Video Gamer is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices subject to change. Learn more
Yes, you read that correctly. Francis Ford Coppola has announced a video game adaption of Apocalypse Now, only he and the creative team behind the project need your money via Kickstarter to make it happen.
$900,000 will give the project the green light.
“Francis Ford Coppola is excited to announce the game adaptation of Apocalypse Now directed by Montgomery Markland, executive produced by Lawrence Liberty and written by Rob Auten,” reads the Kickstarter.
Presented in first-person – though not an FPS – Apocalypse now promises to be an “immersive, psychedelic horror RPG” from a team of game development veterans who have collectively worked on Fallout: New Vegas, Pillars of Eternity, The Witcher, Neverwinter Nights 2, Wasteland 2, Torment: Tides of Numenera, Everquest, DC Universe Online, PlanetSide, PlanetSide 2, Star Wars Galaxies and many more.
The game will depict the horror and spectacle of the Vietnam War through the character of Captain Benjamin Willard, an American tasked with the assassination of Colonel Walter E. Kurtz. The aim is to create an interactive recreation of Willard’s journey.
The way in which players react to situations will mould a unique version of Willard, whilst still within the “loose confines” of the film story.
The game’s blurb explains: “Your mission begins in Saigon, where Willard is holed up in a dingy hotel. Audio and visual distortion evoke Willard’s emotions and past experiences. The game provides you subjective access to a character who is already nearly insane.
“Unlike a traditional RPG, the emphasis is not choosing dialogue, but rather actions and postures. Combat draws from survival horror to emphasize combat avoidance and stealth. This is not Call of Duty in Vietnam.
“You will quickly learn that the gun-blazing solo war machine of other shooters would not have lasted long in the real Vietnam. Instead you will find rewards for proceeding cautiously and managing limited resources with care. Willard is your responsibility; make him an adept soldier and you will command respect in the jungle
“Brutalism and hubris will bring about severe repercussions affecting your relationship with those around you, especially the crew of the PBR Streetgang (aka the Erebus). Your actions can endanger or empower them and will affect how they view you and their willingness to aid you.
“There is also a war of resources. Food, water, first aid supplies, anti-malaria medicine, drugs, ammo, weapons, mission information, and gasoline are all vital to your and Willard’s success. While in U.S.-controlled territory, you can find resources through exploration, interactions with allied forces, completing side missions, scavenging from hostiles, and supply drops.”
Whilst you can expect to come across characters you recognise from the film, a cast of new characters will also be featured in the game.
A $35 pledge will secure you a digital copy of the game, though this will be PC only unless a stretch goal of $2.5 million is reached to fund ports to PS4 and Xbox One.
The game’s release is quite a way off, currently aiming for October 2020.
Source: Kickstarter
