I watch a lot of movies, but one classic movie I’m ashamed to admit I’ve never seen is Apocalypse Now. It’s time to correct that crime, thanks to video games!
After all these years, Francis Ford Coppola’s Vietnam War masterpiece is finally being turned into a video game. Okay, so I guess one could argue that Spec Ops: The Line already translated Apocalypse Now‘s themes into the interactive space, but this time it’s the real deal. And unlike Spec Ops, this official Apocalypse Now game won’t be just another run of the mill shooter.
With an experienced development team in place–credits encompass directors, producers, and writers on games like Fallout: New Vegas, Pillars of Eternity, Wasteland 2, Torment: Tides of Numenera, and The Witcher—Apocalypse Now is being crafted into a proper psychological survival horror role-playing game drawing from the harrowing atmosphere of the Vietnam War setting. Played in first-person perspective, the game aims to “capture the tone, themes, and characters” of the movie, starting first and foremost by centering the story on protagonist Captain Benjamin L. Willard. However, decisions made throughout the game will give players the power to explore new aspects of the narrative beyond what’s portrayed on film.
A Kickstarter campaign is now underway seeking a whopping $900,000 minimum to start a three year production cycle (which comes after a decade of pre-production) that is scheduled to end with a 2019 early access release, coinciding with the movie’s 40th anniversary, followed by the full launch in 2020. Right now the primary platform target is Windows PC, but console ports are in the cards. VR support is also a possibility that will be determined later on in development.
Image Credit: Ars Technica