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The announcement and trailer for Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon on April 1st had everyone wondering if it was an April Fools prank, and its funky retro logo didn’t help some from dismissing it entirely. A few days later, new futuristic screenshots surfaced for the game, confirming that it was definitely going to happen just the way it appeared and that it was set in the distant future of 2007, as a quite separate adventure from that of Far Cry 3.
Several new details emerged over the weekend, revealing more about the plot and nature of the game, along with the platforms that it will be released on with a release date that’s less than a month away. Keeping in line with the nostalgic eighties feel of the marketing material that we’ve seen so far, Ubisoft has also announced that Michael Biehn, of classic action movies Aliens and Terminator, will lend his voice talents to the game, possible as main character Sargent Rex Colt.
A satirical “official site” for Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon has launched, which includes talk of the “fantaction movie” and an interview with “wunderkind director/writer, Alexis Graveyard.” The interview seems to cement the connection between the standalone arcade game and Far Cry 3, implying that the setting of the game/movie is still Rook Island, and that Graveyard and his crew filmed the scenes in the aftermath of Jason Brody’s rampage.
Video Depot Transmissions: So, what was it like shooting on location in a beautiful tropical island?
Alexis Graveyard: Oh, it was the very definition of, uhm, what’s the word?
Video Depot Transmissions: Insanity?
Alexis Graveyard: No, of course not. Don’t be trite. I was going to say inspirational. Imagine a veritable paradise juxtapositioned against all those weapons and explosions and gunfire. Then, a week later, the film crew showed up and we started filming in that war-torn hellhole. All those poor, dead people. At least we put them to good use as backdrop. It really sold the realism.
A thread over at NeoGAF has also rounded up the new details that have been released regarding the game’s plot, and the unveiled release date of May 1st 2013. First and foremost, it looks like Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is definitely a standalone game as opposed to DLC for Far Cry 3, as it’s been confirmed that you don’t need to own a copy of Far Cry 3 in order to play it. Though it now has an official page in the Xbox Live Arcade, it won’t be an XBLA exclusive; it also exists on the Steam registry and has been rated for PC/PS3/360 in various regions.
Here’s the official synopsis, along with the first voice cast reveal and box art:
The image of Sargent Rex Colt does bear a certain resemblance to Michael Biehn, so it seems likely that the actor will be voicing the lead character of the game. Biehn recently reprised his role as Corporal Dwayne Hicks, alongside his Aliens co-stars Lance Henriksen and Mark Rolston, for Sega’s somewhat shaky release of Aliens: Colonial Marines.
The “Blood Dragon” of the title appears to be the Godzilla-like creature on the box art that is seen shooting laser beams out of its eyes, though Far Cry 3 also featured a “blood dragon” of its own during a Path of the Hunter request that required the player to hunt down and kill a komodo dragon with red-hued skin. With it the player could craft the extended grenade pouch. Jason isn’t a very good conservationist.
Finally, here’s a screenshot of some of the achievements available for the game, which reinforces what we’ve already heard about the game being open-world – it features ‘Predator’s Path’ quests, which sound similar to the ‘Path of the Hunter’ missions available in Far Cry 3, and also features a variety of different animals that can be fought.
Are you excited for the release of Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon? Do you have any theories about how the game’s writers plan to connect the plot to that of Far Cry 3, or what surprises they might have in store?
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon will be available on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 from May 1, 2013.