictator Sebastiano di Ravello. There’s some kind of plot here, yes. True, you forget about it as soon as the main character, mercenary Rick Rodriguez, makes a jet fighter.

      Just Cause 3 is set in the fictional Mediterranean country of the Medici, which strongly resembles Italy. The state suffers under the oppression of Sebastiano di Ravello, a ruthless dictator who “built a career” on the arms trade. The fact is that in Medici there are deposits of bavaria, a unique substance that releases a huge amount of energy. That’s why, for example, Bavarian missiles are more powerful than atomic bombs.

      Nevertheless, the Medici population suffers. People live in miserable shacks, work in Bavarian quarries for pennies and are generally not too happy, although outside the window is a warm Mediterranean climate. So the local resistance makes a deal with Rico Rodriguez, a former American secret agent and specialist in overthrowing dictators, to help.

      Rico is a pro at “making a fuss.”. He’s a masterful explosive assassin who uses any kind of weapon, steals tanks, and is practically immortal. So he can stand alone against a whole army of di Ravello soldiers. Rico also has a cat-hook that allows him to instantly climb tall buildings, move around locations and is almost invulnerable to the enemy.

      Just Cause 3 is a very fun and content rich game. The developers themselves understood how unnecessary the plot is, so it is served in fragmented and poorly linked missions. You will discover a huge open world with islands, forests, mountains, beaches and other Mediterranean beauties. The gameplay of the main campaign boils down to blowing something up spectacularly, stealing or hijacking and then blowing it up. The side missions include battling di Ravello’s many soldiers, clearing control points by destroying everything, racing around the tracks, flying in planes and in a wingsuit, and then Rico Rodriguez is given a jetpack as well..

      Just Cause 3 is considered by many to be the best in the series. A bright, beautiful, interesting game in which even sweeping through control points doesn’t get boring. The sequel – Just Cause 4 – although it also boasts an open world and flying around in a wing suit, is not as exciting, and its ending is disappointing at all. Not like in Just Cause 3, where the last boss is a gold helicopter with a force field armor and the final battle takes place in the mouth of an active volcano!

      Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

      Rating: 4.7

      Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

      Briefly:A first-person shooter about killing Nazis in a retro-futuristic setting.

      Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus begins with the Nazis winning World War II. Of course, for a reason – they were able to take advantage of the unique biomechanical and occult technology. That secured the combat advantage, after which the fascist army conquered the USA and set up military bases there everywhere. But freedom-loving Americans cannot put up with the oppression of the Reich, and so William Blaskowitz, a spy of Polish-Jewish descent, once again picks up a gun. And a machine gun. And a machine gun. And grenades. And in general some incredible fantastic weapons.

      Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus can be characterized very briefly – a fun and non-serious shooter. Of course, there is blood, murder and horrors of war, but after a few hours of shooting fascists there is no oppressive feeling (as in Battlefield V), nor any excess of adrenaline and testosterone (as in DOOM Eternal). The opening mission already sets the tone of the game – William Blaskovitz has undergone a complex surgery that went badly, so he is forced to fight enemies, moving around the level in a wheelchair.

      It gets funnier (and bloodier) from here on out. Place of action is transferred then on a huge flying fortress, then on no less huge substrate, then in the Capitol, where at the foot of the statue of Abraham Lincoln cruel fascists organized show executions … And each of the locations – quite open. These are the main differences between Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus and the previous games in the series, which were corridor shooters.

      Of course, there is no full-fledged open world in Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus – where will William Blaskowitz get off the submarine? Or a flying fortress. That said, large locations can be explored freely, and you can also take on additional missions, such as collecting collectibles and eliminating Obercommanders. The openness is much better in the second part of the game, the first half is close to the classic corridor shooter.

      Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus has a few prequels and a sequel, but they’re closer to classic corridor FPS than Far Cry 5.

      Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands

      Rating: 4.6

      Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands

      In brief:Tactical cooperative shooter about planting diplomacy and other good things in Bolivia.

      Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands – cooperative tactical shooter about “democratization. The game takes place in Bolivia, which is a world center of drug production and trafficking. The whole economy of the state is based on it. The American government, tired of the flow of drugs from Bolivia, sends to the country an elite squad “Ghosts” from four special forces soldiers, so they themselves conducted an investigation, established a connection between drug cartels and the government, stopped the production of substances and delivered the poor people from the oppression of this terrible government.

      Despite the fact that the gameplay of Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands is concentrated around the classic tactical battles in a group of four soldiers, each of whom has their own knowledge and skills, you can play alone. In this case, the artificial intelligence will take control of the rest of the characters. You can choose any style of game – from stealth to the powerful action with explosions and moving through crowds of drug dealers on the ground.

      The main advantage of Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands is the open world. By the way, it is the first game in the series, that got such an option. The developers moved the action to Bolivia for a reason – this country has beautiful mountains, impenetrable jungle, and other interesting elements of the landscape, which is nice to explore. And because the map is really huge, there are more than 60 vehicle models available to explore the world, from classic buggies to motorboats. Each location has activities – races, drug cartel bases, small villages in need of mopping up, and so on.

      Despite the fact that Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands is distributed on the buy-to-play mechanics with one-time purchase, the game has donation. With real money you can buy internal currency, items of equipment and vehicles.

      Assassin’s Creed: Origins

      Rating: 4.5

      Assassin's Creed: Origins

      In brief:Journeys through Ancient Egypt.

      Assassin’s Creed: Origins answers the question no one has ever asked – “Where did the Fellowship of Assassins come from??”. So the time of action is almost prehistoric times, Hellenistic Egypt, which is about to fall under the onslaught of the Roman Empire. But the pyramids are built, and you can effectively roll down them.

      So, Ancient Egypt. Queen Cleopatra is trying to regain control of the state, unaware that in just a few years she will lose it for good. However, she is now busy with a civil war with Ptolemy XIII, her brother, who also wants to rule Egypt. Caesar’s soldiers loom on the border – he, too, is quite interested in this piece of North African desert with few oases and picturesque pyramids.

      The main character is Bayek of Siva. Once under previous pharaohs he was a mejai, an elite warrior and scout. But the squad was disbanded, the “colleagues” were slaughtered, and Bayek was left in the proud loneliness of the. He is aided only by his wife and Senu, the tame eagle. By the way, this bird is the main innovation in Assassin’s Creed: Origins.

      The thing is that Assassin’s Creed: Origins is about the times, when the Brotherhood of Assassins has not been created yet, and as a result, its members didn’t have their own unique skills. So marking enemies and investigating territories did not work for them. Senu, the eagle, acts as an “assassin’s eye”, using it to examine locations, locate the enemy and find all sorts of interesting things. Enemies don’t pay any attention to the bird. This is Egypt, there aren’t many eagles?

      Like previous parts of the series, Assassin’s Creed: Origins introduces a huge number of historical characters. First of all they are Queen Cleopatra, King Ptolemy XIII and the Roman Emperor Gaius Julius Caesar. There are even Brutus (who turns out to be an assassin), as well as some other characters from the history books of the ancient world, in cameo roles.

      In general, Assassin’s Creed: Origins is very carefully treated with history. The side missions, available in the open world, don’t just offer to kill the right number of enemies – they introduce the player to the specifics of life in ancient Egypt, including a realistic depiction of life and religion. And if you just want to travel around the country, you can switch to the “Interactive Guide” mode that opens the entire map and turns off the enemies.

      ARK: Survival Evolved

      Rating: 4.4

      ARK: Survival Evolved

      Briefly:Multiplayer survival in the world of dinosaurs and other prehistoric fauna.

      ARK: Survival Evolved is one of the most unusual Survival. The unconventionality, however, is in the setting. Survival is quite classical, you need to gather resources, craft different useful things from them, hunt local animals, build fortifications and shelters, as well as tame fauna.

      But it all unfolds in the setting of a prehistoric planet. Don’t expect any scientific credibility, however. ARK: Survival Evolved game fauna includes creatures from different historic periods. For example:

      1. Artroplerva is a gigantic, heavily armored and very poisonous scorpendra. A representative of the early Permian period.
      2. Megalodon is a huge, aggressive and extremely dangerous shark that often attacks recreational swimmers. Pliocene period representative.
      3. Argentavis – something between a bird and a lizard. Does not show special interest to the player, but will attack if he gets too close. Scavenger. A representative of the Miocene period.
      4. Quetzalcoatl, a giant winged lizard with very bright colors, unlike the more “dismal” pterosaurs. This creature is known for its timid behavior and when faced with any incomprehensible situation, it tends to leave the area. Representative of the Late Cretaceous Period.
      5. Megatherium, the ancestor of the anteaters of today. Huge, strong, but not very agile. Eats vegetation and giant insects. A member of the Early Holocene.
      6. ARK: Survival Evolved has “pops” Tyrannosaurs, Raptors, Brontosaurs and Triceratops in addition.

      With all that, ARK: Survival Evolved has a story! Gameplay not limited to multiplayer survival. The player needs to figure out how it is possible that on one map there are flora and fauna from different historical periods. But the closer the character gets to solving the puzzle, the more complicated and incomprehensible it becomes. And then the dinosaur robots take over the scene.

      ARK: Survival Evolved series also includes several additional games, including “sandbox” and “battle royale.

      Metro Exodus

      Rating: 4.3

      Metro Exodus

      Briefly:A train ride through post-apocalyptic Russia.

      World War III took place in the early 2000s. The superpowers “classically” exchanged nuclear strikes, so that hostilities took literally days. After this, the world is practically extinct. Only a relatively small group of people survived – they took shelter from nuclear strikes in the subterranean tunnels of the Moscow Metro.

      But even nuclear war has not taught people anything. Having settled in the secret branches of the Moscow subway, they began to develop their ideologies and conduct political feuds. The protagonist of Metro Exodus, Artem, has long tried to unite the survivors, but after two games in the series gave up this thankless task, took a steam engine and went on a journey across post-apocalyptic Russia in search of a place where you can stay in peace and quiet, and build a new, friendly world.

      In his journey through ruined Russia, Artyom will visit many interesting places and meet equally interesting characters:

      1. The Volga (somewhere near Saratov).A settlement of religious fanatics who worship the Kingfish and fight with all modern technology.
      2. Yamantau.A secret government bunker whose inhabitants survived nuclear explosions but lost their minds over decades of confinement.

      3. Caspian Sea.A gang of former oil workers who have become slave owners and now strictly control all neighboring territories.
      4. Northern Kazakhstan Taiga.A pioneer camp, whose inhabitants have grown up, but continue to play some strange game that has become the basis of their ideology.

      Of course, these are not all locations – I would not want to “spoil” the plot. Nevertheless, the picture of ruined Russia in Metro Exodus is oppressive. It seems that the nuclear war has destroyed not humanity, but humanity.

      The open world in Metro Exodus is a bit “limited”. So, the locations in the story chapters are open to explore. But you just can’t go from Saratov to Northern Kazakhstan. You must first complete the appropriate mission. While exploring the location you can take side quests that will help you immerse yourself in the world of Metro Exodus.

      Although Metro Exodus is the third game in the series, it can be played without the first two. Sure, some elements of the lore will remain obscure, but not too much.

      Metal Gear So
    • d V: The Phantom Pain
    • Rating: 4.2

      Metal Gear So<li></div><p>d V: The Phantom Pain” src=”/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/81916666196011-5512.jpg” height=”427″ title=”Metal Gear So</p><li>d V: The Phantom Pain”><p><b>Short:</b>Stealth action at the time of the Soviet-Afghan war in 1984. You can hide in boxes.</p><p>Metal Gear So</p><li>d V: The Phantom Pain belongs to the rare genre of stealth fighters in an open world. Solide Snake, a powerful soldier and spy who has taken part in numerous military conflicts around the world, comes under the player’s control. Only in one of the last missions something went wrong. Now Snake needs to restore his reputation. In addition, he is hunted by a squad of XOF terrorists, among whom is a creature with supernatural powers.<p>To restore his good name – his and his private military corporation’s – Snake goes to Afghanistan, where there is a war with the Soviet Union. It is also where the new XOF base is located. In the process of restoring his reputation Snake will have to face almost supernatural creatures, genetically modified parasites, artificial intelligence, powerful mechanisms, time manipulation and, of course, the most complicated political intrigues, in which every double agent turns out to be a triple.</p><p>The gameplay approach is interesting. The player in Metal Gear So</p><li>d V: The Phantom Pain is available huge, but fairly empty map, which is explained by the setting – after all, Afghanistan is not very populous country, whose landscape consists of low mountains, interspersed with deserts. Nevertheless, traveling around the world is interesting enough. In almost all of the encountered settlements you can find additional tasks – if you suddenly do not want to move in a really epic and confusing plot.<p>The methods of completing quests also depend solely on the player’s desire. Of course, Metal Gear So</p><li>d V: The Phantom Pain is first and foremost a stealth action game, so missions should preferably be done in stealth mode, trying not to run into the enemy or kill them stealthily and unnoticed. Nevertheless, if you want to confront openly, no one will interfere.<p>Despite the fact that Metal Gear So</p><li>d V: The Phantom Pain is the latest game in the MGS series, it is a prequel to all the others thanks to the manipulation of time. It is worth noting that to understand the plot it is desirable to pass at least the previous part – Metal Gear So<li>d V: Ground Zeroes.<h3>Destiny 2</h3><p>Rating: 4.1</p><div style=Destiny 2

      Short:MMORPG with elements of a sci-fi action game.

      First and foremost, it’s worth noting that Destiny 2 is an online multiplayer game. This is what sets it apart from other single-player-oriented projects in the rankings. In terms of gameplay, it is a mixture of an RPG and a first person shooter.

      The action of Destiny 2 takes place in an alternate future. Mankind first evolved, and then fell under the onslaught of the external enemy. Only one completely safe region remains – and that’s because it’s guarded by Guardians, supernatural beings who possess a “magic” called Light. It is such a character and takes control of the player.

      Having the Guardian at his disposal, the player can go to the open world. It’s really huge and includes a wide variety of missions. By completing PvE quests, the player will be able to get acquainted with the story, which is really interesting here. And fighting with other gamers in PvP mode, you can pump up your Guardian and equip it with top gear.

      From the MMORPG Destiny 2 “inherited” the role system. So, there are three classes of guards available:

      1. Titans.Classic “tanks” that prefer close combat. Use powerful shields and huge hammers.
      2. Hunters.A class for fans of stealth. Most fast and maneuverable, wield long-range pistols and often attack from cover.

      3. Warlocks.Pathos title for magicians. Wield supernatural powers and can, for example, cause energy rains with an area attack.

      That said, Destiny 2, being an online project, motivates you to play along with your friends. So, in cooperative mode, open additional PvE missions with large bosses, from which fall rare loot. Of course, also a large part of the gameplay is dedicated to PvP-battles, which are separated by separate competition modes and arenas with an interesting division by level.

      Destiny 2 is distributed for free, but it is almost impossible to play comfortably without donations – you need to buy a season pass at least. Major DLC with content and story development must also be purchased for real money. These additions are released almost every year. The release map at the time of writing (May 2021) has two more major DLCs – The Witch Queen for 2022 and

    • ghtfall for 2023.

      Mad Max

      Rating: 4.0

      Mad Max

      Briefly:Driving around post-apocalyptic Australia and the unbelievably brave eating of maggots.

      The Mad Max action game is based on the events of the movie Mad Max: Fury Road, but plot-wise is their sequel. So of the iconic characters, only the main character. Still, even Immortal Joe was killed in the picture, so Max Rockatansky has to fight brand new enemies, pursuing, however, old goals.

      So, the protagonist is tired of the whole post-apocalyptic world and goes to the Silent Plain, a certain oasis, practically “the promised land”. True, its location remains a mystery, so the hero has to travel blind. On another trip, he is attacked by bandits led by Lord Chlam Ostrus, the game’s main antagonist. During the fight Max loses his favorite car “Black on Black” and along with it his consciousness.

      Coming to his senses, Max sets out to wander the desert on foot. There he meets the Tinkerer, a mad inventor who wants to build the most powerful vehicle in history, the “Masterpiece”. Only a few parts are missing, including the eight-cylinder engine. Max decides to help the Tinkerer – and so begins his journey through the scorched desert in search of parts and components.

      A lot of components are required, so you’ll have to travel a lot, too. Fortunately the scorched desert, though destroyed, is quite well inhabited. Virtually every square kilometer has activity – somewhere you have to rescue hostages, somewhere you have to race, clear bandit camps and destroy their convoys, disarm mines, destroy scarecrows and erase “tag” signs, fly in a hot air balloon and eat worms, a valuable source of protein and moisture.

      The story component here is much more interesting than the open world. It’s “Mad Max,” so almost all of the main campaign missions are survival races. Fortunately, you can equip your car with a variety of weapons to destroy the enemy, from spikes on the wheels and body to flamethrowers and harpoons. The story campaign is really interesting, it has dramatic moments and unusual characters. On the contrary, many open-world missions are monotonous. But Mad Max came out in 2015, so the game is quite forgivable with missions along the lines of “wipe off 10 graffiti tags to reduce gang influence in this region”.

      The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

      Rating: 4.0

      The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

      Briefly:RPG in a vast fantasy world.

      The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is the biggest RPG in the Ancient Scrolls series. Its scope is not limited by the size of the map available for exploration. “Skyrim offers an incredible freedom of wagering and action – you can drop the story quest from the first mission and go for a walk around the locations, completing some side quests and participating in mini-activities. In principle, the scale is indicated by the fact that a leisurely passage of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim “on platinum” will take about 500 hours of real time.

      The storyline of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim unfolds in the province of Skyrim, covered by civil war. Conflict erupted between the two sides – the “orderly” to bureaucratic Empire and the freedom-loving tribes of the Nords. Protagonist can join either side. The game begins with the protagonist being driven to his execution. However, they don’t succeed in killing him – at the most crucial moment the dragon Alduin bursts into the fortress. In the turmoil that rises after his attack, the protagonist escapes – and from that moment his adventures in Skyrim begin. It also turns out that the main character is a Dragonborn, and only he can save the province from the mighty winged lizards.

      Gameplay The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a classic RPG with freedom of play. The hero can become a dangerous warrior, a powerful wizard, a skilled thief, a sweet-voiced bard, or just about anything. In addition to the Empire and Nords, there are eight different guilds available here, participation in each of which opens up new abilities (but closes the branch for one of the “competitors”).

      In addition, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has plenty of activities to live. You can mine ore or forge your own swords, fish or grow vegetables, cook food and craft potions, enchant various items, become a vampire or build yourself a house and live there in peace and quiet.

      Despite the fact that The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was released in 2011, the game still has a pleasant feel. Especially since there are several re-releases that improve the graphics, as well as an incredible number of custom modifications.

    Rate the article
    ( No ratings yet )
    Add comments

    ;-) :| :x :twisted: :smile: :shock: :sad: :roll: :razz: :oops: :o :mrgreen: :lol: :idea: :grin: :evil: :cry: :cool: :arrow: :???: :?: :!: