It’s been nearly four decades since Francis Coppola turned Joseph Conrad’s 1899 novella Heart of Darkness into one of the most critically acclaimed films of all-time. Today, we are chomping at the bit, as Coppola’s film studio, American Zoetrope announced that it’s turning the film into a video game.
“Forty years ago, I set out to make a personal art picture that could hopefully influence generations of viewers for years to come. Today, I’m joined by new daredevils, a team who want to make an interactive version of Apocalypse Now, where you are Captain Benjamin Willard amidst the harsh backdrop of the Vietnam War. I’ve been watching videogames grow into a meaningful way to tell stories, and I’m excited to explore the possibilities for Apocalypse Now for a new platform and a new generation,” said Francis Coppola via official announcement.
The Apocalypse Now game will blend cinematic storytelling with role-playing mechanics. As in the film, players take on the role of Captain Willard on a dangerous mission to terminate the renegade Colonel Kurtz. As the game progresses, players will face choices that allow them to diverge from the original narrative, making their own way through the horrors of the Vietnam War. The game promises to deliver a great variety of interaction, as well as have you carefully tracking resources like food, water, first aid supplies, anti-malaria medicine, for a more realistic experience. Game director Markland says the teams’ main goal is to challenge the concept of interactive experience, just like the film challenged the concept of cinema.
The team says that they have already spent “several thousand man-hours in pre-production,” according to the Kickstarter page.
Should the $900,000 Kickstarter goal be reached, the plan is to have Apocalypse Now in early access by 2019, in time for the film’s 40th anniversary, with a wide release in 2020.