Far Cry Primal is an action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It is set to be released for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on February 23, 2016, and Microsoft Windows in March 2016. The game is set in the Stone Age, and revolves around the story of Takkar, who starts off as an unarmed hunter and rises to become the leader of a tribe.
Setting[ | ]
The game is set during the beginning Mesolithic period, ca. 12,000 years before present, in the fictional land of Oros, an open world filled with wildlife such as mammoths and saber-toothed cats. Survival is a daily challenge as tribes come into conflict with one another and nature. Players take on the role of a hunter named Takkar (Elias Toufexis), who is stranded in Oros—a valley that was once covered in ice—with no weapons or resources after his hunting party is ambushed. Takkar, using his newfound skill of taming animals, will eventually rise to power and lead his own tribe.
Gameplay[ | ]
Far Cry Primal is an action-adventure video game. As the game is set in pre-historic times, the traditional gunplay and vehicle gameplay featured in the series were removed, and players can only get access to melee weapons like spears, clubs, axes, and short-ranged weapons like bows. Players cannot purchase weapons, and must craft them using the materials scavenged in the world such as wood and stone. As players progress, they can craft more lethal weapons with a larger variety of resources. Players are also tasked to hunt for food and learn to create fire. Besides facing natural predators, players also get the chance to be the leader of a tribe, and drive other tribes away from the world. With this feature, players are tasked to manage and protect their fellow tribe members. The game also features a day-night cycle, which will affect gameplay. At night, some enemies become more aggressive and dangerous. Players can make use of fire as a tool for personal protection or hunting at night.
Players can tame wildlife such as prehistoric badgers and saber-toothed cats in the game by giving them food to eat. These animals serve as a companion for players and assist them in combating enemies after being tamed. Players can also issue commands to them. Different companions have different behaviors and players can switch between them at will. Takkar also has a pet owl, which can be directly controlled. Through the owl's vision, players can scout enemies' outposts and highlight enemies.
Development[ | ]
The game's development is led by Ubisoft Montreal, with assistance provided by Ubisoft Toronto, Ubisoft Kiev and Ubisoft Shanghai. When asked about whether Far Cry 4 would feature standalone content like Far Cry 3 with Blood Dragon, creative director Alex Hutchinson declared that a sequel to the game would not be happening, but they are planning something that can "surprise" players. On January 5, 2015, Ubisoft released a survey and asked players about their favorite Far Cry setting. The survey includes themes like vampires, zombies, dinosaurs, a post-apocalyptic world, historical warfare and modern days locations like Peru and Alaska.
It was first added to the Steam database under its codename Far Cry Sigma on October 2, 2015, causing major confusion for both fans and press. However, on October 6, 2015, Ubisoft held a stream revealing their next project. It was announced a day later, though it was leaked by IGN Turkey several hours before the official announcement.The game's creative director is Jean-Christophe Guyot, who has worked on several Prince of Persia games. On December 3, 2015, creative director Maxime Béland stated that Far Cry Primal will be as big as Far Cry 4. The game will not feature a multiplayer mode. The decision was made during the early stages of the game's development as they wanted to focus on the game's core gameplay instead.
Far Cry Primal is set to be released for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on February 23, 2016. The Microsoft Windows version is set to be launched shortly afterwards on March 1, 2016. The game has two different special editions, both of which cost more than the base game. The Collector’s Edition features additional physical items such as a steelbook, a collector's book, a map of Oros, the game's original soundtrack and a Wenja phrasebook, which serves as a guide for players to learn the language used in the game. The Digital Apex Edition, which can only be purchased digitally, and the Collector's Edition contain digital content such as extra in-game missions, weapons and additional packs.
